Organisers of the Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival are to stage two intimate festive concerts.

They will be held on Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16 in St Mary’s Church.

Soul singer Mica Paris makes a return to Rye singing the songs of Ella Fitzgerald, celebrating the centenary of her birth.

Mica, whose hits included the Top 10 hit My One Temptation, will perform her new show, Mica Paris Sings Ella Fitzgerald on Friday, December 15.

Earlier this year, she released two classics from the Ella Fitzgerald songbook, produced and arranger Guy Barker to celebrate the landmark – Imagine My Frustration and Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.

Dubbed “The First Lady of Song” Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the US for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold more than 40 million albums.

Audience members can expect to hear many of the songs that made Ella Fitzgerald one of the most revered singers of the 20th century.

Mica is working on a full album of her songs which is due for release next year.

Squeeze stars Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook will play on Saturday, December 16.

The iconic songwriting partnership – who produced hits including Up The Junction, Cool For Cats and Labelled With Love, among others – come to Rye after a sell-out UK and US Squeeze tour, Join The Dots. This year they also released their long-awaited follow-up The Knowledge.

Their show The At Odds Couple will see the pair Chris reflecting on their careers, both as part of Squeeze and as solo artists, giving an insight into the music and what makes them tick as a partnership.

Trio Arcelia will provide support on the evening.

For details and to book tickets visit ryejazz.com