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Hugh Laurie closes jazz festival

Hugh Laurie delivered a rousing finale as he closed the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

Backed by a lively quintet, the House star performed a set of jazz and blues from his debut album Let Them Talk to a packed Town Hall audience, which was also broadcast live on BBC Radio 2.

"If I explode in a wet splash of ecstasy," he initially warned the audience, reported the Guardian, "the gentlemen behind me will take care of all your musical needs."

The highest paid actor in a drama series on US television then proceeded to impress the huge crowd with his renditions of Summertime, Careless Love and Battle Of Jericho.

The festival's guest director Jamie Cullum headlined Sunday with a rare one-man show and his first gig since the birth of his and Sophie Dahl's daughter Lyra in March.

"It's only the second time I've been out of the house since then. And it's being simulcast in 75 cinemas in six countries," he told the audience.

Jamie later added: "The great thing about Cheltenham Jazz Festival is that it brings together so many genres under the umbrella of jazz. You have hip-hop, blues, New Orleans and hard-core modern jazz - bringing it together as one... I think it is one of the best jazz festivals in the world so it's amazing for me to be here."

Other artists who played at this year's festival included Roots Manuva and Lamb, 2010 Mercury Prize contender Kit Downes and saxophonist Pharoah Sanders.

Source: music.uk.msn.com
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