More top names confirmed for December gigs

Festival director Ian Bowden said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Tom and his band performing as part of our December concerts in Rye this year. St Mary’s Church is the most stunning venue and we know how very special this concert will be for Tom and also for his many fans.

We would also like to acknowledge the kind support of WS Wright and Art Joinery and Glazing based in Rye as sponsors of the Tom Chaplin concert. We are also working closely with our charity partners Charity For Kids based in Hastings, to raise both awareness for the fabulous work that the charity does but to also to raise funds at the concerts.”

Tom’s new solo album The Wave, debuted in the UK charts at No 3 in October and features eleven honest and uplifting songs written by Tom, produced by Matt Hales (Aqualung, Lianne La Havas) and recorded in Pasadena, California and London.

It is the first time Tom has stepped outside Keane the massive multi-million selling British band whose members grew up locally.

To take his live show on the road, Tom has assembled an array of musicians, who are all multi-instrumentalists, able to switch what they play as the richly layered songs demand. His band features MD, drummer and programmer Sebastian Sternberg; Rosie Langley on violin, synths and guitar; classically trained pianist and violinist Tobie Tripp; and Beau Holland on guitar, synths and piano.

The four concerts are being presented in the stunning and historic setting of the 900 year old St Mary’s Church in Rye and audiences are guaranteed an intimate and personal live music experience.

Other concerts include Rock keyboard Legend, Rick Wakeman on December 8, who will be performing a specially prepared and intimate programme for this unique performance on acoustic piano. Rick will arrive in Rye hot on the trail of his winter sell-out US tour.

On Friday December 9, the London Community Gospel Choir and special guest Mica Paris perform an inspirational and uplifting concert with a diverse programme of Gospel and Soul. Expect Christmas classics such as Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Little Drummer Boy, and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ with Mica also performing a selection of her hits.

On Wednesday December 14, acclaimed UK jazz singers Ian Shaw and Claire Martin perform their Xmas Cracker concert which will be an evening packed with winter warmers and classic songs from both the Jazz and pop canon.

Expect 1930s New York, 1940s Christmas cinema evergreens, the gloss of Fifties Hollywood (Nat Cole, Doris Day, Eartha Kitt), the celebrated 1960s Brill Building (Carole King, James Taylor) to the darker spirits of the more contemporary writers (The Pogues, Nick Cave, Joni Mitchell).

VIP packages and are also available and for tickets and information go to: www.ryejazz.com