Tuning up for jazz festival

11:18am Wednesday 30th January 2008

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The final details are being added to plans for Croydon's third jazz festival.

The festival, which runs from June 1 to 15 at venues throughout the town, is sponsored by the Croydon Guardian.

“Our aim is to offer a yearly, high-quality musical festival focusing on jazz but embracing all the creative disciplines which pull people into Croydon, generating more business and encouraging and inspiring all generations to get involved in the arts.”

Dave Markee

The brainchild of its director Dave Markee, the jazz festival was launched in 2006 with the aim of putting Croydon back on the cultural map.

Dave, a professional musician who has played with artists such as Eric Clapton, said: "We want to make Croydon more culturally exciting.

"Our aim is to offer a yearly, high-quality musical festival focusing on jazz but embracing all the creative disciplines which pull people into Croydon, generating more business and encouraging and inspiring all generations to get involved in the arts."

Dave is heavily involved in reviving cultural life in the town as a member of Croydon Council's Cultural Quarter task group and is chief executive officer of the Christian Centre in Surrey Street, a charitable trust.

He first came to live in Croydon in 1969 when he went to study orchestral bass playing at Trinity College, London. He then went on to become a professional bass playing with some of the biggest names in the music business, recording and touring with Eric Clapton, Leo Sayer, Joan Armatrading and Faith Hill.

Now aged 65, he is still playing. If you want to hear him catch the Dave Markee Jazz Collective tomorrow from 7.30pm-9.30pm at Auberge restaurant on the third floor of the Whitgift Centre.

Meanwhile Dave is busy finalising details of this year's festival. The line-up and venues should be announced in the next few weeks.