ONE of Ludlow's summer pleasures is sitting in the courtyard of the Bull Hotel in Corve Street with a glass of real ale, listening to cool - or even boisterous - jazz.

On the festival's opening night, Joanne Shaw Taylor will bring her fiery guitar playing and sultry vocals to the Bull at the start of a two-week Fringe & Jazz Festival put together by the Bull's Sally Maile.

Around 20 varied bands or groups will play during the fortnight, among them the the guitar and vocal sounds of Adrian Byron Burns, local covers group Four Men called Bob, blues harmonica ace Honey Boy Hicklin, Ricky Cool and the Hoola Hoola Boys or the soul, funk, boogie sound of Hot Climate.

The mid-point is the Jazz Weekend from June 29 to July 1, which includes an evening with acoustic guitarist Martin Taylor and an appearance by the veterans of The Temperance Seven.

There will be a tribute to those all-time greats Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw while the Bryan Jones Big Band will recreate the styles of the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton and many others.

The Jazz Weekend closes with tributes to two immortals, Peggy Lee and Julie London, from Shropshire's own Carole Westwood and her quartet.

There is a charge for all the weekend gigs and a 25p drink surcharge for non-ticket events. For full details, contact the Bull on 01584 873611.