SOUNDS made famous by the big bands of the past will be brought to life in the district on two dates this summer.

And the Worcestershire Jazz Orchestra has promised something new for fans who have seen them perform before.

The huge band, which features three alto saxes, three tenor saxes, baritone sax, four trumpets, four trombones, keyboard, electric bass, guitar and drums, is making appearances at Kidderminster Library and in Hartlebury - where it started life about seven years ago - this month.

Singers Lyn Snook and Garry Rutter will be joining the orchestra for the Kidderminster date on Friday, June 14, while Hartlebury School will be the - hopefully outdoors, weather permitting - venue on Saturday, June 29.

Orchestra secretary Roy Snook said: "We will be playing a wide variety of scores made familiar by the big bands of the past, as well as a few more recent arrangements.

"Since our last appearance at Kidderminster Library we have added quite a few new scores to our repertoire."

The orchestra was started about seven years ago by Mike Rose, a Hartlebury-based music teacher, under pressure from some of his pupils.

It became established thanks to lottery funding through the West Midlands Arts Council and welcomed Ian Hattersley as director following the retirement of Mr Rose two-and-a-half years ago.

Mr Hattersley trained at the Birmingham Conservatoire where he studied trumpet and since leaving has worked as a professional trumpet player with regional orchestras, touring shows and theatre groups including Sadlers Wells and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

He also teaches for the Worcestershire Instrumental Music Service and conducts the Worcester City Junior Brass Band.

The orchestra has been both winner and runner-up in the Worcester Festival Open Jazz Section and bases its repertoire around big band swing music from the late 1930s up to the present day including arrangements by Glenn Miller, Basie, Ellington and Ted Heath.

Mr Snook said: "We are a mix of professional, semi-professional and amateur players, the latter being either of the young or mature variety. All share a common aim to enjoy themselves while striving to meet the aims of the orchestra."

Plans are afoot to set up start up a youth jazz orchestra to meet demand from enthusiastic potential new members.

But for now, members are looking forward to the first of this month's two events.

"The library centre is a delightful venue - it holds about 80 people in reasonable comfort," Mr Snook added.

"It is informal and has good acoustics."

Tickets for this event are available by calling 01562 824500, while those interested in the Hartlebury date can contact David Parker on 01299 250297.