Soweto Kinch, Georgia Cecile and Fergus McCreadie head to Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Fest

Another festival set to make a slight return to ‘in-person’ gigs from its full livestreamed 2020 incarnation is the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Fest that runs in a new hybrid format from 16 to 25 July in Scottish capital. The programme will feature 20 concerts livestreamed in front of a small, live audience at Assembly Roxy, plus 20 pre-recorded concerts including seven specially-created EXPO projects, plus Jazz for Kids sessions and online workshops as part of the Edinburgh Napier University Jazz Summer School.

The organisers intend the programme to “celebrate Scottish talent, looking to the future with brand new commissions, and welcoming concerts from our friends across the globe” – and indeed the Scottish scene is witnessing a new wave of emerging jazz talents. These include names such as pianist Fergus McCreadie who performs his new collaboration with top UK saxophonist Tim Garland; drummer Graham Costello previews a new band; saxophonist Laura Macdonald leads a newly formed group with award winning pianist Zoe Rahman and saxophonist Helena Kay; talented twenty-something composer Mark Hendry premieres his new work inspired by the unfolding destruction of the environment, while fast rising saxophonist Matt Carmichael reveals a fresh band line up.

Further names appearing include two shows from dynamic altoist/rapper Soweto Kinch, and a whole host of vocalists including the award-winning Luca Manning, favourites Jacqui Dankworth, George Cécile, Seonaid Aitken, Alison Burns and Davina & the Vagabonds.

The full programme can be found at edinburghjazzfestival.com