Keyboard king Jools Holland is to play a record-breaking open-air concert at Carlisle Racecourse, it was announced today.

The popular TV presenter, pianist and bandleader will perform live in front of the racecourse's biggest ever crowd of up to 10,000 spectators next summer.

Tickets went on sale today (Monday November 2nd - click HERE for ticket information) for the gig by Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, which will be part of the CFM Summer Family Festival evening meeting on Saturday July 3.

The 90-minute set will get underway around 9.15pm once the evening's horse racing has finished.  The entertainment will then be rounded off with a spectacular fireworks display set to music.

All three elements - horse racing, live music and fireworks – are included in the ticket price of just £15 or £20.

John Baker, the racecourse's managing director, said "We are really excited to have such a legendary and respected musician as Jools Holland as our headline act for the CFM Summer Family Festival.  It’s a fantastic all round value-for-money event.

“We are confident that our biggest ever crowd of 8,000 to see Tony Hadley perform here back in 2006 will be smashed.  We received really positive feedback after Escala performed at this year's CFM Summer Family Festival, so we set our sights on topping that in 2010 - and I think we have.

"We are sure the people of Cumbria and beyond will turn out in record numbers for what should be a superb evening's entertainment.  Tickets will make great Christmas presents and guarantee a place at what should be an evening to remember."

More than 7,000 people attended last July's CFM Summer Family Festival featuring Escala.  The racecourse has been enjoying a rise in attendances this year, with crowds up nearly 20% despite the recession. Even yesterday's Countryside Day meeting drew 3,500 spectators despite atrocious weather which saw an inch-and-a-half of rain fall during the day.

Jools' orchestra will include Gilson Lavis from Squeeze on drums, special guest vocalists Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall as well as skaand reggae legend Rico Rodriguez on trombone.

The event is being supported by Stobart Group.

Jools is no stranger to Cumbria, having performed sell-out gigs at the Maryport Blues Festival and more recently at The Sands Centre in Carlisle in August last year.

The musical maestro sprang to fame in the 1970s aged 15 when he formed Squeeze with Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford.  Their hits included Up The Junction and Cool For Cats.  After co-presenting The Tube on TV with Paula Yates, Jools formed The Jools Holland Big Band in 1987 and this has gradually morphed into the current 20-piece band, with organist, drummer, three female vocals, guitar, bass guitar, two tenor saxophones, two alto saxophones, baritone saxophone, three trumpets, and four trombones. They play live in front of more than 500,000 people around the world annually.