Festival Team

IAN BOWDEN

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Ian is a highly motivated, experienced, and creative producer and in 2012 he launched the first Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival which has been a personal ambition and vision.

Now in its 10th year, the festival is acknowledged as one of the best boutique music festivals of its kind in the UK.

His career in music is particularly focused on jazz, soul, and blues and he has worked with artistes including Simply Red, Curtis Stigers, The Isley Brothers, Dionne Warwick, Randy Crawford, Amy Winehouse, Kool & The Gang, Michael Ball to name but a few.

Ian is married to Vicki (and the festival but you wouldn't expect anything less) and they have an eleven year - old daughter called Elysia and an Irish Water Spaniel called Hendrix (as in Jimi) who is quite a handful!. 

VICKI HAXTON

FINANCIAL & MARKETING MANAGER & ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Vicki has over 15 years events & marketing experience and has combined her experience with her passion for the charitable sector.

Vicki looks after the financial side of the festival and also lends her expertise to marketing and event management.

Vicki is married to Ian they have an eleven - year old daughter, Elysia and a high maintenance but hugely loveable Irish Water Spaniel called Hendrix…as in Jimi!

KATE GLOVER

EVENT MANAGER & ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

​Kate has been a fundamental part of the festival team since 2015, managing our Live at St Mary’s Series of events and much of the street festival logistics - she loves a high viz!

Kate has an Advanced Diploma in Event Management. Throughout the year, Kate assists in the development, operations, right through to delivery of all the events, ensuring excellent customer service and quality.

Kate is a single mum to two boys and runs her own bookkeeping business in her day job when she’s not doing an awesome job looking after festival customers and artists. This women can multi-task!!!

LAURA GILK

FUNDRAISING & EVENT MANAGER

Laura has known Rye her entire life, as a place she holidayed as a child, to where her parents moved to in the 1990's.

Over the last 30 years, Laura has worked in business development and her career has allowed her to live in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as sunny England!

Laura now lives with her husband just outside Tenterden. In her spare time she looks after her bees, grows vegetables, goes to the gym and loves listening to jazzy, soul and funk music!

Laura has joined the passionate festival team to assist in fundraising and event management. 

KATE KERMACK

EVENT MANAGER

Having worked in Blue Chip companies, Kate is very professional, and is always on hand to help and assist and loves being surrounded by the buzz of an event ensuring that everyone is happy. 

Kate studied hospitality and event management at Sheffield Hallam University, and by day is an Executive Assistant for an accountancy firm.

Kate lives in West Sussex with her husband and her two teenage boys, plus their dog and has a passion for music, having grown up surrounded by music with her dad being a jazz pianist.

JANE MILLS

HOSPITALITY MANAGER

Jane has a wealth of hospitality and customer service experience and uses both constantly during the festival! She focuses on looking after our headline artists

Jane is always cheery and nothing is too much bother - we love her!

If you see her around say ‘Hi’!

ROMA TURNER

HOSPITALITY MANAGER

​Our lovely Roma has lots of experience in the teaching profession and the merchant Navy. She really keeps things ‘Ship Shape’!

After years sailing around the world on the QE2 she settled in Sussex and we sure are glad she did!

Roma is a real team player, loves working with people, music and laughter - perfect pairing for Rye Jazz & Blues Festival.

KATRINA WALKER

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE VOLUNTEER

Katrina joined the festival when Rye Jazz hosted Russell Watson in the fabulous grounds of Tonbridge Castle. 

Katrina loves to meet and greet our festival visitors, VIPs and artists, so front of house is the best ever place for her to be. That said, she has been seen wearing high viz and carting chairs, so mucking in with the rest of the team is just as important to her.

Katrina lives in East Sussex and by day is the Client Relationship Manager for a Kent law firm, so for her, making sure everyone’s experience is ‘one to remember’, is always top of her list.

This lady will always welcome you with a smile.

JOHN BRYANT

TECHNICAL MANAGER

John is the festival’s production manager, looking after all of the sound, staging and lighting requirements for events at the festival.

John runs a very successful production company called On-Stage and works all over the UK and internationally providing logistical support for major music events, conferences and exhibitions.

John lives locally to Rye and has worked with the festival since it was launched in 2012.

TREVOR SPINK

DIGITAL MARKETING & EVENT MANAGER

Trevor has been an active and key member of the Rye Jazz Festival family for a number of years.

Trevor and his colleague Lindsay will be managing the outdoor live music performances which is very much a hands on role and he  is the 'go to man and responsible' in terms of all things taking place on the outdoor stage during the festival.

Trevor is also the brains behind our classy new festival website and e- commerce, and also assists with elements of our digital marketing. 

He is also a keen sailor and loves the open sea and will soon to be seen circumnavigating the oceans!

JONATHON BENNETT

ADVISER

Educated at King Alfred School, North London and then at The Guildhall School of Music, Jonathon studied Classical Guitar. From there he studied in Sienna under Andre Segovia.

To earn some extra money, Jonathon became Stage Manager at the Arts Theatre in London working with Pinter, Wesker and many other new wave play writes. He formed a blues/rock band, The Idle Hands performing around the London clubs. Long John Baldry, was amongst the many new singers who performed with them at The Marquee Club, The Scotch Club and others.

Jonathon then married, had three fantastic children and embarked on a business career that lasted some thirty years, importing and distributing textiles from Hong Kong, China and other Far East countries, before set up a small building and renovations company working with high level property and overseas clients.

Since then he has been concentrating his creative energy on photography. Recently, he moved to beautiful Rye with his wife Sylvia and they have found themselves integrating very easily into this kind, vibrant place and have very much enjoyed getting involved in the festival.

MICHAEL BURT

CONSULTANT

Michael is a qualified engineer and has worked within the specialised field of Vibration Testing primarily in the aerospace, automotive and consumer product industries. This profession has enabled him to travel worldwide as a Sales Director. With over 40 years of experience he is still working as a highly-regarded consultant in Europe.

Michael lived in Brede as a child and attended school in Rye. He has an affinity with the town having spent many hours of his youth at the Rye Boys Club and later in life frequenting the towns best ‘watering-holes’. He also played football for Rye United.

Michael enjoys all genres of music but his favourites include Swing and Classical, in particular the legendary Frank Sinatra and Pavarotti. Michael is married with two sons and four grand-children. He is delighted to be included as part of the Rye Jazz Team.