Now the largest and longest established jazz festival weekend in the Greater Dublin area, this year's event will host shows by some of the leading players in contemporary Irish jazz, together with an impressive roster of international performers - from the United States, UK, Holland, Italy, Belgium, Norway and Luxembourg.

And the event's popular global music strand will be on show also with bands and musicians from Brazil, Senegal, Argentina and Palestine also featuring.

If there is a specific focus to this year's festival programme it would be the event's its focus on guitar in jazz music, with three very different and distinctive players amongst the 2010 roster international visitors to Bray Jazz Festival, this year.

Londoner John Etheridge, a one-time member of pioneering British rock band Soft Machine will recall his years working with French jazz violinist Stefan Grappelli when he brings his great hot club ensemble Sweet Chorus to the festival for a fitting presentation in this the centenary of gypsy jazz pioneer Django Reinhardt.

Over the weekend the contemporary jazz explorations of Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, in the company of long-time Brad Mehldau bassist Larry Grendadier and saxophonist Chris Cheek will get an airing at Bray Jazz Festival, while the blistering jazz rock fusion of American Wayne Krantz, known to a wider audience for his membership of the re-formed Steely Dan will also appear with his acclaimed trio.