THERE has been no greater champion of the Ribble Valley International Jazz Festival than Alan Barnes.

Composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist, he spends his life criss-crossing our land, re-inventing jazz music and with a precocious talent for playing the saxophone.

“Alan Barnes was at our first festival in 2010 and this is his fourth appearance, so we couldn’t ask for a finer artist or a warmer human being to help celebrate our tenth birthday this weekend,” said festival organiser Geoff Jackson.

Barnes’ recording catalogue is vast and so is his musical craft and know-how.

With 30 albums to his name, Barnes has performed side-man duties with the likes of Bjork, Bryan Ferry, Westlife, Jools Holland and Michel LeGrande.

“It never crossed my mind that I’d make a record, and I’m very lucky to do what I do,” said Alan, who provides Sunday’s headliner slot at this weekend’s jazz jamboree.

“I was 10 when I heard Acker Bilk’s Stranger on the Shore on a BBC radio programme, Two-Way Family Favourites.

“I saved up and bought a couple of his LPs and discovered that he actually played jazz.

“And when I ended up with Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins – one of the classic albums - I just wanted to have a saxophone and it changed my life.”

The Alan Barnes Octet will present a ‘Short and Incomplete history of Jazz’ from 2pm to 4pm at Clitheroe Grand on Sunday.

He added: “The clue is in the title I suppose, a bit tongue in cheek, and we’ll be covering tunes by Bix Beiderbeck, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Chralie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.

“It is going to be a lot of fun and it is incredible to be back at this great festival again.”

Barnes played the clarinet as a teenager, and then discovered a music club in his home town of Altrincham, a place he describes as a ‘little bit of America in Cheshire’.

“I was 14 and I used to sneak in at the back and listen to the DJ playing all these exotic tunes from America.

“There was a band called the Martinque Jazz Band and another one called Charlie’s Banjo Kids with seven banjos, and they’d sound an air-raid siren at the end of their set.

“In a way that was my musical education and they were beautiful days.”

The five-day Ribble Valley International Jazz Festival runs from today until Monday.

The Victor Brox Blues Train opens the festival at Holmes Mill in Clitheroe tonight.

Tomorrow sees singing duo Liane Carroll and Claire Martin perform at the Grand and the Rediffusion All Stars at Clitheroe Rugby Club.

Saturday highlights include Bonsai and Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Swing Band and the 10th Festival Party night with Ubunye, Isaac Burituro and the Rail Abandon.

Book tickets at the Grand box office, 01200 421599 or buy online from www.thegrandvenue.co.uk.