Leading lights at Festival of Chichester Poetry & Jazz Café
Two leading lights of the poetry world are heading for the Poetry & Jazz Café at the Assembly Room in North Street at 7.30pm on Thursday, June 25 as part of this year’s Festival of Chichester.
Headlining the show are acclaimed authors Kate Noakes and Martyn Crucefix, who both have new poetry collections this year, together with the popular Big House jazz ensemble. Also appearing will be some of the South Downs poets published in this year’s magazine, Poetry & All That Jazz.
Organiser Barry Smith explains: “The Poetry & Jazz Café has been one of the big events in every Festival of Chichester since its launch. We’ve been able to establish it on the national scene as one of the premier words and music offerings, featuring star names like Sir Andrew Motion from the poetry world alongside top jazz players. And our special offering always includes free homemade cake!
“This year is no exception as Kate Noakes is a poet with wide experience of the arts world. In 2023 she was awarded a PhD in contemporary British and American poetry by the University of Reading, focusing her work on poetry and the breath. Her new book arising from this work is Sublime Lungs, published by Two Rivers Press. She was elected to the Welsh Academy of Letters in 2011. Kate has been invited to read her work all over the country including at Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, the Poetry and Words stage at Glastonbury, Nottingham Poetry Festival and Loose Muse in London amongst others.
“Joining Kate at the Poetry & Jazz Café is acclaimed author Martyn Crucefix who is a British poet, critic, blogger, and translator. He is the author of eight original collections of poetry. A new full collection, Our Weird Regiment has been published by Shearsman this year. Crucefix has received an Eric Gregory award, a Hawthornden Fellowship, and the Schlegel-Tieck Prize for his translations (from the German) of the poems of Peter Huchel (2020). His translation of Rilke’s Duino Elegies was shortlisted for the Popescu Prize.
Barry added: “The jazz part of the evening is in the creative hands of Arundel-based keyboardist Mike Carey, whose Big House ensemble will be regaling the audience with jazz classics from greats like Duke Ellington as well as his own toe-tapping tunes. And, of course, we offer complimentary cake in the interval to keep people in the party mood!”
The brand-new Poetry & All That Jazz magazine, published by the South Downs Poetry Festival, will also be launched at the event, featuring top poets including Penelope Shuttle alongside local writers.
“The Poetry and Jazz Café is always one of the most popular events of the Festival of Chichester and it is definitely advisable to book in advance to make sure of a seat.”
The Poetry & Jazz Café, Thursday, June 25, 7.30pm (doors 7pm), Assembly Room, North Street, Chichester, PO19 1LQ. Tickets £15 https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-sw13-poetry-jazz-cafe/
The 2026 Festival of Chichester is delighted to welcome back Edward Cooke Family Law as its principal sponsor. The Festival is also generously supported by Chichester City Council, firm friends to the Festival since its inception.