Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust has announced the line-up of the 2008 Wigan International Jazz Festival.

Taking place on 12-18 July, visitors can see the likes of Elkie Brooks, BBC Concert Orchestra vocalist and Ronnie Scott Jazz Award nominee Matthew Ford, Synthesis – the Big Band of Brigham Young University, Australian Trumpet supremo James Morrison, and Dennis Rollins and Empirical performing with the Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra.

“The 2008 line up is one of the best we have seen in Wigan.” said Ian Darrington, festival director.

“What we have this year is a great balance of the well known and the new and the contemporary and the big band sound.

“The festival was conceived out of a sell-out weekend of jazz back in 1985. Nobody thought that this northern town of Wigan – more famous for cloth caps than jazz would make it as a festival.

“But this novelty factor has actually worked in our favour and has helped attract audiences, artists and media attention. And when other festivals have come, gone and some come and gone again, Wigan stays firmly put on the international jazz calendar.” Details: www.wiganjazz.net

Photograph: Dennis Rollins