Following the disappointing audience numbers at this year’s festival, it quickly became apparent to us that any plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary would have to be shelved. Faced with no workable alternative we have therefore taken the decision, after 39 wonderful years, to bring the marvellous Wigan International Jazz Festival to an end.

Thank you to everybody who played a part in the Festival over all its years.

We can think of no better way of illustrating the magnificence of the event than by listing the many artists (or the vast majority of them) that have appeared at the Festival since 1986.

Paquito D Rivera Quintet | Louisiana Red | Stan Barker | Digby Fairweather | Shirley Patterson | Johnny Griffin | Balis Novak | Stan Sulzman | Art Theman | Munch Manship | Gary Cox | Paul Mitchell Davidson | Tailfer Brothers Quartet |  Mel Lewis Jazz Orch | Don Lusher Big Band | Grand Union Orchestra | Jon Taylor |  Andy Watson |  Dutch Swing College Band | National Youth Jazz Orchestra | Western Australia Youth Jazz Orchestra | Kalamunda Swing Band (Australia) | Slim Gaillard | Airto Moreira | Flora Purim | Chicago Teddy Bears | George Melly & John Chiltern’s Feetwarmers |  Harlem Hotstompers | Merseysippi Jazz Band | Panama Jazz Band | Terry Lightfoot | Acker Bilk | Kenny Ball | Matt Wates | Dusko Goykovich | Jiggs Whigham | Benny Bailey | Roy Burrowes | Stan Tracey Trio | Stan Tracey Big Band | Stan Tracey Quartet | Clarke Tracey Octet | Ray Brown | Geoff Keezer | Benny Green | Russell Malone | Kenny Baker | Kenny Baker (R2D2) | Tommy Whittle | Stan Robinson | Lighthouse Allstars | Horace Silver Quintet | Red Rodney Quintet | Arturo Sandoval | Barbara Thompson | Jon Hiseman | Kenny Wheeler | Norma Winstone | Freddie Hubbard | Curtis Fuller | Slide Hampton | Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band | Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra | Eric Delaney | Diana Krall | James Morrison | Kyle Eastwood | Craig Handy | Bobby Shew | Conte Candoli | Pete Candoli | Bud Shank | Shorty Rogers | Bill Perkins | Bob Cooper | Monty Alexander | Kenny Barron Trio | Tommy Smith Quartet | Norman Brown |  New Jazz Couriers | Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers | Roy Hargrove | Thilo Wolf Big Band | John Dankworth / Cleo Laine | Jacqui Dankworth | Alex Dankworth | Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra | Fatchops | Georgie Fame | Alan Price | New York Voices | Manhattan Transfer | Joe Francis | Ellen Rucker | Ray Alexander | Lianne Carroll | Ian Shaw | Mark Nightingale | Alan Barnes | Bruce Adams | Nigel Hitchcock | Don Menza | Humphrey Lyttelton | Daryl Sherman | Shakatak | Elkie Brooks | Yellowjackets  | Steps Ahead | Jon Faddis | Michael Brecker | Randy Brecker | Terell Stafford | Lew Soloff | Louie Bellson | Milt Hinton | Harry Sweets Edison | Ali Ryerson | Sun Ra Arkestra | Lester Bowie | Benny Golson | Ben Riley | Don Rader | Bill Watrous | Count Basie Orchestra | Woody Herman Orchestra | Andy Prior Big Band | Pete Long | Eleonar Keenan Broadband | Sheila Tracey |  Dennis Rollins | Al Wood Big Band | Dave Lynane |  Dave Hassell |  Shades of Kenton Jazz Orchestra | Arizona Big Band | Mike Tracey | Phil DeGreg | John LaBarbera |  Greg Abate | Jim Mullen | Lasse Lindgren | Heath Brothers | Dave Brubeck Quartet | Darius Brubeck | Joe Stilgoe | Alistair White | Dave Newton Trio | Jimmy Smith | Jason Rebello | Joey DeFrancesco | Herb