Shoreline of Infinity: Event Horizon. An evening of science fiction, with music from Painted Ocean, words from Pippa Goldschmidt, poetry by Russell Jones and art by Monica Burns – plus a mystery movie. 8pm (doors open 7.30pm), Monday 2nd May, The Blind Poet, West Nicolson Street. Free; all welcome. Shoreline of Infinity is a new sci-fi magazine from Scotland.
Tread The Trad: enjoy a presentation of stories, songs, music and dance prepared by Phyllis Davison and Calum Marwick, who have worked together since 2011 to produce shows, held at the Storytelling Centre, featuring a focus on Scotland, Edinburgh, the Auld Town and a few visits to Canada, Phyllis’ other home. Phyllis has developed her interests since she was a teenager in Edinburgh, when as a 1960s folkie she got to know Hamish Henderson, Jeannie Robertson and Sheena Wellington. Calum is an accomplished accordionist welcomed as a soloist or in a band playing for Royal Scottish Country Dance events and classes and ceilidhs. 7pm, Monday 2nd May, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street. Tickets cost £8/£6 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. This event forms part of TradFest 2016. Image: Edinburgh Ceilidh Club.
Leif: Eoin O’Brien and Conor O’Sullivan are an acoustic duo from the Southwest of Ireland. Eoin’s singing is rich and sincere whilst Conor’s accompaniment ranges from beautifully sparse to wildly intricate. Blending traditional, contemporary and original folk music, Leif will leave you captivated by the storied music of songs old and new. 5.30pm, Tuesday 3rd May, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street. Tickets cost £8/£6 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. This event forms part of TradFest 2016.
Around The World in 80 Minutes: Martin Aelred, plus guests Chris Rooney (mezzo), Ian Oates (bass) and Jane Finlay (acoustic guitar), presents songs and music from around the world. 7pm, Wednesday 4th May, St John’s Church, Portobello. Admission is free; retiring collection, of which 50% will go to Sister Margaret Mary’s Pastoral Centre in Rwanda.
Drum Clinic with Pete Lockett: ‘Percussionist of the Year 2105’ (USA Drums mag) Pete Lockett is one of the most versatile drummer/percussionists in the world and has immersed himself in percussion and drums from every part of the globe, from Indian to Arabic and from Japanese to Latin. Here he will demonstrate integrating Indian patterns into the drum set. He has toured worldwide as a solo artist, with 15 CDs out, and has worked with (among many others!), 
Björk, Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant, Jeff Beck, Zakir Hussain, Ronan Keating, Nitin Sawhney, Afro Celt Sound System, Evelyn Glennie, Jarvis Cocker, Rory Gallagher, Pet Shop Boys, BBC Concert Orchestra and Sinead O’Connor. No age restrictions. 7pm (entry from 6.30pm), Wednesday 4th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. Tickets £5 from Drum Central, 58 Clerk Street.
Simone Gubbiotti Trio: guitarist Simone Gubbiotti has performed with the likes of jazz names Peter Erskine, Joe La Barbera, Arthur Blythe, and Adam Nussbaum. He’s on a short UK tour with fellow Umbrians Davide Liberti (bass) and Ruben Bellavia (drums). Simone was a professional footballer for clubs including AC Milan, but after a serious knee injury he decided to pursue a career in music. After studying in Italy then at Boston’s famous Berklee Jazz College and GIT Los Angeles, he’s now signed with NYC label Dot Time, has three CDS out, and has toured extensively in the US and Europe. 9.30pm (entry from 9pm), Wednesday 4th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
Greyfriars at 12: Modernism and Beyond – 20th & 21st Century. University of Edinburgh students perform music by Messiaen, Barbarian, Laitman and others. 12 noon, Thursday 5th May, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Free admission.
