Last updated 13:33, Thursday, 24 July 2008

The ever-popular Jools Holland & his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra will bring the festival to a close on Sunday night.

Jools Holland

Acclaimed as one of the leading blues pianists in the world, it will be Holland’s second visit to the summer festival with his 18-piece orchestra.

Over the years, the entourage have established themselves as one of the most prolific touring acts in the UK, mixing boogie-woogie, swing, jazz, ska and R&B.

The Jools Holland Big Band was formed in 1987, and the line-up gradually metamorphosed into the current 18-piece Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, which consists of one pianist, one drummer, two female vocals, one guitar, one bass guitar, two tenor saxophones, two alto saxophones, one baritone saxophone, three trumpets, and four trombones.

On Sunday they will be accompanied by vocalists Marc Almond, Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall.

Marc is best-known as one half of Eighties electro duo Soft Cell, who notched up in excess of 10 million record sales worldwide and established a style that was to influence several generations of musicians that followed.

Ruby Turner also found fame in the 1980s, when she was asked to join Culture Club at the height of their stardom.

The Jamaica-born, Birmingham-bred diva then signed a solo record deal with Jive Records. Her first album, 1986’s Women Hold Up Half The Sky, spawned the hits If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me) and I’d Rather Go Blind.

Ruby scored a number 1 hit single, It’s Gonna Be Alright, in the American R‘n’B chart – one of less than ten British records to achieve this. She has sung with Bryan Ferry, UB40, Steve Winwood, Mick Jagger, The Four Tops, The Temptations and Jimmy Ruffin.

Ruby, who is making her debut at the festival, said: “It’s good fun, the music business is a phenomenal thing but it isn’t always easy, so I’m grateful to be part of a unit.

“Jools is a wonderful entertainer. There are lots of bands out there, but nothing like what he does. Then there is the orchestra: hugely talented musicians in their own right.

“There’ll be some blues, a bit of boogie woogie, gospel, some new stuff by Marc and big band. Basically it’s a melting pot of wonderful music.

“People really enjoy it. For one night they can forget about their troubles, forget about their worries. It’s quite an experience.”

Jools Holland first played the festival in 2001 and is back by popular demand. Festival spokesperson Eleanor Carr said: “Of all of our headliners, Jools Holland is the artist we have had most requests to bring back to the festival.

“Because he has his orchestra with him there’s always a real party atmosphere. Some of the headliners are quite specialised rhythm and blues but Jools is just really, really popular.”

Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, featuring Marc Almond, Ruby Turner & Louise Marshall, play the main stage on Sunday 27 at 9pm.