Geller | BBC Big Band | Mingus Big Band | SHAPE Jazz Orchestra | Cork School of Music Big Band | Martin Taylor | Lois Lane | Louis Stewart | Guy Barker Big Band | Stirling High School Jazz Band (RSA) Alan Webster | Gauteng Music Academy Jazz Ensemble (RSA) Johnny Mekoa | Maynard Ferguson | Sounds 2000 Big Band | Sounds 18 | Ulster Youth Jazz Orchestra | John Hallam | Cedar Walton | Phil Woods | Wigan Jazz Club Big Band | Ritchie Buckley | Gordon Campbell Big Band | Ted Heath Orchestra | Bert Kaempfert Orchestra | Tony Fisher | Scottish National Jazz Orchestra | Tommy Smith | Brian Kellock | Take 6 | Gerald Clayton Trio | Curtis Stigers | Columbia Jazz Band | Drake University Jazz Ensemble | Wesleyan College Big Band | Frank Foster Loud Minority Big Band | Avishai Cohen Trio | Lynne Arialle Trio | Shelley Berg | Clark Terry | Dickie Hawdon | George Bradley | Jay Craig Big Band | Salena Jones | Lee Gibson | Scott Hamilton | Duncan Lamont | Jessica Williams | John Donegan | Jeff Clyne | Geoff Eales | Roy Babbington | Mark Fletcher | Alan Benzie | Francois Mulder | AJ Brown | DIVA | Big Chris Barber Band | Paul McIntyre | Gay McIntyre | Kathy Stobart | Don Weller | Stacey Kent | Tina May | John Altman Orchestra | Philippines National Choir |  Joan Viskant | Peter King | Echoes of Ellington | Gillespiana Orchestra | Ed Thigpen | Greg Hutchinson | Herlin Riley | Ronnie Cuber | Snooky Young;James Moody | Slide Hampton | Craig Handy | Pete Churchill | Nicki Iles | Apitos | Bobby Wellins | Mike Carr | Steve Fishwick | Matt Fishwick | Osian Roberts | Valery Ponamarev | Lars Erstrand | Frank Sinatra Jnr | Sezkard Jazz Quartet (Hungary) | Gail Thompson Big Band | Jane Monheit | Bill Holman Big Band | Colm ‘Stride’ O’Brien | Tony Kofi | Karin Alyson | Empirical | King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys | Ray Gelato & The Giants | Blue Harlem | Mart Rodgers Manchester Jazz | Jean Toussaint | Phil Upchurch | Marlene Verplanck | John Etheridge | Dankworth Generation Big Band | Pete Cater Big Band | Diane Schurr | Tony Kinsey | Vic Lewis | Dennis Noday | Vic Ash | Simon Spillett | Ben Riley | Matthew Ford | Alan Dawson | Ben Wolfe | Al Casey | Alvin Baptiste | Kirk Lightsey | Dave O Higgins | Peter Erskine | Ralph Moore | Michael Mossman | Ricky Woodard | Claudio Roditi | Ignacio Barrea | French Quarter Band | Red Rose Marching Band | High Brass | Dennis Lotis | Bob Martin | Alan Skidmore | Big Band Theory | Red Callender | Pete Jolley | Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra | Wigan Youth Big Band | Wigan Schools Swing Band | Lancashire Youth Jazz Orchestra | Greater Manchester Jazz Orchestra | David Lyttle | Linley Hamilton | Dan Shout | Rob Fowler’s Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band | James Pearson | Skelton – Skinner All Star Big Band | Clare Teal | Claire Martin | Ryan Quigley | Simon Read Octet  | SK2 Big Band | Jools Holland Big Band | Roy Williams | Chaffey College Big Band  | Andy Shepherd Quintet | Trilok Gurtu | Derek Watkins | Paul Eshelby | Mike Lovatt | Lawrence Cottle Big Band | Marie Wilson | Ambrose Akinmusire | Branford Marsalis | Kurt Elling. TRPYL |  William Morrison |  Harry Morrison |  Patrick Danao |  Phil Shotton |  PJ Duffy |  Cliff Ray Sextet |  Alex Grenier & Power Trio |  Mica Millar |  Paul Higgs & Pavane |  Jeff Hooper |  Mike Vax |  Regeneration Big Band |  Champian Fulton |  Steve King Big Band |  Ben Holder Quartet |  Emma Rawicz Quartet