Inverurie Jazz Festival 2014 is set to burst on to the north-east music scene this weekend with more than an additional twist or two.
The festival – which runs from tomorrow to Sunday – sports a programme packed with 15 fantastic bands and entertainers who will perform at various venues throughout the town of Inverurie.
Among the performance highlights this year are The Aberdeen Jazz Orchestra, Marisha Addison, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Oceans 3, Quattro MacJazz, Lorna Reid, and The Atholl Smith Band.
But there’s plenty more to see and hear besides. As a first for the jazz festival, an open mic and jam session will be held on Saturday at the Hopeville Social Club, giving musicians the chance to strut their stuff in front of each other and an audience from 11am till 1pm. Entry to this event is by donation.
Another highlight comes in the form of a free masterclass led by Richard Michael – one of Scotland’s most versatile musicians, who has influenced a generation of teachers and students with his innovative methods of teaching improvisation through 30 years’ work with Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra (FYJO) and a career as composer, performer and workshop leader.
As a pianist and organist, Richard gives recitals on The Art of Improvisation, and can improvise in any key, in any style at the merest hint of a theme. He is Radio Scotland’s “Jazz Jargonbuster” and has demonstrated many styles of jazz in The Jazz House, and has opened up classical music to a new audience in Classics Uncovered.
Richard’s masterclass runs on Saturday, July 26, from 9am-3.30pm at the Hopeville Social Club, Harlaw Road, Inverurie, as part of the Garioch Jazz Club’s programme to encourage younger people to play jazz music. It’s open to all music students from anywhere and any age to sit in with the talented musician.
This follows from other outreach programmes run by the jazz club throughout the year. Most notably, they organise free jazz performances for mentally and physically challenged people who attend the Harlaw Day Care Centre. And, on a similar theme, this year, local residential homes will be visited by Alistair McDonald from Quattro McJazz, who will play and sing to them.
So, as you see, Inverurie Jazz Festival is about more than just sitting and listening to jazz music.
The Inverurie Jazz Festival 2014 runs at various venues throughout Inverurie from 5pm tomorrow, Friday, July 25, to 6.30pm on Sunday, July 27. Prices are as follows: Full weekend ticket: £45. Tickets for the performances in Inverurie Town Hall either on Friday or Saturday cost £20, paid on the door. Tickets for all Saturday performances are £15 (excluding Town Hall performances). Tickets for all Sunday performances are £15 (excluding Town Hall performances). Weekend, Saturday and Sunday Tickets are available from Strachan’s Newsagents, Looking Lush, Main Street, Alford, and also online from www.jazz-club.co.uk