Matt Cardle, Elkie Brooks and Toots And The Maytals Among Line-up at The Marlowe Theatre

From jazz and classic soul to the gentlest melodies in folk ballads, there is a truly diverse line-up ahead at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury.

Sona Jobarteh is a modern, female, pioneering musician in an ancient, male-dominated hereditary tradition. She plays the kora (a West African harp), which she has modernised, bringing a rhythmic edge to her compositions which perfectly fits her remarkable voice. Sona and her band appear at The Marlowe Studio on Friday 24 June, before dates at Glastonbury and the London Jazz Festival.

A genius with the guitar, Ernest Ranglin has spent a long career creating ska, reggae and jazz. On the way, he has influenced some of the biggest names in music: he famously tutored Bob Marley on his guitar technique, and has also worked with Jimmy Cliff, The Skatalites, Theophilus Beckford and Baaba Maal. Now, after almost 60 years of recording, Ernest is embarking on a farewell tour, which comes to Canterbury on Sunday 26 June. He will be accompanied by friends and fellow musicians, drummer Tony Allen (the "personification of Afrobeat"), MOBO winner Soweto Kinch on sax, WOMEX award-winner Cheikh Lo on vocals and perscussion, pioneering pianist and band leader Alex Wilson on keys, and Herbie Hancock collaborator Ira Coleman on bass.

Matt Cardle shot to fame when he won The X Factor in 2010, the show's most successful series (watched by more than 19.1 million people). He's since gone on to have several hits, including three weeks at number one with When We Collide, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, and Loving You (with Spice Girl, Melanie C). Recently, his four-octave vocal range earned him the leading role next to Beverly Knight in Memphis The Musical in London, for which he won the Best West End Debut award. His appearance at The Marlowe on Tuesday 5 July will see him performing material from his three Top 10 albums, plus a preview of songs form his forthcoming new LP.

Elkie Brooks, one of this country's most successful and popular singers, comes to The Marlowe on Saturday 13 August. Now in the fifth decade of her career, she will be performing some of her classic hits, including Pearl's A Singer, Sunshine After The Rain, Fool If You Think It's Over, and Lilac Wine.

Legendary ska and reggae band Toots And The Maytals come to Canterbury on Tuesday 6 September as part of their first British tour for four years. Formed in Kingston, Jamaica in 1961, they popularised the reggae sound with hits such as Do The Reggay (widely acknowledged as the first song to feature the word "reggae", Pressure Drop, 54-56 (That's My Number), and Monkey Man. Over the last five decades, Toots has influenced countless artists, including The Clash, Amy Winehouse, and The Specials, and has toured with The Rolling Stones and others. A five-time Grammy nominee, Toots won the 2005 award for best album in 2005.

The powerful, soul-shaking voice of Jocelyn Brown comes to The Marlowe on Wednesday 7 September. Jocelyn has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including John Lennon, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and Bette Midler, but also has a successful solo career. Her hits include Love's Gonna Get You, and the club classic, Somebody Else's Guy.

Mercury Prize nominee and Radio 2 Folk Award nominee Sam Lee and his band will be performing hits from his second album at The Marlowe Studio on Wednesday 7 September. This former Burlesque dancer, professional forager, folk singer, song collector, club promoter, teacher and radio host toured the world on the back of the Mercury nomination, which was for his first album Ground Of Its Own. His second, The Fade In Time, also features songs learned first hand from the gypsy and traveller community. Sam is described as a "new pioneer", who along with his band, are helping to define and energise the sound of folk.

There's more folk in The Marlowe Studio on Saturday 24 September, with Spiro. This unique instrumental quartet mix driving fiddle, accordion, mandolin and guitar, while using English folk tunes as the raw material, inventing a unique locked-in ensemble sound.

Icons Of The 80s sees Go West, Nik Kershaw and T'Pau together in concert on Sunday 25 September. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Go West's first hit single We Close Our Eyes. Other hits followed, including the hit theme song in the film Pretty Woman, King Of Wishful Thinking. Nik Kershaw first achieved chart success in 1984 with Wouldn't It Be Good?, followed by other classics such as Won't Let the Sun Go Down On Me. T'Pau's first single Heart And Soul was released in 1987. Their biggest hit, China In Your Hand, hit the top spot in the UK later that year, and stayed at number one for five weeks.

For times and ticket prices for all the gigs, call the Box Office on 01227 787787, or go to marlowetheatre.com

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