Programme Announced for 2024 Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival is back for 2024, ready to light up Edinburgh. For 10 groove-packed days, EJBF presents a super-charged line-up that will delight festival regulars and first timers alike. From Friday 12 to Sunday 21 July, venues across the capital will play host to the finest jazz and blues talent from all corners of the globe. From bop to blues-rock, from samba to swing - there’s something in our programme to suit every mood and musical taste.
From Fri 12 to Sun 21 July, the festival will feature:
- More than 120 events taking place across the city
- 10 livestreamed and pre-recorded concerts
- Mardi Gras – a celebration of music live from the Grassmarket
- Edinburgh Festival Carnival – Edinburgh’s largest multi-cultural event
- 18 concerts supported by the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO fund
- Edinburgh Napier University Jazz Summer School
No other festival covers jazz and blues, across all the styles, with such depth and quality, and with so many unique events. American trumpeter Theo Croker, acclaimed singer Niki King, American blues star Mr Sipp, Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith, and cover star Nik West – just a few of the names within this year’s programme who are set to bring their unparalleled artistry to stages across the city. Amongst t he highlights are:
- some familiar faces to the Edinburgh stage with names like Jools Holland, Davina & The Vagabonds and Jerron Paxton, and Fergus McCreadie presents two projects – one a Scottish premiere.
- a special programme ‘From Folk To Freedom’ curated by award-winning British trumpeter Laura Jurd, celebrating a host of world-class jazz musicians who are inspired and influenced by folk music. The programme features Norman Willmore, Ruth Goller, Chris Batchelor, Simone Seales, Christos Stylianidies and Glasshopper, as well as Laura’s own band.
- the international showcase SPARK, which presents the best in jazz from Czechia with a programme curated in association with Veronika Friedlová of Mladí ladí jazz festival. Part of the Year of Czech Music, and organised in collaboration with the Czech Centre, we will welcome a host of new generation artists who are at the forefront of modern jazz in Europe. We look forward to introducing Endemit, Kristina Barta Trio, Nela Dusová, Treetop, Trio Henya, and Undo Redo to Edinburgh audiences.
- the Scottish Jazz EXPO artists are the beating heart of our programme, and feature an array of new and exciting bands, projects and commissions including Helena Kay, kitti, Colin Steele and Anoushka Nanguy. The EXPO series also gives voice to the new wave of Scottish jazz including Rosalind Orr, Simon Herberholz, and Kimberley Tessa.
- the EJBF24 ONLINE programme, hosted in the EJBF Digital Hub. Across the 10 days of the festival, online audiences can enjoy some of the UK’s finest jazz and blues artists from the comfort of home for free. The full programme will be announced on Monday 3 June.
- two shows for young music fans, with Tenement Jazz Band presenting their Cabinet of Curiosities – an interactive show for families, and Sound Explorers courtesy of Sue McKenzie which will have two outings as part of a programme of events covering every ward in the city.
- Around Town concerts include award-winning blues artist Doug MacLeod in Oxgangs and Hungarian pianist Cili Marsall in Meadowbank. We also present two concerts at Port of Leith Distillery, a brand-new venue for the festival.
On top of the programme of concerts is the much-loved Mardi Gras on Saturday 13 July. This free event brings non-stop entertainment and a party atmosphere to Edinburgh’s Grassmarket as a host of bands perform on multiple stages. The full line-up will be announced on Friday 28 June.
The Edinburgh Festival Carnival, Scotland’s largest and most flamboyant multicultural event, returns to the city centre on Sunday 14 July with over 1000 participants from across the globe and from the heart of Edinburgh. The Carnival programme will be released on Friday 14 June.