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30th May 2026
2026 Line-up
MASTERLINK SESSION STAGE
We are delighted to announce that our main stage will be dedicated to The MasterLink Sessions.
Masterlink always record 100% live in the studio, nodding towards the great studio bands of the 60s like The Funk Brothers (Motown), The Swampers (Muscle Shoals) and The Mar-keys (Staxs). Capturing the energy and chemistry between the artist and the ‘crack’ studio band is at the heart of all their recordings.
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This is the brainchild of Stefan Redtenbacher, a well-known and highly respected bassist, founder of Funkestra and friend of the Petersfield Jazz & Blues Festival.
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So far, over 80 videos have been produced featuring artists such as Hamish Stuart (AWB, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr), Sarah Jane Morris, US Grammy award winning Mike Farris, Sugababe Mutya Buena, Jo Harman, Orphy Robinson MBE, Louise Clare Marshall (Jools Holland) and many more.
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Their dream has always been to replicate this energy and professionalism at a live event, hence the Masterlink Sessions stage featuring many of their wonderful artists.
Connor Selby Band
Authentic, roots-based voices have penetrated the mainstream in recent years; from the soulful yearns of early Leon Bridges, the groove of Gary Clark Jr., the booming voice of Jacob Banks, the raw and haunting delivery of Ray LaMontagne or the earthy tones of Rag 'n Bone Man - those voices cut through, and they stand out, they make you take notice, because they don't sound like everyone else. Connor Selby's voice echoes these trailblazers, enveloping his music with an emotional integrity.
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He has played with The Who at Wembley Stadium and appeared at the Hyde Park Festival in London, alongside Pearl Jam and Stereophonics. He has toured with powerhouse singer Beth Hart, including a performance at the iconic London Palladium, as well as shows with Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Cray, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Betty LaVette, Soul Icon P.P. Arnold, and produced a standout performance at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
He burst into the attention of the wider world when he released his 2023 'MOJO Magazine Blues Album of the Year' Provogue Records self-titled debut, which has already clocked up over 2 million streams and support from BBC Radio 2's Cerys Matthews, as well as magazines such as Classic Rock, Guitarist, the blues world and beyond.
Greg Coulson
Greg Coulson is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose dynamic sound blends blues, soul, funk and classic rock. Renowned for his electrifying stage presence, mesmerising organ solos and outstanding musicianship, his live shows are not to be missed.
A rising force on the UK blues scene, he has earned a Top 5 nomination for Best Instrumentalist at the UK Blues Awards 2026 and placed in the Top 20 for Contemporary Artist and Instrumentalist in 2025.
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Photograph by Rob Blackham/Blackham Images
Big, buttery voice and classic tunes, Georgia van Etten creates retro soundscapes while drawing inspiration from the modern political and romantic world. She writes alone, piano and paper in hand and fuses genres seamlessly; moulding soulful melodies with folk, country, rock and cinematic pop.
She spent her youth performing/writing with heavy bands like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Alice Ivy. In a bold move, she packed one tiny suitcase and headed for London. She has since become a highly respected international touring artist playing the likes of Porretta Soul Festival (Italy), Falls Festival (Australia), Raadpop (Netherlands), The Long Road (UK) and headlining London Omeara.
“Enthralling audiences around the world with her refreshing creativity and rich vocal tones” - THE TELEGRAPH, UK
Her debut EP ‘Live at the Pool Studio ’had extensive BBC Radio 2 play with Jamie Cullum remarking “This really blew me away when I first heard it”. Her debut album ‘Deep Black Water’ released on Canadian Label Birthday Cake (founded by The Bros. Landreth), gained a feature in NME, music video on MTV, heavy rotation on SiriusXM North Americana (US), BBC Radio 2 play and a feature session on BBC Radio 4.
“Kicks off the year strong” - NME
Jess Hayes
& Friends
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Jess Hayes from South-London is the powerhouse lead vocalist of the band Connolly Hayes, a Europe-touring, multi award-nominated group known for its electrifying blend of soul, blues, and rock. With a voice often compared to legends like Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi, Jess commands the stage with raw emotion, grit, and a magnetic presence that has captivated audiences across the globe.
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Music runs deep in Jess’s veins. Raised in a musical household, she grew up watching her parents band ‘Bad Influence’-a formative experience that ignited a passion for rock and blues. From a very young age Jess was soaking up the energy of live music and learning the ropes firsthand from season performers. As she came into her own, she developed a deep love of soul music, drawing inspiration from icons like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. Their influence, combined with her love of blues and rock, shaped her distinctive vocal style.
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Jess recently sang on guitar legend ‘Robin Trower’s’ latest album.
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Jess’s breakout moment came with an incredible 4-chair turn on ITV’s ‘The Voice’, where her jaw-dropping audition left judges speechless and marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in her already impressive career.
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Whether fronting Connolly Hayes on tour or recording in the studio, Jess Hayes continues to push boundaries, earning accolades and gaining recognition for a voice that stands out on today’s scene.