Fergus McCreadie Trio: the fast-rising young (18 year old) pianist, originally from Dollar, is now studying jazz at Glasgow’s RCS. He has been a finalist in ‘Young Jazzer of the Year’ contests, complimented by many judges for the originality and maturity of his playing, With interaction at the core of the group sound, the trio plays originals by all band members, pieces by Fergus, bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson, featuring an innovative blend of hard bop, ECM and Scottish Folk music. They’re on tour to release their debut EP. 9pm (entry from 8pm), Thursday 5th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
Crisis Open Mic Night: karaoke, songs, stories, poems, spoken word or any sharings are encouraged, but you can also just come to enjoy the night. Food and drink will be available and it will be a relaxed social event. 6-8pm, Friday 6th May, Serenity Café, 8 Jackson’s Entrance, The Tun, 111 Holyrood Road. Free. For more information or to reserve a slot please contact deborah.shaw@crisis.org.uk or call 0131 209 7723 (or just come along on the night). Serenity Cafe is Scotland’s first Recovery Café, run by people in recovery for people in recovery, and public customers who want good value, good quality food in a relaxed space. 
All events are drink and drugs-free. Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people, dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.
Orchestra Polyteknikkojen (The Finnish Polytech Orchestra) and Edinburgh University Music Society Choir Spring Concert: Bruch Scottish Fantasy, Sibelius Symphony No 2 and Sibelius Finlandia. Conductor: Andreas Vogelsberger, soloist Siljamari Heilinheimo (violin). 6.30pm, Friday 6th May, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Tickets £10/£5 on the door or in advance here.
Music for a Summer’s Evening: Edinburgh Renaissance Band play music and instruments of 1300-1650. 7pm, Friday 6th May, St Mark’s Church, 287 Portobello High Street. Tickets £6 (under 16s free) on the door or in advance from the church.
The HipHop House: with Madhat McGore, Stonez The Riddlah, MFTM, Diamond B, Kennedy, Blasfima Sinna, Shogun, Spawn-Zero, Unusual Magicians and Devils In Skirts (Haylee + Band) + DJ SeaBass (Live MPC / Cuts). Bring your own bottles – £3 corkage for unlimited drink you bring. 7pm, Friday 6th May, Sketchy Beats Café, 208 Great Junction Street.
The Songwriters’ Room: an evening of acoustic music hosted by Dalriata. Guest acts on this date will include Paul McCaskill, St Ninians Row and I AM PLUTO. The Songwriters’ Room is a place where singer-songwriters or acoustic acts can perform their music, whilst being rewarded for their talent. For over 18s only. 7.15pm, Friday 6th May, Speakeasy, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets £5 in advance, £6 on the door.
Keith Edwards Quintet: ‘Hard Bop’ swinging arrangements by Keith Edwards (sax) with Donald Corbett (trumpet/flugelhorn), Robert Pettigrew (piano), Ed Kelly (bass) and Bill Kyle (drums). Their sets include original compositions by trumpeter Corbett, some rarely heard jazz tunes, and pieces by British Jazz legends Tubby Hayes, and Scots trumpet legend Jimmy Deuchar. 9pm, Friday 6th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
Nick Ross Orchestra: Sounds of the Glenn Miller Era. Recapture the sounds of a bygone era as the Nick Ross orchestra presents an unmissable evening of music and song. 7.30pm, Friday 6th May, Venue 1, The Brunton, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh. Tickets £19.50/£18.50 from the Box Office on 0131 665 2240 or online from Hub Tickets here. An administration fee applies to online bookings.
Head Shake Society: Danny and Adam invite you to enjoy selections from their record collections – from 60’s Garage to Hip Hop beats and potentially anything in between. 9pm, Friday 6th May, The Skylark, 241 Portobello High Street.
SOUND Presents Tarantino Special: Sea Bass Kid + Iri Yoyo. Edinburgh-based Sea Bass Kid (Stuart Gentleman [guitar/lead vocals], Jose De Las Heras [bass] Andrew Price [guitar/backing vocals], Jamie Yavruturk [guitar/backing vocals], Neil Bisset [drums/cymbals], Eve Roberts [saxophone & dance] and Monica Webster [trumpet & dance]) is a multi-cultural eight piece band playing an infectious mix of dancing styles, ‘Skariachi and Spaghetti Eastern’.
