When Cheltenham International Jazz Festival approached self-proclaimed Jazz Warrior Abram Wilson to write something "straight from the heart", it turned into something much more.

Out of an initial performance at the 2006 festival came trumpeter and vocalist Abram Wilson's second album Ride! Ferris Wheel To The Modern Day Delta, which tells the story of a talented young trumpeter finding his place in the world.

Ride!, which won the best album award at last year's British Jazz Awards, is now being taken out on tour by Abram.

"I had this story in my mind," says Abram. "I had written it and was going to make it into a short film, and write the music afterwards. The finished piece came out so well I thought I should record it.

"It is about a young man from the Delta, Albert Jenkins, who wants to find his own way and leave his roots behind. He finds out that his roots are the most important thing in his life - it's a 360-degree turn like a ferris wheel.

"A lot of people say it is about me, but it is not all about me. It is based on things that have happened to me and to other people I know."

Part of what makes the album stand out is its fusion of different styles, combining delta blues, New Orleans brass and hip-hop elements. A lot of this came from the three outfits Abram decided to work with: DBT (the Delta Blues Trio), traditional New Orleans group the Londorleans Brass Band and Abram's own sextet.

"DBT is essentially harmonica, acoustic guitar and upright bass," says Abram. "Then there's the brass band with the tuba, trombone, trumpet and alto and tenor sax, and the jazz sextet which is piano, bass, drums, trumpet and alto and tenor saxes.

"If you think of an orchestra, they never use the whole orchestra at one time, which makes it dynamic and interesting. I could use parts of those bands in different parts of the piece."

An addition to the live show is a prologue specially recorded for Abram by the New Orleans rhythm and blues legend Dr John.

"His voice sets the mood for the whole piece," says Abram.

New Orleans has a special place in Abram's heart - it is the city he grew up in, studying at the New Orleans Center For Creative Arts which also helped develop the careers of Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr and Terence Blanchard.

He revisited the city last year to see for himself the devastation Hurricane Katrina had caused and carry out a series of interviews with the residents of New Orleans and the surrounding states.

"I spoke to a lot of musicians, club owners and people in city hall," he says. "I was trying to get a sense of what had been done and what needed to be done to help them move forward."

His findings were printed in the magazine Jazzwise and broadcast by the BBC.

"It is one of those things where the people who are running not just the city and the state but the country have to really make efforts," he says.

"I expect some great things to happen after this election and some great things to happen in New Orleans."

Abram moved to the UK in 2002, initially with the intention of making a short stop here before travelling across Europe.

Part of his decision to stay was made when he met the Tomorrow's Warriors jazz collective and started working with Dune Music, which not only releases jazz but works to expand the jazz audience.

"One of the things I find incredibly important is going out to schools and making sure young people know about jazz music," says Abram, who is planning to drop in on the Hove Park School, in Nevill Road, Hove, as part of his Brighton visit.

  • Starts 7.30pm, tickets £12.50/£10. Call 01273 709709.