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RICHARD HUGHES QUARTET
Classically-trained pianist Richard Hughes took up music full-time after completing a degree course in Music at Exeter University. In the last ten years his experience is impressively wide-ranging, covering modern jazz, gypsy swing, blues and boogie, Latin and pop. He has played with King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys, violinist Ralph Allin, sax star Mike Burney and singers Lizzy Parks and Roy Forbes. Previous Birmingham Jazz Festival gigs have included sessions with Tim Kliphuis and Alex Garnett. Richard writes and creates his own music and is part of an established trio with Laurence Hunt and Steve Amadeo.

ROY FORBES
West Midlands-based jazz/soul singer Roy Forbes spent many years as the singer with Andy Hamilton's Blue Notes, performing on their album Jamaica by Night. This gave him the opportunity to appear alongside such greats as Larry Coryell, David Murray, Scott Hamilton, Al Casey, Jean Toussaint and Sweets Edison as well as recording live at the Jazz Café and the Stables, Wavendon. Since going solo in 1997 Roy has produced three albums: Going Home, Telma (featuring Spike Robinson) and Last Orders.

ROY WILLIAMS
For many years one of the finest trombonists this country has produced, Roy Williams has become what Digby Fairweather memorably describes as 'a perfect amalgam of Urbie Green and Jack Teagarden, with a hint of Bob Brookmeyer here and there.' His career began in the trad boom, with local Lancashire band Eric Batty's Jazz Aces and, later, with Terry Lightfoot, before extended stays with two superb, if contrasted, bands: Alex Welsh and Humphrey Lyttelton. After leaving Humph in 1982, Roy appeared with many top-quality British groups (notably the Pizza Express All Stars) as well as picking up numerous British Jazz Awards and building his reputation in the States at Dick Gibson's Colorado Jazz Parties and with Bobby Rosengarden's Band in New York. His 1999 album with Danny Moss, Steamers! (on Nagel Heyer) was Critics' Choice for Jazz Record of the Year in Jazz Journal International.

SALLY NIGHT
The English jazz singer Sally Night now works largely in Italy and France where she has built a formidable reputation in three short years as a professional during which she has recorded two albums: Phases of Love and London by Night. Sally's prime influences are the greats like Ella, Sarah Vaughan, Anita O'Day and Carmen McRae, as well as rather surprising figures like Dean Martin and Freddy Cole.

SIMON SPILLETT
One of the stars of last year's Birmingham International Jazz Festival, Simon Spillett had a momentous year in 2007, right from Jazz UK nominating him as 'one of the jazz faces to watch in 2007', through his CD, Introducing Simon Spillett, being selected as BBC Music Magazine's Jazz Choice of the Month, to major festival appearances, not only at Birmingham, but also at Brecon, Wigan and Southport. Simon's early apprenticeship included lessons with veteran reedman Vic Ash, whom he still plays with in quintet setting and whose autobiography he helped to produce. In 2008 he produced his second Woodville CD, Sienna Red, and, according to Dave Gelly in The Observer, proves that 'the young virtuoso tenor saxophonist was not just a passing sensation.'

STEVE STEINHAUS SWING QUARTET (USA)
This fresh-faced ensemble of award-winning graduates of the Birmingham Conservatoire is fronted by Chicago's own Steve Steinhaus, the larger than life frontman for the Midlands jump-jive upstarts, the Dr Teeth Big Band. Featuring the dynamic rhythm section from Birmingham's late lamented Sugar Beats (Chris Mapp on bass, Begsy Gardner on drums and Rob Norman on keys), the band spin their way through a wide swing and jazz repertoire including everything from Rat Pack classics to the Great American Songbook by way of Ray Charles and Louis Jordan.

SUZAHN FIERING (USA)
An outstanding songwriter as well as a fine and distinctive singer/guitarist, Suzahn was born in Buffalo, New York, and achieved her early success in New York City. Now relocated to Nashville, she released the highly acclaimed album, Paris Without his Kiss, in 2006, working with famed producer Richard Adler and the cream of Nashville jazz musicians. Suzahn's lyrics have been compared to 'short stories set to jazz, each a page from a steamy novel revealing life's little secrets'.

SWEDISH JAZZ KINGS (SWEDEN/AUSTRALIA/UK/NETHERLANDS)
The Swedish Jazz Kings were originally formed in 1985 by clarinettist/soprano saxist Tomas Ornberg as a studio band to record the music of Clarence Williams. Since then the band has built an international reputation for Chicago and New Orleans jazz of the 1920s and early 1930s. For the band's Birmingham gigs Ornberg is joined by Ollie Nyman, Paul Habraken, Keith Durston and the superb Australian cornetist, Bob Barnard. His mellow tone and lyrical style have been a feature of the Australian jazz scene since the 1950s and his frequent forays to the States have seen him working alongside such major talents as Dan Barrett, Peanuts Hucko and Jim Cullum.

SYNTHESIS BIG BAND (USA)
One of the most distinguished of American college jazz ensembles, Synthesis was founded in 1973. It now consists of 18-20 members selected by a rigorous audition process. The band's popularity extends far beyond the States with many tours to Japan, China and throughout Europe. In the States Synthesis has won many jazz festival awards, including the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival and the Disney World Jazz Festival. Director of Synthesis, Ray Smith recently received the first Utah Jazz Master Award from the International Association for Jazz Education.

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