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Nicholas Meier World Group
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UK-based guitarist Nicolas Meier has carved a reputation out as one of the world's most original and uniquely talented guitarists. Drawing from a love of Turkish, Eastern & Middle Eastern music, Flamenco, Tango and more -- all mixed with jazz -- Meier's versatility and musical fluency extends well beyond that, even. (... so much so, that his considerable talents drew the attention of rock guitar legend, Jeff Beck, who made Nicolas a mainstay in The Jeff Beck Group -- carrying him on two world tours during the course of the last several years.)
​Having made a lasting impression on gentlemen the likes of the great Bill Bruford, (the aforementioned) Jeff Beck and Steve Vai, Nicolas Meier is unquestionably one of today's most well-rounded, ambitious and masterful up-and-coming talents on guitar. Stay tuned ... this is one star that is still on the rise!
Strange Fruit Jazz Stage
Strange Fruit Jazz Club has been running in Petersfield for 4 years and brings the best of Jazz & Blues to the town. We've had some of the biggest names in jazz play over the years and continue to delight audiences at our regular venue, Annie Jones in Lavant Street.
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The Strange Fruit Jazz stage brings some of those artists plus up and coming stars of the future, especially from Bedales School and Churchers College. It's our aim with this festival to provide new musicians a platform to start building their performing careers.
Alice Milburn
Freddy Saxo Quartet
The Freddy Saxo Quartet is led by Fred Schmid a Saxophonist, Composer and Educator based in England. He is at home on all saxes across the Musical Spectrum. Originally from Switzerland where he studied at School of Musical Technologies ETM. He’s perfomed around the UK and abroad for the last 25 years in venues including Ronnie Scott’s, Jazz Cafe, Southbank Centre, Hackney Empire, Union Chapel, LoveSupreme Festival, London Jazz Festival, and Womad Festival.
Joined by local stars; Simon Whittaker on drums, Kevin Walker on guitar and Bastien Terraz on bass you won't want to miss this one!
Sarah Jane Eveleigh
Alice Milburn is a UK-based Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist and Jazz Singer known for her soulful voice and improvisational flair. Hailing from the South Coast of England, she has built a strong presence in the south’s jazz scene as a standout vocalist.
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Receiving critical acclaim, ‘First Expressions’ is her debut album, showcasing a dynamic collection of original songs and reimagined standards. An experienced performer who made her musical debut aged 13 at The Royal Albert Hall, Alice has spent the past decade honing her craft. Whether it be working with The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), selling out Ronnie Scott’s, touring the UK with Tommy Blaize (Strictly Come Dancing) or travelling the world performing onboard luxury yachts and cruise liners, her debut album has been shaped by her life’s journey so far.
Jazz vocalist & songwriter Sarah Jane Eveleigh was born and raised in Manchester before relocating to the south of England to study a diploma in performing arts.​​
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Fresh from college she began working with a jazz pianist, singing songbook standards in wine bars and restaurants and also spent many years playing guitar and gigging her own material around music clubs and venues in Camden, Soho, Covent Garden and Kensington.​
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​After moving to Surrey Sarah continued to develop her stage craft singing with a number of high end function bands and performing at some illustrious venues in London and the South East before returning full time to her first love of jazz.​
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Drawing from a wealth of professional and personal experience, Sarah Jane is a passionate and gifted storyteller, widely respected for her interpretations and delivery of American Songbook standards, who brings a level of style, accuracy and class to her performances.​
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Working alongside a host of talented musicians she continues to build a strong reputation as one of the most sought after vocalists on the circuit.
The Remedy
We played last year and thought that organising our festival and playing was too much, but we loved it although it was exhausting and said 'never again'.
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However, we been asked to play again in 2026 and we're delighted to do so. Featuring Livvy on vocals, Kevin Walker on guitar, Col on sax, Jason on drums plus Joe Harvey on bass, we'll be playing jazz standards with a few Amy Winehouse numbers as well (of course).
The Bedales Big Band
The Bedales Big Band is a vibrant ensemble of talented young musicians, aged 13 to 18, who bring the exhilarating spirit of a traditional Big Band to life.
With a diverse repertoire that spans the energetic grooves of funk, the soulful melodies of the 60s, and the timeless compositions of jazz legend Duke Ellington, each performance is a celebration of creativity and passion.
This dynamic group not only showcases their musical skills but also fosters teamwork and lifelong friendships through the joy of jazz.
Jack Guy's Blues
Hampshire based guitarist/singer Jack Guy has been in many different bands from metal to jazz and everything in between.
Currently playing for the post punk outfit “big trousers” he’s making a departure from the usual heavy riffs and shouting to put together a blues band especially for Petersfield Jazz & Blues Festival, consisting of some of the UKs top session musicians!
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Wood & Steel
Wood & Steel is an acoustic blues duo made up of Jon Walsh (Jon Walsh Blues Band) on acoustic and steel (bottleneck) guitars and Brian Throup (Freight Train Runners, Andy Kennedy Quartet) on double bass. They play a mix of classic acoustic blues (Robert Johnson, Son House, Muddy Waters, Blind Willie Johnson etc), some modern acoustic blues (e.g. Keb Mo, Stevie Ray Vaughan) and some of Jon’s own compositions. Wood & Steel recently played their fifth tour in Switzerland which was a great success and shall be returning for another tour in 2027.