Aberdeen Jazz Festival’s line-up to mark the acclaimed event’s 20th anniversary has been hailed as the most diverse yet.
From swing through to be-bop and all the way to free form, Jazz Scotland CEO Coralie Usmani insists every taste is catered for.
There will also be exciting amalgamations of jazz with other genres such as classical, Scottish traditional, electronica and hip hop.
Running from March 16 to 26 the festival will also push boundaries with venues including a unique performance at the city’s Iconic Bon Accord Baths.
The festival will also include a much-anticipated show by acclaimed Aberdeen drummer Seb Rochford at Queens Cross Church.
Coralie said: “This is the most diverse Aberdeen Jazz Festival.
“Jazz has led to most modern pop music that people listen to now.
“If you look at the ancestral line of jazz music it has influenced so much.
“Jazz is reflecting how musicians are working because they are always looking for new inspiration.
“They are quite often thinking outside of genre boundaries.
“Musicians are certainly making that happen as is shown in the festival.”
Aberdeen jazz legend’s home show
Performances will range from acclaimed international musicians to emerging, exciting local talent.
Budding performers can also immerse themselves in workshops and open jam sessions.
Venues hosting shows across the 10-day festival include The Blue Lamp, Cowdray Hall, The Lemon Tree and Resident X.
Further areas such as community centres and care homes will also be involved.
For Coralie, a not to be missed show is the performance of legendary jazz musician, and Aberdonian, Seb Rochford.
A celebrated bandleader, drummer and percussionist Rochford will perform at Queens Cross Church with pianist Kit Downes on March 18.
Rochford, who also played in Acoustic Ladyland, originally started performing in a punk band in the Granite City.
He then became the leader of the experimental jazz band Polar Bear who were twice nominated in the best album category at the Mercury Prize.
Rochford has drummed for several groups like Sons of Kemet, Pulled by Magnets and Bojan Zulfikarpasic’s Tetraband.
He also recorded drums for Adele’s worldwide smash album 19.
Rochford returns to his home city for a poignant concert with Downes to perform from their album A Short Diary.
The album is dedicated to Rochford’s father, Aberdeen poet Gerard Rochford, who passed away in 2019, and to his family.
Rochford, one of ten siblings, wrote most of the music shortly after his father’s death.
Coralie said: “It is really exciting to have Seb Rochford perform as he is from Aberdeen and recorded an album with Kit Downes.
“To have it performed in Aberdeen where it was recorded is special.”
‘Magical’ Bon Accord Baths
Another of the festival’s much-anticipated events is SoundBath: a series of site-specific performances in the historic Bon Accord Baths.
The vast cathedral-like space will host two new and specially-commissioned short performances by cellist Juliette Lemoine and saxophonist Helena Kay on March 25.
Coralie said: “Last year was when we did the first of those.
“The sound in Bon Accord Baths is absolutely magical.
“Basically you are standing in a swimming pool which is just like a giant amplifier with a six-second reverb.
“Sonically it is superb.”
‘Jazz as a great unifying music’
Mercury-nominated pianist Fergus McCreadie will perform in duet with saxophonist Matt Carmichael at the Blue Lamp on March 25.
Dutch violinist Tim Kliphuis will play a jazz-tinged re-imagining of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra will perform Tommy Smith’s swinging big band arrangement of Peter and the Wolf – narrated in Doric.
Coralie said: “I come from a music education background and I have always been drawn to jazz as a great unifying music.
“It has an easy entry-level and has a real breadth which is so attractive.
“In past years we have had Jazz on the Green which is a significant event.
“But obviously The Green is closed just now.
“Next year we will be looking to do something like a big outdoor event.”
Aberdeen Jazz Festival is back from March 16 to 26. Click here for more information.
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