Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival Prepares To Swing Into Its 23rd Year After Two Year Hiatus

Kirkcudbright will once again host an international lineup of the finest Jazz musicians and bands for this popular four day event.

The trustees of the Kirkcudbright Jazz festival are delighted to welcome back a packed four day event featuring performances from some of the world’s finest Jazz musicians. The festival runs from the 9 th to the 12 th June in the picturesque harbour town of Kirkcudbright in the South West of Scotland.

Visitors will be treated to a packed schedule of performances from a wide selection of bands in various venues throughout Kirkcudbright, including halls, restaurants with dining options and open air events.

This year a new single event ticket will be on offer for those looking to dip their toe in the water and try out Jazz for the first time. In addition, the event’s popular weekend ticket covers any of the (non-dining) performances for the whole four days. There are also day tickets and afternoon/evening tickets available.

One of the unique highlights of the Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival is the Brolly Parade, held on the Saturday morning of the festival. The streets of Kirkcudbright come alive as Jazz performers march through the town playing music, followed by visitors and locals with their decorated umbrellas – it’s truly a sight to see!

Leon McCaig, Convenor of the Festival is delighted with this year’s line up: ‘For the 23rd Festival, arguably one of the best ever line-up of bands will be in Kirkcudbright for the event, as thirteen bands featuring musicians from across the UK and Europe present a cornucopia of music – Classical New Orleans jazz, American “territorial” jazz, jump-jive, gypsy jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Western Swing and maybe even some Latin jazz and bebop.’ He went on to give some details of this year’s line up: ‘There may be a three-way tie for “top of the bill” as Rose Room, EB’s Five Go Jazzin’ and the Kirkcudbright International all Stars vie for the honour

Rose Room, twice winners of the Scottish Jazz Awards Best Band will deliver a blistering display of virtuoso musicality in the Grapelli/Reinhardt gypsy jazz style.

The “international” group with the “Creole” clarinets of Thomas l’Etienne (Hamburg) and Uli Wunner (Munich), a mastery of the styles of the great jazz pianists from Harry Kanters (Breda), exceptional bass playing and drumming respectively from Andy Crowdy and Jack Cotterill (England), all displayed through a selection of jazz Standards and tunes from the Geat American songbook.

EB’s Five Go Jazzin’ is a group specially constructed for this Festival and features Ewan Bleach on clarinet and saxophones, Mike Daly on cornet, John Fenner on banjo and guitar, Jim Swinnerton on bass and Jack Cotterill on drums – five musicians right at the top of their game and well versed to give outstanding interpretations of tunes and ballads from the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s.’

Local shops and businesses within Kirkcudbright are being encouraged to decorate their windows for the Jazz Festival weekend, with Judy Garland as the theme, in celebration of 2022 being the centenary of her birth.

The Jazz Festival encourages the involvement of local schools and youth groups and offers a free student ticket to those in education. The Festival also welcomes children of all ages to get involved with the brolly parade, decorating their own brolly and parading through the town. Children who take part in the Brolly Parade are given a goody bag, courtesy of The Cocoabean Company.

The Line Up

 Rose Room

 Jake Leg Jug Band

 E B’s Five Go Jazzin

 Kirkcudbright International All Stars featuring Thomas L’Etienne, Uli Wunner, Harry Kanters, Andy Crowdy & Jack Cotterill

 The Red Stripe Band

 Eagle Jazz Band

 Jazz By 5

 The Auld Toon Stompers, featuring Ali Affleck

 The Big Easy

 Washington Whirligig

 Ewan Bleach