The closing event of this year's Lewes Festival showcases two musicians who are still vibrant performers after more than 50 years in showbiz.

John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine have enjoyed richly varied careers together and as individuals.

Their musical legacy runs back to 1949, when John won the first of many Musician of the Year polls.

A gifted saxophonist, clarinettist and composer, he spent the early Fifties laying foun-dations for the London jazz scene and composed soundtracks to films such as Modesty Blaise and Saturday Night And Sunday Morning.

Cleo's damehood crowns a career that includes many awards, hit Broadway musicals and the accolade of being the first UK performer to win a Grammy.

The band for their Lewes show will feature leading performers including trombonist Mark Nightingale, bassist Malcolm Creese, pianist John Horler and drummer Allan Ganley.

The couple's influence will be felt later in May, as their gifted offspring appear locally too.

Alec Dankworth brings his trio to the Brighton Jazz Club at the Sallis Benney Theatre on May 11, where he's joined by saxophonist Julian Arguelles and guitarist Phil Robson.

Jacqui Dankworth has inherited the vocal and composing talents and appears in Eastbourne's Jazz At The Lamb club on May 24 with pianist Mike Hatchard.