Iri Yoyo is a 5 piece ska/reggae band, also from Edinburgh, whose members are James Flynn (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Hugh Kelly (bass/vocals), Phil Ramsay (trumpet), Hebe James (sax/vocals) and Peter Farrugia (drums/vocals). SOUND is a regular music event promoting mainly Scottish bands/artists and guaranteeing a consistently high quality of music and a friendly atmosphere. For over 18s only. 7.30pm, Friday 6th May, The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets £10 + booking fee from Tickets Scotland here.
The Men From Leith with Dick Gaugan, Blue Rose Code, Dean Owens and The Whisky Hearts. A night of celebration of the songwriting and musical talents of three Men From Leith – outstanding musicians who all hail from the same small corner of Edinburgh. 
A mix of original and traditional songwriting and compelling performances, with grit, fire, honesty and wry humour. Inspired by former Felsons front man Dean Owens’ classic song Man From Leith, this promises to be an unforgettable evening. 7.30pm, Friday 6th May, The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street. Tickets £16 from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 668 2019 or online here; transaction fees apply. This event is part of TradFest 2016.
Headset: Wisdom Teeth (FACTA & K-LONE) headline Headset after a string of big releases on their label Wisdom Teeth. This will be the duo’s first show in Scotland. Support from Glasgow’s Hi & Saberhägen and Skillis. 11pm Friday 6th May, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Entry £3 before 12 midnight, £6 after that.
James Brown is Annie: this funky, dance floor-filling groove-based 6-piece take their name from an Eddie Murphy Saturday Night Live sketch. Fronted by the dual lead guitars of Barry Gordon and Aki Remally, with sax, keys, bass and drums, they have been described as ‘The Tartan Special of Funk’ by no less than Average White Band’s Alan Gorrie. Plus Funk DJ. 12 midnight (entry from 11.30pm)-3am, Friday 6th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
Dead Buttons: South Korean Art Rockers, recently signed to cult Liverpool label Baltic Records, whose new single Desire is released on 28th May – a Seoul-based rock ‘n’ roll duo comprised of Korean guitarist/vocalist Jihyun Hong and Paraguayan/Korean drummer/vocalist Kanghee Lee.‘Influenced by the cavernous post-punk of Killing Joke, Joy Division and Gang Of Four – the saviours of Rock’n’Seoul have risen’. 7pm, Saturday 7th May, A Twisted Circus, The Mash House, Guthrie Street, Hasties Close.
The Erskine Stewart Melville’s Community Choir and Orchestra: Ola Gjeilo Sunrise Mass and Luminous Night of the Soul – conductor William More, and Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Minor op 35 – conductor Jason Orringe, soloist Maria Urian (ESMS Silvestri Scholar). 7.30pm, Saturday 7th May, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Tickets £10/£5 on the door or in advance from the Music Department of The Mary Erskine School (tel: 0131 347 5749). .
Emily & The Fedoras. With infectious energy and onstage banter, this full-on 7-piece is fronted by the dual vocals of Emily Streete and Hayley Jones, beefed up by a two-sax horn section. Expect a dancefloor-filling mix ranging from old-school funk/soul to Amy Winehouse and AC/DC. Plus DJ. 12 midnight (entry from 11.30pm, band on stage 12.45am)-3am, Saturday 7th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
Linlithgow Jazz Club: Jerry Forde’s New Phoenix Jazz Band. A jazz septet formed in early 2012 from a wide range of musicians active in the serious and diverse jazz musical traditions. Focusing on the period from the late 1800s to 1970, the band, through arrangements and new compositions produced by the renowned musician, composer and arranger Dick Lee, and Phil Adams and Jerry Forde, will be performing with the specific objectives of helping to continue this rich tradition of vibrant and refined compositions of the period. The band comprises a front line of two (or more) reeds 
Dick Lee, Martin Foster, (Lauren Forde) and trumpet by Colin Steele, vocals by Christine Adams, supported in the rhythm section by Phil Adams on rhythm/solo guitar alternating with banjo, Jack Wilson on drums and Jerry Forde on double bass. 7.30pm (doors open 7pm), Saturday 7th May, St Michael’s RC Church Hall (Queen Margaret’s Hall), Blackness Road, Linlithgow. Tickets £8. The club provides tea and coffee (donations welcomed) and you are free to bring your own drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), glasses and snacks. Bring your dancing feet and come prepared to quickstep, foxtrot, jive or swing or just do your own thing – or if you prefer, just relax and enjoy some great music.
