The Muse – Brecon Jazz Festival 2026
Intimate performances in a creative space. Experience live jazz surrounded by art and community at The Muse, Brecon. SEE YOU THERE!
Dionne Bennett
Following a sell out show at last years festival Dionne is back with a late night Saturday show on The Muse Stage. Dress your best and come and enjoy a set of jazz, funk, blues and raw vocal brilliance. Known for her commanding stage presence and soaring voice, Dionne blends groove, grit and charisma into every performance. Expect deep rhythm, big energy,
Dionne Bennett, a British/West-Indian singer-songwriter, producer, and radio personality.
Jane, Bella & Gareth
Jane , Bella and Gareth have played together in various duos but joined forces as a trio in the summer of 2025 after coming together to perform a gig at Aberjazz Festival 2025.
Bella Collins is a well known singer , guitarist , bass player with a power rich smokey blues voice has been wowing audiences all over the country with her unique style and skill. Jane Williams, performed on Van Morrisons 2016 album ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES IN and was headhunted by Wild Willy Barrett (John Ottway & Barrett ) to be lead singer in his alternative band. 2024 saw her performing on CH 4’s popular show – The Piano and releasing an album of her original songs. Gareth’s is a multi instrumentalist and is signed to Washington DC based label ‘Nexgen Music.
Grounded Thread
Grounded Thread offer an inventive take on contemporary jazz, combining guitar, bass, cello and live tap‑dancing. The group features Alex McDowall on guitar, Pablo Sonnaillon on bass, Georgina Aasgaard on cello, and Hannah Ballard from Sole Rebel UK tap dancers, creating a layered, rhythm‑driven performance that merges movement and music in real time. Grounded Thread uses improvisation as a central premise to connect jazz musicians with tap percussion
Fabulous Red Diesel Band
Having played Brecon Jazz Festival to a delighted audience in 2024, Fabulous Red Diesel return to sweep you off your feet. Kat Lee-Ryan belts out raw soul with Bush/Mitchel-esque lyrics over the grooviest arrangements of original funk, latin, soul ,gypsy punk and swing. There are trumpets, a flute and even a tuba when one is required. You come away from a gig feeling like you have met friends, the vibe is so infectious. Their current studio album ‘’Goddess The Seahorse has been featured on Jazz FM, they have sold out Upstairs at Ronnie Scotts three times. They are currently mixing their new album, and new songs from that album will be aired at the Brecon jazz FesTival
‘’Think Eartha Kitt meets Frank Zappa via Hiatus Kaiyote.’’
Hot Club Gallois
Hot Club Gallois are a dynamic 4-piece gypsy-jazz band based in South Wales playing the hottest picks of the Swing Era. Their irresistible mix of fiery violin, lyrical vocals, virtuosic guitar and stomping bass has thrilled crowds around the British Isles. There set contains Django Reinhardt classics, Swing flavoured jazz standards and some Hot Club Gallois originals. From gypsy to jitterbug, ballads to bolero, Hot Club Gallois will transport you to the swirling dance halls and gypsy camps of Paris in the 1930’s and 40’s.
Jack Pearce
Described as “A band about to make its mark on UK Jazz”, The Jack Pearce Quintet
showcases Jack’s original compositions that pay homage to jazz traditions while
injecting a fresh, inventive spirit. A band of Leeds Conservatoire Alumni, the Jack Pearce
Quintet focuses on a fusion of melodic and technical excellence. Experienced thanks to Brecon Jazz Club here at The Muse back in November 2025, the festival is thrilled to have these musicians bringing their fantastic energy and sound back to Brecon!
Cable Street Rag Band
Opening the Muse Stage for this year’s Brecon Jazz Festival is Ewan Bleach and the Cable Street Rag Band, bringing live 1920s and ’30s jazz, blues and swing for your enjoyment!
“This is an old-style jazz band that also plays blues, song-book foxtrots and swing numbers along with other dance music from around the world, including waltzes, beguines, tangos and the odd polkas, All of their repertoire dates from the 1850s-1940s.”
The band released the LP ‘Dust’ in 2018.
Band leader Ewan Bleach is an exceptional clarinetist, saxophonist, pianist, singer, bandleader, composer, teacher and session musician based in London and specialising in the early styles of jazz, ragtime, blues and swing.
Jack Mac’s Funk Pack
Brecon Jazz Festival is thrilled to be welcoming back Jack Mac after their high energy performance at last year’s Festival Spring Taster day. This time he is in great company with his Funk Pack! The Funk Pack is a collective of some of the strongest musicians from the Cardiff and Bristol area. From soulful melodies to grooving rhythms, the Funk Pack has it all and will get the crowd dancing.
Taking inspiration from New Orleans Funk groups like Galactic, Dumpstaphunk and Trombone Shorty’s Orleans Avenue, our original tunes are a mix of rich harmonies, syncopated rhythms, snappy licks and bold horns to move along with.