Chase your blues away and dance on the grave of the credit crunch: the Admiral Mumbles Mostly Jazz and Blues Festival is back for a fifth year in 2009!

Things may be tough but life doesn’t have to come to a standstill. Admiral, the festival’s sponsors since 2006, have demonstrated their confidence in its future by agreeing to sponsor the festival for a further two years (2009 and 2010), with an option on a further year in 2011. What an inspiring example of optimism Admiral have set for the rest of us!

We’ve responded with a knockout programme of concerts for 2009 featuring more bands at more venues for more hours of the day and night than in any previous festival. And remember, the Admiral Mumbles Mostly Jazz and Blues Festival is a family-friendly indoor festival — so come rain or shine, you can enjoy world-class music in comfortable, warm, dry surroundings, with great food and bar facilities and clean toilets.

For ‘mostly blues’ aficionados, we offer only the best. Albert Lee, an authentic legend described by Eric Clapton as “the best guitar player in the world”, headlines with his Grammy Award-winning band Hogan’s Heroes. Direct from Texas, USA, comes the sensational Hamilton Loomis, whose mentor Bo Diddley remarked, “You got to put some seasonin’ in what you’re doin’ — and this boy’s got the whole salt shaker.” Plus there’s plenty of home-grown talent like the Sean Webster Blues Band (a knockout at the 2008 festival), the Dave Jackson Band, FEVERDOGG! , Manchester’s Tom Hingley (ex front man of the Inspiral Carpets), and much more…

Headlining the ‘mostly jazz’ sets will be the National Youth Jazz Orchestra... As John Dankworth said: “Forget the word ‘Youth’, this is one of the best bands you will ever hear.” We open with the Snake Davis Band, back by popular demand after wowing the 2006 festival. Or how about the Welsh gypsy jazz geniuses Allegria, or Swansea’s own top favourites The Amigos? Then there’s Tina May, hailed as “one of the finest jazz vocalists to come out of Britain”. Plus there’s a host of young talent, including local heroes such as Cardiff’s popular Latin ensemble Cubanita, Port Talbot-born pianist Dave Jones and his trio, Mumbles prodigy John Dignam, and our very own Dave Cottle with his trio.

Fusion music will feature strongly this year. On the first night we’ve paired the funky mellowness of the Snake Davis Band with the powerful Hamilton Loomis Blues Band just because, well, they’ll fit so well together. And the teaming up of Swansea-born bassist Laurence Cottle with the amazing Mornington Lockett Quartet will tick many boxes. Truly something for all genders and tastes.

As tradition dictates, we end the festival with a party night on a dream ticket of local talent led by one of Swansea Bay’s great music men, the genius that is Brian Breeze on guitar, joining forces for a one-off gig with another local legend, Ray ‘Taff’ Williams: two guys who rub shoulders with the greats. Ending the festival like we started: having a real ball in preparation for getting sunburned next summer!

Roll up then, shake off those winter blues, help us wake up the sun and make the light shine on the festival. And if the sun don’t shine, who cares, just juggle the raindrops before you hit our hotspot festival pavilion where the hospitality will dry you out and warm your soul with great music, good beer and tasty food. There’s simply no reason to stay at home just because of a little drop of Welsh rain. (PS, for each of the past four festivals the weather has been fair to good.)

Book early to make sure you don’t miss out, not just on our beautiful petite festival but on Mumbles itself: a place of small and intimate venues in a stunning seaside setting, with an array of tasty restaurants, cafes, pubs and boutique shops at your fingertips.