Cardiff venue on blue plaque shortlist

Dempseys in Cardiff - formerly the Four Bars Inn - has been included on the shortlist for a public vote on venues deserving of a blue plaque for their role in British jazz history.

The (Kind of) Blue Plaque scheme has been launched by organisers of the Brecon Jazz Festival to mark the 50th anniversary of the seminal album by Miles Davis.

The Four Bars Inn, now Dempseys, opposite Cardiff Castle was originally launched as a jazz venue in 1987 by the late Jed Williams and the Welsh Jazz Society.

As well as playing a key role in nurturing Welsh jazz talent, the venue has played host to stars including Dewey Redman, Monty Alexander, Tal Farlow and Lowell Fulson.

The shortlist of twelve chosen from over a hundred nominations features seven London sites including the Hippodrome, scene of the UK's first ever jazz gig in 1919, and venues in Bristol, Manchester, Oxford, and Hampshire.

You can vote for your favourite venue at www.breconjazz.org from now until Thursday, with the winner of the inaurgural blue plaque to be announced on the opening day of the Brecon Jazz Festival this Friday.