JAZZ favourites from both sides of the pond are helping to celebrate another year of a long-standing North West festival.

Tonight musical maestro Jools Holland will be kicking off the 32nd Wigan International Jazz Festival tonight.

For more than three decades the event has been bringing the best of the best in the genre to the town for nights of music magic.

This year plans to be no different with sold out events and big names all bringing the town's stages alive.

Festival steering group member Peter Brookes said: "It is amazing how time has passed, I've been involved in the festival for around 28 years and it's amazing how it has been kept going. A lot of that is down to director Ian Darrington and the group in general, as well as the volunteers.

"Jazz still has a pull and what is called jazz has changed over the years. It is now used in all sorts of of music, be it rock, pop, jazz.

"Jazz is having a bit of a revival at the moment and there's a growing interest with lots of festivals around the country and interest created through youth jazz orchestras.

"We always aimed to bring the best musicians from around the world and also put an emphasis of young jazz orchestras and giving up and coming groups a platform."

Jools Holland takes to the stage tonight with his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra for a sold out gig at the Robin Park Leisure Centre.

Twelve hundred people will watch the concert which will feature Gilson Lavis, special guest Chris Difford, and guest vocalists Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Beth Rowley.

On Friday the headline concert is an evening with saxophonist Branford Marsalis and vocalist Kurt Elling for their only UK festival appearance of the season alongside Justin Faulkner on drums, Joey Calderazzo on piano and Eric Revis on bass.

The following evening will feature acclaimed Californian trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and his quartet.

The musician has flown in especially for the concert and will perform with the Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra and the festival is rounded off on Sunday with Wigan Jazz Club's Reunion Dream Band performing in honour of legendary jazz drummer Buddy Rich.

The concert celebrates the centenary of the musician’s death and will be directed by his composer John

Labarbera.

There will also be music throughout Friday to Sunday of a range of soloists and groups.

The festival also celebrated a successful launch at the end of last month with an exclusive UK appearances of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band in two concerts at the Royal Northern College of Music.

Mr Brookes added: "They were absolutely fantastic, they are probably the best jazz orchestra in the world!

"We were nervous about taking over a venue like the college but we had people coming from as far as the Bournemouth, the Ilse of Man, and Scotland for it.

"We had to two full houses, it was sold out completely. It was a fantastic start to the festival."

To find out more about the festival or to book tickets visit www.wiganjazzclub.co.uk.