JAZZ in the Park received possibly its largest attendance to date yesterday as around 6,000 people enjoyed an afternoon of cool jazz under a blazing sun in Howard Davis Park.

The eight-hour event, boasting the best in local jazz plus a visiting big band from Oxford University, was the culmination of a week of concerts to celebrate Jazz in the Park’s fifth anniversary.

More than 80 musicians performed throughout the day beginning with the Jersey Big Band at noon followed by the Adam King Trio, the Txt Messengers, Oxford’s the Donut Kings, the Blue Note Jazz Band and the Well Swung Jazz Orchestra who then combined with the Donut Kings to provide the show with a rousing finale.

‘There’s been more people than I’ve ever seen in the park,’ said event director and Jazz in the Park co-founder Martin Coxshall afterward.

‘After five years, one of the best things was looking out from the stage and seeing so many people coming to Jazz in the Park again.’