Acclaimed saxophonist Martin Kershaw has hailed the importance of the Aberdeen Jazz Festival to the Scottish scene.
Running over 10 days from Thursday March 16 to Sunday March 26 the popular festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Exploring the many facets of jazz shows are spread across a number of Granite City venues, including the iconic Bon Accord Baths.
Festival-goers will have the opportunity to hear innovative music from top local, national and international performers.
Martin will perform two shows, beginning with his octet at the Blue Lamp on Friday March 17.
Aberdeen Jazz Festival is very important says top musician
He will then play with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra in Tommy Smith’s big band arrangement of Peter And The Wolf at Queen’s Cross Church on Saturday March 18.
Martin said: “Aberdeen Jazz Festival is very important and the city has a healthy jazz, and cultural scene. There is a strong enthusiasm for jazz in Aberdeen and over 20 years the festival has really built up.
“The Blue Lamp is such a great venue and built such a devoted audience that it put Aberdeen on the map as a place where people really want to hear music.
“There is a great friendly vibe when you play in the city and the audience are very welcoming and enjoy music.
“Running over 10 days it is a substantial festival with a very receptive audience.
“Aberdeen has become an important jazz centre in Scotland, if not the UK.”
The Blue Lamp ‘ticks all the boxes’ for Aberdeen Jazz Festival
Exploring around the edge of jazz and other genre boundaries is a particular theme within Aberdeen Jazz Festival this year.
There will be exciting amalgamations of jazz with other genres such as classical, Scottish traditional, electronica and hip hop.
Performances will be spread across venues including The Blue Lamp, Cowdray Hall, Resident X, Queen’s Cross Church, The Lemon Tree and Bon Accord Baths.
The festival includes a performance by acclaimed Aberdeen drummer Sebastian Rochford and pianist Kit Downes at Queen’s Cross Church.
Other highlights included Mercury-nominated Fergus McCreadie in duet with Matt Carmichael.
Dutch violinist Tim Kliphuis will perform a jazz-tinged re-imagining of Vivaldis
Four Seasons whilst Berlin-based drummer and producer Magro will also perform.
Renowned as one of the top jazz venues in Britain The Blue Lamp will be at the heart of the festival.
Martin said: “The Blue Lamp is as good a venue as I have ever played and that alone gives the Aberdeen Jazz Festival real status.
“It is an amazing venue and so well equipped.
“For a jazz venue, The Blue Lamp is exactly the right size, the acoustics are great and you always get a fantastic audience.
“The Blue Lamp ticks all the boxes.”
Work inspired by legendary poets to feature at Aberdeen Jazz Festival
Martin will perform at The Blue Lamp on Friday March 17 with his acclaimed octet.
The commissioned piece takes inspiration from poets such as Dylan Thomas, Philip Larkin, Virgil and Milton.
Martin said: “During lockdown, like most musicians, I wasn’t able to work at all in terms of playing during a two-year period.
“One of the things that helped me through was reading, particularly poetry.
“Reading poets I had not checked out before and I was quite inspired and comforted by it during that time.
“I had an idea of putting together a project inspired by some of the poetry I had read.
“That was the genesis of it.”
Peter And The Wolf performance as part of Aberdeen Jazz Festival
Martin will also play Peter And The Wolf with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra at Queens Cross Church on Saturday March 18 (3pm).
Aberdonian actor Joyce Falconer, from River City, will narrate as Prokofiev’s piece is re-imagined by legendary poet Liz Lochhead and distilled into Doric by Gordon Hay.
The first half of the concert will feature young musicians from Aberdeen, the Aberdeen Jazz Festival Youth Orchestra and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra in a combined ensemble.
Martin said: “I play clarinet throughout it which is quite unusual for me because I normally play saxophone.
“The piece has a narration that goes along with it and we have done that in various languages such as Japanese.
“This one is going to be in Doric.
“It is Tommy Smith’s arrangement of the Prokofiev music and is incredible.
“The acoustics of Queens Cross Church really suits the big band sound so it is a great place to play.”
For more information on the Aberdeen Jazz Festival click here.
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