Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 2021 returns
Soweto Kinch, Fergus McCreadie, Tim Garland and Georgia Cécile will all be performing at the event
After moving online for 2020, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival is back for 2021 with an exciting programme showcasing the amazing music coming out of Scotland - welcoming audiences both online and in person.
The programme will celebrate Scottish talent, looking to the future with brand new commissions, as well as welcoming concerts from guests across the globe with appearances from Davina & the Vagabonds, Stacy Mitchhart, Soweto Kinch, Hamish Stuart, Tim Garland and Zoe Rahman.
With a focus on new commissions and new collaborations, contemporary jazz fans can expect a real treat. Saxophonist Soweto Kinch will be presenting two concerts, whilst Laura Macdonald will be leading a sensational female-fronted band which includes pianist Zoe Rahman and Helena Kay, and Brian Kellock’s trio is making a rare appearance too.
Players from the young hot Scottish jazz scene also feature on the billing, with Fergus McCreadie’s collaboration with Tim Garland and a new band from Graham Costello. Still in his early 20s, the inspirational composer Mark Hendry will be presenting a world premiere of a new piece that focuses on environmental destruction and Matt Carmichael unveils a new band too.
Stacy Mitchhart, Sandy Tweeddale, Nicole Smit, Safehouse, Lyndon Anderson, Grainne Duffy, Redfish, Dana Dixon, John Bruce, Jed Potts, Charlotte Marshall and Jensen Interceptors headline a blues programme that ranges from driving Chicago blues to country delta blues and all points in between.
Jacqui Dankworth, George Cécile, Seonaid Aitken and Alison Burns deliver a wide-ranging mix of vocal fireworks. Ali Affleck will be looking to take us to early New Orleans, Luca Manning is joined by friends old and new whilst Davina & The Vagabonds play a concert from Minnesota, whilst they are not able physically be in Edinburgh.
Discussing the event, Chair of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Councillor Jason Rust says: “The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival team have worked hard to respond to the challenges of the last 12 months. They have presented some incredible online gigs and their efforts show in this hybrid festival which offers something for everyone. We are excited to be able to deliver such a varied programme of high-quality online concerts, and we are delighted to be able to welcome some small audiences to Assembly Roxy.”
When is Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 2021 taking place?
From Friday the 16th to the 25th of July, the festival will feature: 20 concerts livestreamed concerts in front of a small, live audience at Assembly Roxy as well as 20 prerecorded gigs alongside online workshops too.