Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 2025

Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival returns to the city with over 100 events spread over ten days between Friday 11 and Sunday 20 July. As well concerts featuring international stars like Julian Lage and rising British talent such as Joe Webb, EJ&BF also presents artists spanning the wealth of Scotland’s vibrant jazz scene. Locals Mark McKergow and Patrick Hadfield have selected their pick of the gigs on offer.

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Mark McKergow’s picks for Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 2025

Vocalist and songwriter Unoma Okudo headlines Saturday night at St Bride’s. Her gospel and soul-filled voice is outstanding, and this is a rare chance to catch a full set. Support comes from Glasgow-based jazz and world music collective Azamiah. (Saturday 12 July, St Bride’s, 9pm)

An all-star line-up of Fergus McCreadie (piano), Harry Weir (saxophone), Ewan Hastie (double bass) and Graham Costello (drums) launch into their take on John Coltrane’s classic A Love Supreme album. This is sure to be a rich and powerful experience from four musicians with their own links to this seminal work, celebrating its 60th anniversary. (Monday 14 July, Spiegeltent St Andrew Square, 6pm)

Guitarist and BBC Scotland Jazz Musician of 2024 Timmy Allan brings his own compositions and band to St Brides. Expect jazz, swing and groove sounds with a splash of European contemporary. Timmy will be joined by Paul Harrison on piano, Norman Willmore on saxophone, Ali Watson on bass, and Roan Anderson on drums. (Saturday 19 July, St Brides, 5.30pm)

Glasgow’s corto.alto fuse nu-jazz, broken beat, dub, electronica with a strong jazz base. Led by multi-instrumentalist Liam Shortall, the Mercury-nominated group have been tearing it up at festivals around Europe (and featuring on the poolside playlist at my holiday hotel to boot), so they really are cutting through. Expect fiery contributions from Graham Costello (drums) and Fergus McCreadie (keys) among it all. Support from Gaïa. (Queens Hall, Saturday 19 July, 8pm).

Drummer Tom Bancroft and the Playtime team pay tribute to the Sextett music of saxophonist, flautist, composer and Pulitzer prize winner Henry Threadgill, whose music manages to be free, hard-swinging, political and immensely varied. Expect the sax of Martin Kershaw to be prominent alongside Mario Caribe on bass and Graeme Stephen on guitar, together with special guests to match Threadgill’s vision. (Sunday 20 July, St Bride’s, 7pm)

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Patrick Hadfield ‘s picks for Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 2025

Saxophonist Martin Kershaw presents work inspired by the paintings of Sir John Lavery, the subject of last years summer exhibition at the National Gallery. With pianist Paul Harrison, guitarist Graeme Stephen, and double bassist Douglas Whates, it’ll be fascinating to catch up on Kershaw’s impressionistic take on the pictures. (Saturday 12 July, St Brides, 6pm)

Paul Harrison New Trio featuring Ewan Hastie (bass) and Stephen Henderson (drums) celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Keith Jarrett’s landmark recording The Köln Concert with Revisiting Köln At 50. Taking Jarrett’s solo masterwork as their starting point, the trio will interpret and pay tribute to one of the most loved records and performers in jazz history. (Thursday 17 July, St Bride’s, 6pm)

Dave Milligan brings his new project CHROMA to Edinburgh. With a sextet including saxophonists Paul Towndrow and Michael Butcher, trombonist Michael Owers, with Stephen Henderson (drums) and James Lindsay (bass) completing the line up, this promises thoughtful folk-tinged jazz – new music from Milligan is always exciting! (Thursday 17 July, St Brides, 8.30pm)

Dave Milligan is also an integral member of Colin Steele: STRAMASH. The trumpeter’s extended band brings musicians from the jazz, folk and classical worlds – and points in between – together in one exuberant, exciting and occasionally anarchic mix. With Phil Bancroft (saxophone), Rory Campbell (pipes/whistle), Chris Stout (fiddle), Seonaid Aitken (fiddle), Patsy Reid (fiddle/viola), Su-a Lee (cello), Calum Gourlay (bass), Alyn Cosker (drums) as well as Milligan, it features some some the most inventive and imaginative musicians across the genres. (Friday 18/7, The Queen’s Hall, 7.30pm)

Bassist Emma Smith‘s recent solo Fringe show The Relentless Approach of Better Times was a remarkably emotional experience – it is rare that a performance moves both the audience and musicians to tears. Her new work, Meet Me In The Silence, a tribute to carers, promises a powerful experience. (Sunday 20 July, The Jazz Bar, 6pm) 

from https://ukjazznews.com