The Bristol office of accountancy, investment management and tax group Smith & Williamson got into the swing of last weekend’s Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival by hosting its launch party for VIPs and musicians.
The party, held at the festival’s main Colston Hall venue, was attended by around 60 guests of the firm along with the festival’s board of trustees.
Among those at the party were world-renowned saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis and trombonist Fred Wesley – both members of James Brown’s horn section in the 1960s – and acapella group the Belles of Mississippi.
Smith & Williamson Bristol partner and head of its private client tax services team, Imogen Hilton-Brown, said: “I’m a huge fan of jazz and blues music so to be able to host this party to help launch the event was a thrill.
“It was a very enjoyable evening which set the tone for the rest of the weekend which was packed with the most incredible line-up of concerts, dancing, jam sessions and workshops.”
Festival producer Colin Gorrie added: “Huge thanks to Smith & Williamson for the launch party which provided the perfect opening to an amazingly successful weekend of events.
“We’re delighted to have Smith & Williamson on board as a supporter and look forward to developing our relationship with them next year.”
The festival attracted around 10,000 people with performances from legends of the jazz, blues and funk world including saxophonist Maceo Parker – also a former James Brown band member who later played with Parliament-Funkadelic – as well as Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley, Lisa Simone, Courtney Pine and Gary Crosby’s Groundation.
Bristol’s jazz talent was also well represented with free gigs in Colston Hall’s foyer by Get The Blessing, Duval Project, Emily Wright & the Royals, Elles Bailey and the Damn Busters.
Pictured at the Smith & Williamson-sponsored Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival launch party, from left, festival chair Sandra Fryer, the Rt Hon Lord Mayor Clare Campion-Smith, and from Smith & Williamson – partner Imogen Hilton-Brown and Bristol office managing partner Mike Lea, festival producer Colin Gorrie and festival artistic director Denny Ilett on the piano
