The 40th anniversary programme of the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival has just been announced.
From 13 to 22 July there will be jazz all over the capital with music legends and many newcomers too.
This festival celebrates the 300 years of music from New Orleans with many Crescent city musicians like the Soul Brass Band, the all-female Shake ‘Em Up Grammy award-swimming trumpeter Kevin Harrold, Mud Morganfield and some newer names like Earl Thomas and Blind Boy Paxton.
There will be musicians from the Caribbean and Europe as well as Scottish musicians such as Seonaid Aitken with a 24 piece string orchestra and The Scottish Swing Orchestra with Evan Christopher.
Reflecting the Year of Young People the 20 year-old bassist Mark Hendry showcases Octet and has been commissioned by the Festival to write music for a large ensemble of 23 musicians.
The jazz gala will feature Brian Kellock, Tommy Smith and Carol Kidd, and the blues gala will feature Maggie Bell, Bernie Marsden and Tim Elliott.There will be an exhibition to recognise the 40th anniversary with memorabilia from previous festivals and Teviot Row will become the Festival Club for the duration.
Jools Holland will feature along with The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and the Average White Band at the Festival Theatre, and there is a new venue in the Assembly Hall.
Jason Rust, Chair of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, said “We are celebrating our anniversary with a bang. A stellar international line-up with musicians converging on Edinburgh from all over the world, over 150 concerts, plus the Festival’s two free events– The Mardi Gras and the Edinburgh Festival Carnival – will take place on the 14th and 15th July respectively”.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This year, the Edinburgh International Jazz and Blues Festival provides another high-quality showcase of jazz and blues from across the world for national and international audiences.
“Scottish musicians will lead new projects that show the breadth of ambition within the jazz and blues sector in Scotland. Through the Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, the Scottish Government has awarded just under £1.4 million to the Festival since its inception. Artists benefit significantly from the global exposure and Expo funding ensures the festival continues to grow and reach even more people than ever before”
Councillor Donald Wilson, Convener, Culture and Communities Committee, City of Edinburgh Council, said: “For 40 years, Edinburgh’s Jazz & Blues Festival has entertained audiences of all ages with its vibrant showcase of ragtime, Latin, big band and jazz. With new venues in the city centre and across communities, this year’s Festival will bring live music to Edinburgh’s intimate corners and grand spaces in its anniversary year. The programme offers something for all ages across a huge range of styles, from established stars to an amazing new wave of Scottish jazz musicians for the Year of Young People 2018.”
Tickets are available from 2pm on Tuesday 1 May:
- Online at www.edinburghjazzfestival.com
- By phone on 0131 473 2000.
- In person from The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NE.
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