WHOLE LOT OF SOUL

The 1997 Capital Radio Jazz, Funk and Soul Festival returns to the Royal Albert Hall from 1 to 6 July with an impressive line-up of artists from the last four decades.

The festival begins on Tuesday with American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach, in concert with The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Famous for classics such as "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", this is a one-off British concert with support on the night from Swing Out Sister.

On 2 July, BB King, the consummate Blues performer, takes to the stage, and on 4 July Alexander O'Neal (right) returns to the UK with a soul and R&B set as part of his forthcoming UK tour.

The festival concludes with a double helping of Earth, Wind and Fire on 5 and 6 July, which will feature Philip Bailey on lead vocals and a host of hits from "September" to "Saturday Nite".

We have two pairs of free tickets on offer for each night (excluding 5 July) for the first Eye readers to ring 0171-838 3108 on Saturday 28 June, between 1pm and 3.30pm. Tickets will be offered on a first-to-call basis, usual Newspaper Publishing rules apply.

Tickets are available from the Royal Albert Hall box-office (0171-589 8212).