Chaka Khan, Van Morrison, Candi Staton and more for Love Supreme Festival

Chaka Khan, Van Morrison, Candi Staton and more for Love Supreme Festival

The organisers of the Love Supreme Jazz Festival have announced the first wave of acts for this year’s event, which returns to Glynde Place in East Sussex from July 3rd – 5th.

Topping the bill on Saturday 4th is ten-time Grammy-winning soul diva Chaka Khan, whose incredible 40-year career has spawned a string of global hits including ‘I Feel For You’, ‘Ain’t Nobody’, ‘Tell Me Something Good’, ‘I’m Every Woman’ and ‘You Got The Love’. Closing the festival on Sunday 5th will be one of music’s true originals Van Morrison, who celebrates his 70th birthday this summer and will be performing classic tracks from his phenomenal back catalogue.

Love Supreme, the UK’s only major greenfield jazz festival, has been hailed by The Guardian as “the British jazz world’s Glastonbury” and will also present performances from chart-topping soul and gospel singer Candi Staton, legendary Cream drummer Ginger Baker, US vocalist Dianne Reeves, who won Best Jazz Album at last week’s Grammy Awards, and revered South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela.

A string of high-profile US jazz stars have been confirmed for the three-day event including Terence Blanchard, who brings his electric band ‘E-Collective’ to the UK for the first time, a set by inimitable pairing Joshua Redman and The Bad Plus, and hard-hitting Blue Note-signed trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, whose set at the Royal Festival Hall during last year’s London Jazz Festival brought an array of new admirers. Up and coming US acts on the bill include much-hyped soul singer Jarrod Lawson, rising star trumpeter Theo Croker and LA-based jazz rockers Kneebody, who performed a sold out, critically acclaimed show at Ronnie Scott’s in November.

A selection of the UK’s most celebrated artists and bands will also appear at this year’s festival including Mercury Prize nominees GoGo Penguin, Submotion Orchestra, Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, Snarky Puppy pianist Bill Laurance, Partisans, Joe Stilgoe, Get The Blessing, Christine Tobin, Hackney Colliery Big Band, Dylan Howe’s Subterraneans, Elliot Galvin, Gabby Young and Other Animals, Blue-Eyed Hawk and Shiver.

Two pioneering Australian acts have been added to the bill in the form of experimental soul group Hiatus Kaiyote and jazz-flavoured pianoless quartet The Vampires.

Several more high profile acts will be announced in due course.

Festival Director Ciro Romano:

“To be able to secure artists of the stature of Van Morrison and Chaka Khan, alongside such a broad cross section of globally revered acts from the worlds of jazz, funk, soul and R&B, is testament to how far we’ve come in just three years. Love Supreme is now firmly on the map as one of Europe’s top outdoor music festivals and offers a unique experience that you will struggle to find anywhere else in the UK."

Jazz FM Chairman Richard Wheatly:

"This already fantastic line-up highlights the amazing diversity of jazz and soul music that’s becoming Love Supreme’s trademark. The critics have been universal in their acclaim, calling it one of the greatest weekends in jazz.  With many of the world's music legends having performed or performing in 2015,  this is the UK’s yearly celebration of outstanding music. Don't miss it!"

The full line-up to date is:

Chaka Khan

Van Morrison

Hugh Masekela

Joshua Redman and The Bad Plus

Terence Blanchard E-Collective

Candi Staton

Dianne Reeves

Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion

Submotion Orchestra

Ambrose Akinmusire

Hiatus Kaiyote

Gogo Penguin

Rag ’N’ Bone Man

Jarrod Lawson

Bill Laurance Project

Get The Blessing

Theo Croker

Kneebody

Joe Stilgoe

Gabby Young and Other Animals

Hackney Colliery Band,

Dylan Howe's Subterraneans

Christine Tobin

Partisans

Blue Eyed Hawk

Elliot Galvin Trio

The Vampires

Shiver

Day tickets start at ￡55 and weekend tickets start at ￡110. Other options are available - details of all ticket prices can be found at www.lovesupremefestival.com.