This month music lovers are in for a treat with the Aberdeen Jazz Festival 2024. With a packed programme running from March 14 –24, there are performances and events for everyone – whether you’re a jazz aficionado, music lover, or simply curious to discover more.
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We spoke to Coralie Usmani, CEO of Jazz Scotland, the event organiser, to find out more.
With free events, family-friendly shows and participation opportunities, this year’s Aberdeen Jazz Festival is billed as a truly welcoming and inclusive event. As such, Coralie wants people to leave aside their pre-conceived ideas about the genre.
Coralie said: “We’re trying to break the stereotype that people may have of jazz. With the festival, we’re responding to what local people want to play and hear so there’s lots of diversity in the programme.”
West end and city centre venues
If you want to experience the festival but aren’t too sure where to start, Coralie suggests the Jazz the Day events as a perfect way to get involved with the fun. Coralie told us: “At the Jazz the Day events there’s going to be jazz, and lots of it!”
The first Jazz the Day takes place on Sunday March 17 and will showcase Edinburgh’s Tenement Jazz Band in the new, soon to be community owned, west end venue of Great Western Community Centre.
At the venue you can dip in and out of numerous shows and activities. These include an interactive family show and even a chance to perform on stage with top Latin jazz musicians.
Immersive jazz listening café
There is also an innovative and immersive ‘listening café’ space. Coralie told us more: “Our listening café is inspired by the Japanese jazz listening cafés. They are special dedicated cafés where you can go and listen to vinyl.
“However, our jazz listening café is quite special. It came about as a lady contacted us through our website wanting to donate her late father’s record collection. Her father was jazz trumpeter Swannie McKenzie. He was active for many years in Aberdeen and was an important musician in the area.
“That inspired us to put the idea of the jazz listening café together, creating a place where people could listen to the records.”
Join in and jam at Aberdeen Jazz Festival 2024
The following Sunday March 24 sees Jazz the Day take place in the city centre. The ticket gives access to three different venues and an array of events. This includes the Youth Jazz Showcase and Dee Don Danube featuring musicians from Aberdeen and its twin city of Regensburg. There’s also an opportunity to jam with some top jazz musicians at Spin.
In addition to the Jazz the Day events, you’ll find a jam-packed calendar of gigs and performances over the ten days of the festival.
Ticket prices range from free to £22.50, and are available from www.aberdeenjazzfestival.com.
