Soundbites

SIMPHIWE DANA

South Africa's number one jazz diva, Simphiwe Dana is coming to the Wiltshire Music Centre on Sunday as part of her UK Tour.

An internationally acclaimed songstress, who was nominated last year for best World Music Artist in the BBC Radio 3 awards, was Simphiwe raised in the Eastern Cape and her name translates as 'gift'.

Not only does she have a beautiful soulful voice but also a mesmerising stage presence that complete with her 11-piece band will be thrilling.

Hers is a unique sound combining elements of streetwise township jazz with traditional African music and contemporary soul around which her wide-ranging voice with its rich tonal qualities weaves a magic spell.

CLIVE GREGSON

Clive Gregson who is appearing at The Rondo, Larkhall, tonight is one of the world's leading guitarists.

He is also an emotionally charged singer and a prolific songwriter whose songs with their mix of folk and pop styles have been recorded by many top artists.

Originally from Manchester he is now based in USA and he first came to prominence in the folk clubs in the 1980s.

Expect a relaxed evening listening to mesmerising songs and guitarwork.

DAVID NEWTON

Winner of the 2008 British jazz awards for best piano player is at the Ring O' Bells in Widcombe on Sunday at 8pm.

David is one of the country's best jazz pianist and has recorded with all major jazz artist over the years, and was US vocalist Stacey Kent accompanist for ten years.

THE LAKE SINGERS

The Bath/Alkmaar Twinning Association will present 24 traditional singers bringing uplifting music from Bath's twin city in Holland on Saturday, from 7.15pm, at the Central United Reformed Church.

The lively group will be play foot-tapping numbers which is sure to appeal to all ages and tastes.

EMBER

A duo based in Wales visit The Bell, Walcot, for the first time on Sunday lunchtime.

Ember made up of Welsh songstress Emily Williams and Rebecca Sullivan from Utah have been compared to The Be Good Tanyas, Indigo Girls and more strangely Simon and Garfunkel.

Their voices create some weird and beautiful harmonies to the accompaniment of fiddle, guitars and harmonica while performing an individual take on traditional style folk and country.

JONNY BRUCE

Jazz at St James Wine Vaults, welcomes an extraordinary and adventurous trumpet player tonight.

A truly unique identity, Jonny Bruce has emerged onto the UK jazz scene, in recent years, through playing with the Dave Stapleton Quintet – DSQ, with who he contributes a vital role in the bands sound.

CEILIDH with COCK & BULL BAND

Legendary band comprising clarinet, sax, keyboards, Breton pipes and percussion that has delighted audiences with its innovative Anglo-French mix of tunes for more than 30 years.

Expect to have an energetic time dancing when it palys this Saturday at The Sulis Club, Claverton Down.

KENT DUCHAINE

Bluesmen are rarely as original as Kent Duchaine from USA. He grew up in Minnesota and in a career spanning 40 years has worked with the likes of BB King, John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf.

A true original who combines stunning showmanship with charismatic appeal and intensity of delivery.

Expect nothing short of spectacular at Chapel Arts this Saturday evening.

Support from Rachel Dawick.

HEY NEGRITA

Hey Negrita, who plays Moles on Saturday, blend country, rockabilly and honky tonk into a heady sour mash cocktail.

Inspired by the success of their series of acoustic performances for various BBC shows, including Bob Harris on Radio 2, Hey Negrita took time out from their tour schedule in support of their 2008 album You Can Kick and shifted into Miloko Studios in south London for a spur-of-the-moment session.

"The idea was to cut as many tracks as we could in five hours without any overdubs or edits" says singer and songwriter Felix Bechtolsheimer.

"We just sat in a circle and put some microphones up. We wanted to capture the raw energy of one of our live performances while preserving the intimacy of how we sound when we're jamming in the kitchen."

Despite being renowned for raucous live performances the new album, entitled Burn The Whole Place Down, sees them shifting down several gears and in many ways this gentler, acoustic approach allows Hey Negrita's deft way with a melody and lyric to shine through like never before.

For more information visit www.myspace.com/heynegrita