With less than a month to go, now is the time to get your tickets for this year’s Glasgow Jazz Festival.
Taking place between Wednesday 19th – Sunday 23rd June 2024, there are over 20 captivating events confirmed across Glasgow at well-loved venues, including Saint Luke’s, Mackintosh Church, Òran Mór, Nice n Sleazy, The Griffin and The Glad Café.
Showcasing everything from the legendary to the up-and-coming, this year’s festival promises an electrifying line-up.
Here are some top picks of what to check out:
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Norman&Corrie
Scottish jazz duo Norman Willmore & Corrie Dick will play Nice n Sleazy on opening night. The drummer and saxophone duo have swiftly built a reputation for delivering captivating concerts leaving audiences feeling uplifted and inspired. Their vibrant set-up challenges traditional notions of folk music and is set to be a unique experience, launching the 2024 edition of the iconic festival.
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ĐÀN ĐÓ
Vietnamese jazz saxophonist Quyền Thiện Đắc collaborates with three Scottish musicians, Sue McKenzie, Tom Bancroft and Ali Levack, for this unique concert at the Mackintosh Church on Wednesday 19th June as the culmination of a week-long residency in the Highlands. Influenced by his family’s traditional musical background and shaped by persistent study and research abroad, Quyền Thiện Đắc’s journey has taken him across the world, graduating from the Hanoi Conservatory of Music, Berklee College of Music in the United States and Malmo University in Sweden.
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Mama Terra
Spiritual jazz act Mama Terra will recreate songs from the classic album Head Hunters by Herbie Hancock in their own sound at Saint Luke’s on Thursday 20th June. Influenced by a wide array of jazz legends including Nina Simone and Miles Davis, the exciting contemporary Scottish jazz and soul ensemble will also play a set of original music from their debut album The Summoned, drawing from their inner journey of discovery.
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BLACKSABBATHMODE
A collaboration between nu-jazz duo BIGHEADMODE and distinguished multi-instrumentalist bandleader Plumm, BLACKSABBATHMODE is a captivating suite inspired by legendary rock band, Black Sabbath. Playing Nice n Sleazy on Thursday 20th June, BLACKSABBATHMODE fuses BIGHEADMODE’s ethereal, jazz-infused grooves with Plumm’s soulful atmospheric soundscapes. The musical journey ventures into uncharted territories while capturing the essence of Black Sabbath’s style, making it a must-see at the festival this year.
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Kapil Seshasayee
Scottish protest musician, Kapil Seshasayee fuses R&B, Indian classical and jazz fusion with contemporary electronic genres. Kapil has amassed a number of high profile collaborations and commissions including performing alongside Billy Bragg and members of iconic Scottish acts Mogwai and Belle and Sebastian. A true talent, Kapil plays Nice n Sleazy on Friday 21st June.
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Bobby Watson Quartet
The exceptional Bobby Watson, considered one of the top alto-saxophonists in the world, brings his quartet to Saint Luke’s on Saturday 22nd June. Known for his extraordinary ability to play swing, hard bop and contemporary jazz, Bobby Watson plays alongside Jordan Williams (piano), Curtis Lundy (bass) and Victor Jones (drums) on the festival’s penultimate night. Making a triumphant return to Glasgow after a hiatus of over a decade, Watson’s long-awaited comeback is sure to be a highlight of this year’s festival, echoing his 1994 stint as Artist in Residence exactly 30 years ago.
Tickets and more information on where and when each performance will take place are available at: https://www.jazzfest.co.uk/
