Edinburgh Jazz Festival

I had no idea what to expect of this evening concert, but it was recommended by a friend and that was enough to swing me in the direction of the Queen's Hall for my first Edinburgh Jazz Festival gig.

With the sun still with us it seemed like an opportune time to investigate the recently erected tented village at George Square.

The crowds were out for the Edinburgh Jazz Festival Mardi Gras in the Grassmarket today. After weeks of overcast, wet weather, and the recent deluge that, in Morningside, saw flash floods washing cars down the road and pedestrians wading waist-deep up the street, the festival organisers must have breathed a collective sigh of relief that the event was not another wash-out.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival starts a week tomorrow. The EIFF moved from August to June for more "breathing space", but this month's Edinburgh events calendar is still brimming with "festivals" of one kind or another.

The free Mardi Gras, part of the Edinburgh Jazz Festival, launches Edinburgh's Festival season with customary brio. The multiple stages and marching bands bring a splash of colour and the sounds of New Orleans styled jazz to the streets.

Edinburgh's Festivals will share £2 million from the Scottish Government to showcase Scottish cultural and creative talent.

The annual Edinburgh Jazz and Blues festival runs the gamut of jazz persuasions from more traditional Dixie and ragtime bands to up-and-coming stars, from big band concerts to Latin dance music. The EJBF comes the month after the Edinburgh International Film Festival and gets the August Festivals season going.

The Jazz Festival winds down with this free, outdoor event.

Many many moons ago I had the pleasure of occasionally frequenting Lizzard Lounge, a club night at Café Graffiti, in the basement of Mansfield Church

The Central Library tonight launched its recently gifted Edinburgh Jazz Archive covering over 60 years of jazz in Edinburgh.

The 32nd Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival runs from the 30th July to the 8th of August, with 110 acts playing at venues across the city. It attracts the largest audience of any Jazz Festival in the UK.

In recent years, criticisms could be levelled against the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival for being overly steeped in traditionalism. While the event remained a cornerstone of Edinburgh's summer festivals, and continued to gain good audience figures, there was little indication of the potentially revolutionary sounds on offer within the jazz spectrum.

Fingers crossed the weather man will provide a sunny day to accompany the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival's

Few cities undergo such a transformation as Scotland's capital city in the month of August.

The normally easy-going, historic city suddenly jolts to life as thousands of actors, artists,

The Edinburgh Jazz Festival is to receive £49,370 from the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund for an annual Scottish Jazz Expo.

The audience came expecting to enjoy themselves and were not disappointed. The show, comprising archive Lyttelton, traditional jazz, music from the current Cornucopia album and new material from Cornucopia 2 (due for release at the end of the August), was varied, slick, vibrant and fun.

As always, Scotland's King of Swing, Craig McMurdo, delivered a fantastic evening of entertainment. The atmosphere was electric as the audience anticipated what

The sun was shining down on the 29th Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival as speeches by Michael Hart (Festival Director) and Bruce Fallon (Chairman EJBF) opened proceedings on Saturday.

Everyone's moaning about what a miserable Summer we've had here so far. At least, today the Jazz On A Summer's Day event lived up to its billing. Well, almost.

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Fest was striking a more mainstream note today at "Mardi Gras," the free jazz event down in the Grassmarket.