For over 40 years the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival has provided a platform to showcase the very best Jazz and Blues artists that the world has to offer. Held over 10 days and with over 130 performances a year, the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival is one of the largest jazz festivals in Europe and creates moving and memorable experiences for the 70,000 people who attend each year.
Offering a snapshot of the Scottish jazz and blues scenes, the festival also showcases a glittering of internationally acclaimed musicians and performers. 2021 saw big names perform both online and in person at Assembly Roxy.
2022 is welcoming back some of Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival’s best loved artists, including Jools Holland, Blind Boy Paxton and festival favourite Davina and the Vagabonds.
At the heart of this year’s festival is an international programme including SPARK, a celebration of Italian Jazz featuring such performers as Sade Mangiaracina and Daniele Raimondi.
This year, EJBF22 Online will bring the festival into the digital realm. Across the ten days of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, some of the UK’s finest jazz and blues artists will be broadcast directly into living rooms around the world including a digital exclusive concert from the all star SFJazz Collective. The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival 2022 is sure to be another incredible event packed with the very best music from at home and abroad.
Earl Thomas after a triumphant show at @edinburgh_jazz yesterday!
The History of Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival
The festival is the brainchild of Edinburgh guitarist and banjo player Mike Hart, who launched the first one in 1978. Originally, the festival featured traditional jazz performances played in Edinburgh’s pubs, and it slowly evolved to feature a more diverse range of styles, including the introduction of blues.
The free Mardi Gras and Carnival events have given the festival even wider appeal, and although the festival now attracts major international jazz names from all over the world, it remains true to its on-going commitment to supporting Scottish acts.
For videos visit Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival YouTube channel.
Intrigued by what Edinburgh has to offer? Explore the city's summer festivals with us this year.