Sol Together Now: a get together, fundraiser and cancer awareness gig for young Sol, who is 4 years old and has recently been diagnosed with a type of brain cancer called medulloblastoma. Sol’s recovery from the operation could take up to a year and he has to stay in hospital. 
The volume of care Sol needs means his mother Ruth is unable to work. Funds raised will help with costs of travelling to and from the hospital and nourishing Sol with healthy food and a special diet to help speed his recovery and help everything heal. 
Any money left over from the donations could go towards a family outing when Sol has recovered and medical care if needed. Acts confirmed are Miracle Glass Company + Lewis Gibson and The Midas Touch + The Jackals + Cera Impala and The New Prohibition + Black Cat Bone + Daniel McGeever + Bobby Nicolson + Jon and Andy (The Holy Ghosts). For over 18s only. 2pm, Sunday 8th May, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets £10 + booking fee from Ripping Records here. Donations may also be made on the night or via Justgiving here.
Oh Lady, Be Good: celebrate historic, iconic jazz, swing & blues vocals legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Bessie Smith, Eva Cassidy and many more, with songs and informative background stories from acclaimed, internationally touring Brisbane-based singer/actor Melissa Western and her world-class backing trio. An extremely popular Fringe show, Melissa’s enthusiastic delivery and panache make this an unforgettable experience: ‘Great storyteller, feisty, highly enjoyable; fantastic instrumentalists – FIVE STARS!’ (Broadway Baby). Bring the family – no under-18 licensing restrictions on afternoon gigs. 3pm (entry from 2.30pm), Sunday 8th May, Chambers Street. £7/£5 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
St Giles At Six: George Heriot’s School Senior Chamber Choir, Brass Ensemble and Flute Ensemble. Music by Stanford, MacMillan, Victoria, Will Todd, Philip Stopford and others. 6pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free; retiring collection.
Music for a Summer’s Evening: Jazz Evensong with Richard Michael. As heard on The Jazz House (BBC Scotland). 7pm, Sunday 8th May, St Mark’s Church, 287 Portobello High Street. Tickets £6 (under 16s free) on the door or in advance from the church.
Singers Night with Morag McCall and her Trio: well established in the North East of Scotland and a well-known face on the Edinburgh jazz scene, Aberdeen based singer Morag McCall returns to her home city for her Jazz Bar debut with some of the finest jazz musicians North of the Forth. 
With influences from all the jazz vocals greats, Morag and her band bring a set full of swinging standards (with a twist!), some sixties pop, and great groovin’ funk. She’s with Alan King (keys), Colin Black (guitar), Ray Leonard (bass) and Andy James (drums). 9pm (entry from 8pm), Sunday 8th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
Eliza Neals & The Narcotics. The award-winning, sultry, powerful blues-rock-soul vocalist and recording artist is also a composer, publisher, and producer, who has been compared to greats such as Etta James, Janis Joplin, and Ricki Lee Jones. Her work explores the musical spectrum with a combination of blues-rock, psychedelic soul and a twist of jam band with southern rock covers. As a duo, trio or full-blown eight-to-ten piece band, Eliza Neals delivers the most compelling storytelling in ages, backed by a cadre of amazing guitarists with whom she has worked over the years. Currently taking the reigns is Detroit’s international blues guitarist Howard Glazer. 7.30pm, Sunday 8th May, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Ticket price TBC.
