Three venues in the south are preparing to stage the second Port Erin Jazz Festival.

The event will see jazz artists from the UK and island provide two days of high quality entertainment starting from tomorrow (Friday).

Performances will take place at the Erin Arts Centre, Riddler At The Nest and the Bay Hotel on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, culminating in the headline act in the evening.

And if you can’t make it down to Port Erin that doesn’t mean you have to miss out as the evening concerts at the Erin Arts Centre are being livestreamed.

The festival will be opened by the local Blue Train Swing Band , directed by saxophonist Mike Divers, at the Erin Arts Centre on Friday at 7.30pm. Doors open at 7pm.

They will be followed by multi-award winning guitarist Martin Taylor and Scottish-Canadian jazz singer Alison Burns, a legendary duo who are back in the island to perform some classic songs from 1922 onwards, including Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael and Irving Berlin.

Martin has performed solo at Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall and amassed 15 British Jazz Awards during his career.

Alison, who has released four albums and performed in cities from New York to Singapore to promote them, has also performed as guest soloist for the likes of the BBC Big Band and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

There are two free afternoons of entertainment on Saturday, taking place at the Riddler bar at the Falcon’s Nest and at the Bay Hotel.

Heinrich Manoeuvre will kick off the action at the Riddler Under the Nest at 1.30pm.

The popular trio led by keyboard wizard Heinrich will feature Steve Hind as special guest on the saxophone.

Loose Crew, the nearest thing the island has to a show band and guaranteed to get your feet tapping, are next at 2.30pm.

And finally, The Leeds College of Music house band, comprising Hayden Morrow (drums), Fergus Leach (bass) and Conor Thomas (guitar) will play at 3.30pm.

Organiser Jerry Carter said the band were ‘amazing’ when they performed at last year’s festival.

Meanwhile, Lauren Gray and Mark Burrows will be first to play at the Bay Hotel, showcasing their mix of acoustic jazz and blues standards with a lovely melodic flavour from 1.30pm.

They will be followed by the Bus Pass Blues Band as they make their return at 2.30pm.

They describe themselves as the island’s answer to Fleetwood Mac and the Stones.

Finally, Blue Vannin will perform at 3.30pm with special guest, saxophonist Beccy Rork.

It comes after Beccy did a series of sell out gigs in the island in March with Blue Vannin supporting.

Beccy is described as having a very melodic style and is considered to be at the vanguard of the Brighton Rock saxophone sound, a name given to a modern, funky style of jazz playing.

In the evening, Beccy alongside the LCM band will present modern electric jazz at the Erin Arts Centre, from 7.30pm.

They will act as the warm up for the festival headline act, saxophonist Alan Barnes and pianist Dave Newton. Jerry said he was delighted the pair were back to headline.

Alan is a prolific international performer, composer, band leader and touring soloist.

He has received more than 25 British Jazz Awards and has twice been named BBC Jazz Musician of the Year.

A new feature for this year’s festival is that both the Friday and Saturday evening concerts will be livestreamed from the Erin Arts Centre by Greenlight television, potentially opening the festival up to a global audience.

To watch the festival remotely, go to the Erin Arts Centre website or Facebook page or the Blue Vannin Facebook page.

Tickets for the evening concerts are priced at £20 each or a concessionary price of £35 per head for a festival ticket for both evenings.

They are available online from erinartscentre.com.

The Port Erin Jazz Festival is sponsored by Ravenscroft Investment Services.