Pontypool Jazz Festival marked its tenth, foot-tapping anniversary at the weekend by defying economic cutbacks to celebrate the best in Wales.

Not many regions in Britain could muster enough musicians to support a jazz jamboree without the need to bring in a few headlining celebrities from outside.

But the festival proved to be a showcase for established Welsh musicians and provided a platform for younger emerging ones at various places inside Pontypool Active Living Centre.

They don't come younger or fitter than the Greater Gwent Youth Jazz Orchestra, pulling in a capacity crowd on Saturday with the inspirational trumpeter Percy Pursglove.

Playing often sophisticated charts by favourites of musical director Paul Hornsby, such as Bob Brookmeyer and Gordon Goodwin, and unfazed by Pursglove's free-wheeling solos on trumpet and flugelhorn, the orchestra was the farthest cry from the adult Constellation Big Band. which opened the festival on Friday, though the latter did boast a 14-year-old pianist.

The Swansea outfit was entertaining but slightly jaded by comparison.

Genuine improvising talent was thinly spread and that jazz essential, the sound of surprise, was about as far off as an orbiting space station.

Big bands were to the fore, including the Capital City Jazz Orchestra, which was on full-frontal top form despite a dense and sometimes unforgiving sound.

Constellation was followed on Friday evening by Latin Perspective, a half-decent nine-piece whose performance was marred by grotesque over-amplification.

Still, its upbeat programme set the tone for what was to follow.

That reached its pinnacle on Saturday with Bluesy Suzie, gracing the centre's main stage with a completely new set that explored its funkier side, a quality long enshrined in the playing of the Mike Harries Root Doctors, which followed it as Saturday's final act.

In a stellar Welsh festival, no-one else better deserved the accolade of top billing than Harries, who has been playing jazz in South Wales longer than even he can remember.

Among the smaller groups were Little Fish, an innovative piano trio from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the Good Life Band, the Graham Watkins Quartet and stalwart saxophonist Dick Hamer won new friends.

The Miles Davis Tribute Quintet led by trumpeter Jonathan Crespo headed the small-scale homage parade despite having to battle against background audience chatter.

The stewarding, presentation and general helpfulness of the organising team were a credit in an area where protocols are sometimes too laid back for their own good.