THE idea of a jazz night by Worcester’s river seems so obvious, you rather wonder why someone hasn’t thought of it before.

But it appears they haven’t: indeed, you would be hard pushed to find a regular jazz evening in the city, despite there being an apparent demand for it.

Which is why Pat Holly has taken it upon herself to arrange one at the rowing club, next to Worcester Racecourse.

“When I moved to Worcester seven years ago the pub next door was trying out jazz,” she said. “It caught my interest and introduced me to it. Now, I love it.”

But the pub no longer holds the night - and Holly was forced further afield to hear live jazz.

“Five years ago, I got involved with the Pershore Festival but I’ve decided I want something a bit closer to home,” she said. “This idea now has all stemmed from not knowing anything about jazz less than 10 years ago.”

The new sessions - Jazz by the River, which are being sponsored by Darren Bindert, who runs Cafe Aroma in Cathedral Plaza, Worcester - will bring musicians from across the Midlands to the banks of the River Severn.

“I hope it will bring a broad cross section of people to jazz,” said Holly. “At Pershore, it’s more of a 50-plus audience. Hopefully, this night will appeal to a younger audience.

“A lot of the problem with jazz is people think it is music for older people - I want to show it isn’t. There is nothing wrong with the music. If you can make people sit through it, inevitably they like it.

“Hopefully, it takes off and we can go onwards and upwards.”

- The first Jazz by the River event will be at Worcester Rowing Club, Pitchcroft, on Monday, April 11, and the London Hot Boys will be performing.

Doors will open at 7pm and the music will start at 8pm. Tickets cost £8. To find out more, visit worcesterjazz.org.uk.