This July, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival present a stellar blues programme with a cast list that includes American stars and the best homegrown talent.
With ten online blues concerts, the programme covers all shades of the blues, from Mississippi to New Orleans, Memphis to Chicago, and from well-known faces to new names.
Grainne Duffy
We present some new collaborations and world premieres. Since making waves with her Queens of the blues programme, singer Nicole Smit has been forging her own path and now is joined by Irish guitar/vocalist star, Grainne Duffy; Edinburgh based guitarist Sandy Tweeddale is joined by harp virtuoso Lyndon Anderson for a live streamed session.
Recreating the formula of the much loved Blues Afternoons, EJBF21 presents a triple bill of three diverse bands: Chicago blues from Dana Dixon, soul-blues from ensemble Redfish Blues Band and, making their festival debut, Kultura.
Directly from the home of blues, the USA, the festival reprises a concert by the extraordinary Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton – a vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. Playing guitar, banjo, piano and violin, among other instruments, the LA-based musician perfectly recreates the blues idiom of the 1920s and ’30s – think Fats Waller meets “Blind” Lemon Jefferson. The concert is a Festival Pass exclusive.
Since moving to Nashville and taking up residency at the hugely popular Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar, Stacy Mitchhart’s star has been in the ascendancy. He is a showman, with amazing guitar prowess (lap steel and cigar box) dressed to the nines, with a teasing smile and quick wit.
Nicole Smith
Vocal blues come to the fore as Bessie Smith’s extraordinary musical legacy is recreated by Katie Whittaker, whose Etta James tribute was a smash hit at previous festivals, and singer Charlotte Marshall delivers a melting pot of southern soul, Bayou funk and Memphis Blues.
Scotland’s own blues legends are well represented, as always. Safehouse recreate the magic of the Allman Brothers, Jed Potts presents 50s and 60s classic American blues and Jensen Interceptors deliver driving rock/blues.
After moving online for 2020, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival is back for 2021 with an exciting programme showcasing the amazing music coming out of Scotland whilst welcoming audiences online and in person.
Jed Potts
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival will run from Friday 16 – Sunday 25 July 2021.
Concerts will be sold individually, but audiences can also buy a Festival Pass for just £40, available until 8th July only, that gives access to all online content as well as a few exclusive extras.
Tickets and show information : www.edinburghjazzfestival.com
