Jazz lovers will have the opportunity to see London from the River Thames and enjoy two different jazz bands on the News Shopper Jazz Cruise.

PUT the date in your diary now, tell your friends and book your places for this year's News Shopper jazz Cruise FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 it is set to be the best yet.

For three years, the News Shopper has sponsored the Waterfront Jazz Festival in Greenwich.

Each year we have offered our readers the opportunity of joining us on a cruise down the Thames as part of the festival and this year we have arranged the best line-up to date.

Max Collie and the Rhythm Aces will be offering the Trad Jazz option on one deck, whilst The Big Idea will be entertaining us on the second deck with the fantastic sound of Mardi Gras.

This year, to bring an authentic feel to the whole event, we have specially chartered, from Thames Luxury Charters, the Dixie Queen.

Personally inspected by our Publisher, this fine vessel is tailor-made for an event like this.

She is fully air-conditioned for warm summer evenings and centrally heated for cooler autumn nights.

So, whichever hand the weather deals us, you will enjoy comfortable surroundings.

In fact, comfort is an understatement for the Dixie Queen.

Should the weather be kind to us, there are spacious external deck facilities close to the bar and stage area, which, although the music will not be piped outside, should still enable you to hear.

As you would expect from a top class vessel, all the facilities on board are excellent for both able bodied and disabled passengers, including a lift to both decks.

Boarding should also be straightforward for wheelchairs.

As always, we listen to our customers, and one of their suggestions from last year is to provide food.

The Dixie Queen has an excellent reputation for the quality and variety of food provided.

So we have arranged with the chef for a special light buffet to be available on the lower deck for an additional cost payable on the night.

Bar prices are considered very reasonable for such a trip, with a pint of lager at £2.50, bitter at £2.40 and house wine only £2.50 a glass.

The Dixie Queen will, as usual, depart from the easily accessible Greenwich Pier at 7.30pm and return at 10.30.

She will first head up river to Tower Bridge, where you will have a fantastic view, from the bow deck, of the tower and bridge lit up.

Then we turn back down river past Canary Wharf, the Thames Barrier and towards the QE11 bridge to enjoy the cruising delights of this serene steamer.

Now is the time to let your hair down a little.

Listen to the sound of Max Collie and the Rhythm Aces or The Big Idea as they play two long sets for your enjoyment.

You can choose which you want to listen to. You can even enjoy both. It is up to you.

Why not dance? The floor is yours.

You may think, with all this on offer, the price is going to be prohibitive.

However, you would be wrong.

For the third year running, we are holding the cost of a ticket at just £25 per person.

Booking is easy, too.

You can contact one of our friendly and helpful staff on 01689 897896 and pay by credit card, or you can fill in the coupon in the advertisement on page 27, and send it with either a cheque or credit card details to the News Shopper office in Petts Wood.

Give yourself a little autumn treat this year and join us on the News Shopper Jazz Cruise.

Steaming along in Dixie style

THE Dixie Queen is an authentic replica of a 19th Century Mississippi paddle steamer and deserves the adjective “spectacular”.

More than $10 million was spent on its upgrade which includes a huge crystal chandelier over the classic southern-style staircase connecting the steamer's two decks.

The spacious twin decks feature stages and a top quality lighting and sound rig on board.

Up to 520 guests can be accommodated for buffet-styled meals while 420 can be comfortably seated for served meals.

The Dixie Queen has its own brigade of chefs who can create a full range of meals from light snacks to banquets.

The meal on the News Shopper jazz Cruise will be a special light buffet.

There are two horse-shoe bars one on each deck which will serve jazz lovers on our cruise with reasonably priced drinks.

Max fronts true aces of rhythm

BROMLEY'S own Max Collie and his Rhythm Aces will be blowing up a storm on the Dixie Queen for the News Shopper Jazz Cruise.

The popular trombonist and his band have a loyal following and the outfit has three CDs to its credit.

There is no doubt the Trad Jazz they will be blowing on board the sumptuous Dixie Queen will make sure the deck they are on for the cruise will be well-stocked with lovers of this style of music.

The other option will be the Mardi Gras style of jazz offered by The Big Idea and should offer some cool grooves.

Cruising down the river listening to jazz has never been better!