JAZZ fans in Worcester are feeling upbeat after a chorus of approval looks like it will keep the music alive.

The city’s jazz club had suffered from falling numbers after a move from Worcester Rowing Club to Barbourne Ex-Servicemen’s Club earlier this year saw organiser Pat Holly fearing it could all end on a bum note.

But a switch to Friday nights from Thursdays looks like it’s done the trick and Pat is so confident, she is already booking bands for next year.

“We had 70 people at our last monthly concert and that’s enough to keep us going,” she said.

“We were getting just half of that crowd and we thought the club might be in trouble.

“We couldn't survive on that but now I think we will be able to carry on. We would like even more, of course, but if we keep getting that number we can keep booking the same quality of bands.”

She said the club had always booked top artists but it had taken a while for the new venue to get established and for more people to hear about the gigs.

The last concert was fronted by Zoltan Sagi, who will be back in October for a Benny Goodman night and again with Sticky Wicket for a Swing Into Christmas special in December, with tickets on sale from October.

In November, the 22-piece Steve King Big Band will be playing.

Before that, the next concert at the club, in The Moors, Worcester, is tonight, starting at 8pm and will see reedsman Alan Barnes playing, fresh from a concert tour with singer Bryan Ferry.

“This is the kind of quality jazz musician we are booking,” Mrs Holly said.

“He was playing in Hyde Park with Bryan Ferry in front of a crowd of 40,000 people not very long ago.

“I don’t think we’ll manage to get that many but I’m hoping it will be a good night.”

The multi award-winning saxophonist Barnes will be joined by Keith Bill on keyboards, Bill Coleman on bass and Mal-colm Garrett on drums and will be linking the music with his popular humour.

The jazz club is also continuing its ride scheme, offering regular fans a small discount on the ticket price of £10 if they give a lift to someone who otherwise wouldn’t be able to make it.

Details are available on the website at worcesterjazz. org.uk