Jazz it up

Scotland is bursting with talented jazz and blues artists and plays host to vibrant festivals in some unusual, and offbeat locations.

image of the Mardi Gras from the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

From large scale events in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee to the ’best wee jazz festival in Scotland’ on the island of Islay, each showcases the cream of Scottish and international talent.

World-class festivals attract world-class artists. Past guests include American stars Roy Hargrove, Dick Hyman, the Manhattan Ragtime Orchestra, Bad Plus and Lightning’ Willie. Denmark’s Ibrahim Electric and Sinne Eeg. France’s Les Doigts de l’Homme and Norway’s Froy Aagre Quartet, to name but a few.

Here’s a small selection of some of the highlights of Scotland’s eclectic jazz festival calendar.

Glasgow

The Glasgow International Jazz Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Founded in the years before the city's inauguration as European City of Culture in 1990 it is one of the many musical reasons why Glasgow also achieved UNESCO: City of Music status back in 2008. It features more than 500 performers in 80 gigs at 24 venues around the city. It has played host to some of the greatest jazz and blues stars in history. The list includes; Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Dizzie Gillespie, Tony Bennett, BB King and Nina Simone.

This year the Glasgow Jazz Festival is going to have Cleo Laine, Michel Legrand, Courtney Pine, Lee Konits, Tomasz Stanko, the Ryan Quigley Big Band, Martin Taylor and Carole Kidd.

Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival is Britain’s largest jazz festival. Now in its 33rd year, the festival is renowned for its diverse mix of artists and venues and is much loved by locals and visitors alike. With performances in mixed venues – from intimate salons, to vast concert halls, street parties and parks. It hosts all styles from traditional to the avant garde, from established artists to rising stars. Priding itself on its cutting edge programme, festival goers can expect to see new collaborations and world premieres.

Islay

From the largest to one of the smallest. The Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival is truly unique with the whole of the Hebridean island as its stage. Reviews of previous festivals have raved about the ‘intoxicating’ ambience. There are 17 concerts over three days, ranging from a barbecue on the beach at Port Charlotte to the sounds of a saxophone quartet, modern jazz in a traditional stag’s head-adorned room at Islay House, a concert in the aromatic sheds at the Bunnahabhain distillery, or a walk out to the hide at Gruinard to watch some of the island’s rare bird species. Previous years have seen performances from award-winning jazz vocalist Niki King, Scottish saxophonist Laura Macdonald and collaborations between Norwegian musicians Frode Haltli (accordion) and Trygve Seim (saxophonist).

Fresh talent

The National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland trains future stars of the jazz stage and ensures that Scotland’s scene stays fresh. Formed in 1996 the orchestra offers excellent training and opportunities for budding jazz musicians to perform with established artists. The orchestra can be seen in all their glory in Perth and Glasgow as part of their summer 2011 tour.