Southport Jazz Festival sponsored feature
Swingtime Big Band featuring Liane Carroll and Emma Holcroft will launch the opening Friday night of the 2026 Southport Jazz Festival.
Guests can sit back and enjoy classics from the Great American songbook backed by the mighty Swingtime Big Band.
Southport Jazz Festival is back at The Grand in Southport this winter, with TEN superb shows to enjoy from 30th January – 1st February 2026.
Music lovers from across the UK are heading to the event with tickets available for individual shows, full days or for the full festival.
Tickets are on sale at the Southport Jazz Festival website: southportjazz.co.uk
Swingtime Big Band featuring Liane Carroll and Emma Holcroft is the first headline evening show of the festival, starting at 8.30pm on Friday 30th January 2026.
They follow other Friday shows featuring Trio JDM at 1.30pm and Bryan Corbett – The Instrumental Groove Unit at 4pm.
A Southport Jazz Festival spokesperson said: “We round Friday off in blockbuster style with the powerhouse that is the Swingtime Big Band with special guests Liane Carroll and Emma Holcroft.
“Writers have exhausted the lexicon of superlatives to describe our festival patron and special guest star Liane Carroll.
“The multi-award winning jazz icon will be interpreting classics from the Great American songbook backed by the mighty Swingtime Big Band.
“Liane is an award-winning jazz singer described by Jamie Cullum as ‘one of the greatest singers we have in this country’. Awards include ‘Best British Vocalist’ (BBC Jazz Awards), ‘Best Female Jazz Vocalist’ (Ronnie Scott’s Awards) and ‘Best Jazz Album of the Year’ (Parliamentary Jazz Awards).
“Liane is always a huge hit when she visits Southport. We are lucky to say that she will be with us for the whole weekend.
“Don’t miss your chance to witness one of the UK’s most extraordinary talents who always guarantees fun, laughter and brilliant music!
‘Swinging like Hell one minute, brutally expressive and heart-breakingly tender the next… Utterly brilliant’ – Time Out
‘Smooth jazz raised to a high art’ – The Independent on Sunday
“… a whole new dimension of her talent stands revealed” – The Observer
“Liane is aided and abetted by our own Emma Holcroft.
“As the featured vocalist with Swingtime Big Band, Emma has performed in a variety of shows, singing alongside the finest of jazz vocalists including Joe Stilgoe, Liane Carroll, Clare Teal, Ian Shaw, Matt Ford, Andy Prior and of course Liane Carroll.
“Emma’s smoky tones lend a natural elegance to crowd favourites like That Old Black Magic and The Look of Love.
“Emma has a very successful solo and small band career as one of the UK’s leading vocalists, who sings a wide repertoire of classic jazz standards and has received superb reviews from past festivals.
‘Emma Holcroft made several entrances to deliver a repertoire of jazz standards such as Fascinating Rhythm and Just In Time with humour and pizazz. The crowd loved it’ Brian Payne — Jazz Journal
‘Emma Holcroft did a spectacular job and was an absolute hit with the audience. Her obvious love of the tradition informed what was a very mature and professional act’” – Charles Rees — London Jazz News
“Swingtime Big Band became synonymous with Friday evening sold out shows to a packed audience at Southport Jazz Festival.
“And who are we to change such a popular and successful formula? Led by Musical Director Jez Murphy the band is made up of 17 North West based freelance musicians who are the finest exponents of Big Band swing around.
“Based around a superb rhythm section the band shows off tight ensemble playing and excellent soloists throughout each section.”
- For more details about the 2026 Southport Jazz Festival please visit: Bryan Corbett – The Instrumental Groove Unit | Southport Jazz Festival
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Do you need advertising, PR or media support? Please message Andrew Brown or email: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com
