Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival


The Isle of Wight Jazz Festival ran from 2005 to 2008, in the small seaside town of Ventnor. Since the start of the festival it hosted a range of artists including Terry Callier, Cleo Laine, Maceo Parker, John Dankworth, Dennis Rollins. Humphrey Lyttelton and Ian Shaw.
The 2009 Festival was cancelled and no festival has been held since.

Controversy

For 2009 some venues refused to accept bookings from the organisers until musicians and suppliers from previous years confirmed they have been paid. The organisers announced that after a new director was taken on, the financial situation would be sorted and the event moved to a new site at East Dene in Bonchurch. However, the 2009 event was cancelled, and although various statements were made about events in 2011 and 2012, they did not occur, and by November 2012 the Jazz Festival website was offline.

Line-ups

2005
Annie Whitehead, Jacqui Dankworth, Rob Koral, Esther Miller, Andrea Vicari, Taeko Kunishima, Rachael Moore, and Gary Plumley
2006
Humphrey Lyttelton, Sax Appeal, Claire Martin, Jazz Connection Dutch Swing Band, Aydenne Simone, Louise Parker, The Bovril Sisters and Mike Porter's Next Level.
2007
Cleo Laine, Terry Callier, John Dankworth, Dennis Rollins, Digby Fairweather, Norma Winstone, Stan Tracey, The JazzCotech Dancers, Bryan Corbett, and Aydenne Simone
2008
Maceo Parker, Dennis Rollins, Manteca, Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble, Liane Carroll, Ian Shaw, Tony Kofi, Empirical, Thabani, The JazzCotech Dancers, Pete Long, The Shez Raja Collective, Cameron Pierre, and John-Paul Gard
2009
The local newspaper reported that the 2009 festival had been cancelled with 1 month's notice due to lack of sponsorship and low ticket sales, and that it was scheduled to return in 2010. The official festival website later confirmed this although, in fact, no further events were held. The artists due to attend the 2009 event were:
James Taylor Quartet, Ray Gelato & the Giants, John Etheridge with Liane Carroll, Ian Shaw with Guy Barker, Tim Garland with Soweto Kinch, Gwilym Simcock, Snake Davis Band, Portico Quartet and Lighthouse Trio, Protect the Beat