Aberdeen Jazz Festival Returns and Here's This Years Programme!
Good news, Aberdeen! After last year’s successful online events and October hybrid programme, Scotland’s second-largest jazz event ‘The Aberdeen Jazz Festival’ is back for 2022, from March 17th – 27th with a full 10-day programme of exciting live events across the city!
This year the Aberdeen Jazz Festival will be featured in an expanded range of venues and even some stunning and unexpected settings! With favourite Festival places like The Blue Lamp, Lemon Tree, Spin, and Queen’s Cross Church on the schedule, but also the first-ever chance to hear top-quality acoustic artists in the afternoon at the Cowdray Hall; to step inside the magnificent, wood-panelled Society of Advocates plus check out a series of specially-commissioned performances in the historic Bon Accord Baths.
Aberdeen Jazz Festival – Venues and artists
The wide variety of venues is matched by the diverse range of music on offer from swing to funk; gypsy jazz to blues-rock; classy jazz vocals to late-night grooves. Highlights include ‘Jazz the Day!’ – a chance to mix and match 8 great events, across 3 venues, all with 1 ticket on Saturday 26th March – the perfect option when there are simply too many great events to choose from.
Included in the afternoon are well-established names alongside newcomers and new collaborations plus the chance for the audience to get in amongst the action by singing, dancing or playing with Ali Affleck’s all-star band.
SoundBath – a series of site-specific performances in the historic Bon Accord Baths
Another of the festival’s more unusual events is SoundBath – a series of site-specific performances in the historic Bon Accord Baths. Closed to the public since 2008, the vast, light-drenched, atmospheric cathedral-like space will inspire new music by Victoria Fifield and others. Not only a visual spectacle, but the acoustics of the cavernous Art Deco building will also create an amazing aural experience, with sound reverberating around the tiled walls and pool floor. A great unique opportunity to step inside and immerse yourself in this hugely atmospheric space filled with memories.
To further illustrate the diversity on offer, pianist Brian Kellock will take centre stage at Queen’s Cross Church to perform a sumptuous version of Gershwin’s classic Rhapsody in Blue, specially arranged for piano and a hand-picked 8-piece string orchestra. Meanwhile, at the other end of the musical spectrum, Young Pilgrims – an extraordinary 9-piece brass band brimming with jazz-rock energy – will be in residency for the festival’s final weekend. This is part of the festival’s drive to encourage sustainable practices, with travelling bands encouraged to contribute to the festival in several ways such as through collaborations and workshops.
Well-known names on the Scottish jazz scene abound with the Martin Kershaw Quartet; Latin jazz heroes, Son al Son, and pianist Alan Benzie’s Tribute to Herbie Hancock at the Blue Lamp; Rose Room and Ali Affleck’s Jazz Divas at the Cowdray Hall. Aberdeen musicians are also well represented, both those living here and star performers coming back home. Matthew Kilner will lead a two tenor sax band with Konrad Wiszniewski; Trombonist, Kieran McLeod, now a top name on the London jazz scene, will make his Festival debut as a leader, there will also be several performances by musicians from further afield including the genre-defying Shapes of Time Trio featuring Oone Van Geel and Mark Haanstra from the Netherlands plus Scotland’s very own Graeme Stephen. Blues-rock is well represented in the programme with the legendary King King and Gerry Jablonski and the Electric Band performing at the Lemon Tree, plus Missouri-based blues power trio Hooten Hallers set to raise the rafters at the Blue Lamp.
First time national jazz organisation has been based in Aberdeen!
This will be the first Aberdeen Jazz Festival organised by a new team, as Festival promoter Jazz Scotland is delighted to announce the appointment of its new CEO Coralie Usmani. With a background in music education and community engagement as well as being a regular performer on the Aberdeen jazz scene, Coralie brings a wealth of experience and fresh ideas to the role.
Tickets and info
Ticket prices range from free to £25 and are available from www.aberdeenjazzfestival.com
The full line-up is available here: https://jazzscotland.com/collections/aberdeenjazzfestival
Featured image: AiiTee
About POST
Kevin Mitchell and Chris Sansbury founded POST. This was from a desire to cut through the noise to share the great things that happen in Aberdeen. They focus on community, culture and also the interesting people of the city. The local artists, businesses and charities; photographers, musicians and entertainers. These are the people that make a positive impact on our city every day. So they use video, audio, writing and social media to amplify the voices in our community. And to ultimately give a platform to Aberdeen folk to engage and tell their own stories.
Recent work includes coverage of Spectra 2023, interviews with We Are Here Scotland founder Ica Headlam; Paralympic gold medalist, Neil Fachie; Aberdeen rapper Chef and his push for success; an article about the pedestrianisation of Union Street; coverage of Nuart Aberdeen and TEDx Aberdeen, as well as coverage of the campaign to Save the Belmont.
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