From Le Manoir to the Wilderness - the country's favourite chef brings some Michelin-starred magic to its most eclectic arts festival

TOP chef Raymond Blanc is swapping the luxury of his Michelin-starred restaurant for a tent, by joining the line-up at this summer’s Wilderness Festival.

The TV personality is the latest big name to be signed up for the four-day festival, which takes place at Cornbury Park, near Charlbury, from August 6-9. He joins previously-named stars Bjork, Ben Howard and jazz-funk artist George Clinton.

Chef Patron of Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, at Great Milton, near Oxford, M Blanc is also known to millions as the star of TV series such as Kew on a Plate and The Restaurant. He will bring his Gallic culinary brilliance to one of the festival’s series of tented banquets, along with fellow Michelin-starred chefs like Angela Hartnett, Nuno Mendes and James Knappett. Also joining the festivities will be Sweden’s Niklas Ekstedt.

Festival organisers have also announced a tranche of new bands and artists, with Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons, Asgeir, Shamir, Bombino, Lapsley amd CC Smugglers joining the fun, alongside previously acts Roisin Murphy, Hercules & Love Affair, Nick Mulvey, Nils Frahm, Brandt Bauer Frick Ensemble, Caravan Palace, Ibibio Sound Machine, Will & The People and Benjamin Clementine.

DJs have also been announced for the festival’s legendary Valley parties, which take place ion a rocky ravine deep in Cornbury’s woods – a remnant of the ancient Wychwood Forest. They include electronic music producer and Hercules and Love Affair vocalist Kim Ann Foxman, DJ Harvey and world famous DJ Tom Middleton.

Also playing will be Amsterdam’s Rush Hour founder Antal, blending house and techno with Afro and disco; Felix Dickinson, one of the champions of the burgeoning dance underground and party-starting Leeds duo PBR Streetgang; Mojo Filter, aka production and remix master Ben Zaven Crane; funk-soul-disco enthusiast YOMS; and Ollie Keens.

For fans of more relaxed sounds, there is an impressive folk line-up at the festival’s Travelling Folk Barn, from the Eastern European stylings of The Turbans, to the beat-pop melodies of The Buffalo Skinners, the West Coast Americana of Goodnight Lenin to Canadian artist Zachary Lucky.

Other artists include jazz-swing and Latin funk outfit  The Brass Funkeys, Bristol six-piece theatrical showband Carny Villains, Duffy Moonshine Big Band, 13-piece Balkan brass act Trans Siberian March Band, and 60s-style Voodoo Love Orchestra.

The festival will continue its programme of intellectual pursuits, with talks and debates featuring participants such as GQ editor Dylan Jones; Matthew Taylor, the Chief Executive of the RSA; historian and television presenter Dan Snow; comedian Dom Joly; Marigold Hotel author Deborah Moggach; and the philosopher John Lanchester.

Oxford Mail:

Rave on: Parting in the woods

Organisers said: “For 2015, Wilderness is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting events of the festival season.

“Always bringing new venues, performances and formats to reinvent and re-imagine the festival, Wilderness 2015 also sees an array of festival firsts, including the Saturday Night Spectacular still to come, a new collaboration with Village Productions The Clubhouse, the brand new fine arts venue - The Wilderness Art Studio, A new musical project to join the festival’s own orchestra - the Wilderness Choir and a fire walking ceremony.

“Music and food aside, another thing Wilderness has always done well is tapping into a more intellectual vein as well, with the talks and debates on offer always a standout.”

For details and tickets go to wildernessfestival.com

Oxford Mail:

Headliner: Bjork will take to the main stage

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