The June 27 & 28 heralds the arrival of Midsummer Music @ Spencers 2008, a swing & jazz festival to be held in the glorious gardens of Spencers at Great Yeldham in Essex, with music performed under a huge marquee. For the second year running, the gates of this Georgian estate will open up to a spectacular line-up of talented and well known musicians.

Topping a star-studded bill, will be Eugene Pao, the phenomenal jazz guitarist who has been flown over especially from Hong Kong, to play at the festival. The all-time-great of British Jazz, Courtney Pine will also perform alongside nine other brilliant bands including the Glenn Miller Orchestra U.K., John Etheridge and his Sweet Chorus and Shakatak.

Midsummer Music @ Spencers 2008, with the help and partnership of CHINA NOW and the Jiangsu Festival, will have a definite China theme.

The Jiangsu Festival is taking place all over Essex for nine months between July 2008 and March 2009 and is the biggest international arts festival Essex has ever enjoyed. CHINA NOW (www.chinanow.org.uk) is the UK's largest ever Chinese cultural festival. With over 800 events, British audiences can enjoy and better understand China's traditional and modern culture in the lead up to this year's Beijing Olympics (and bearing in mind that London is to host them in four years' time).

Eugene Pao, virtuoso guitarist and leading spirit of jazz in Hong Kong, will play for Midsummer Music @ Spencers in a marquee decorated with red Chinese lanterns. First discovered in the mid 1980's Eugene has played with legends such as bassist Eddie Gomez, blues great Jimmy Witherspoon, saxophonist Michael Brecker and the leading international performer Herbie Hancock. A guitarist extraordinaire, Eugene Pao's fretboard artistry has earned him praise and great respect from dozens of international jazz greats including Click Corea, James Moody and Ernie Watts.

Organizers are also planning other Chinese elements to complement the music, including an exhibition of contemporary photographs of Jiangsu Province, a lion dance workshop for children, a chance to sample the best Chinese tea under the guidance of Professor Ma, a Martial Arts workshop of gong fu for children, a calligrapher to introduce children to the fun of writing Chinese characters, a face painter to create some of the heroines and villains from Chinese opera, Paper Folding and Cutting workshops for children, Chinese children's story telling by Adeline Yen Mah by famous author of Chinese Cinderella and Falling Leaves and, of course, delicious Chinese food to eat and artifacts to buy.

Ticket prices are: Friday evening ￡28, Saturday all day ￡48, both days ￡60. Saturday12 noon - 6pm ￡15, Saturday 6pm-midnight ￡38. There are excellent discounts for "Early Birds" & Seniors (65+). 15's and under (accompanied by an adult) are free.

(China.org.cn May 30, 2008)