Jazz and blues

This is New York based The TEAM's (the acronym stands for "Theatre of Emerging American Moment") fourth visit to the Fringe, but it's the first time that I have seen them perform.

Now in their twelfth year and recently signed to ECM Records, this groundbreaking group has toured and recorded internationally creating thought provoking improvised music of great depth and b

The stage is littered with dustbin lids and childish detritus.  Glittery dresses hang from the rafters and bare lightbulbs pierce the gloom.  I

Barb Jungr was ranked No 1 for The Best Cabaret 2008 by Time Out, New York, No 2, The Best Cabaret 2009 for ‘The Men I Love’ at the legendary Café Carlyle, and is a winner of num

Frances Ruffelle is a sparkling, shimmering star in the world of Musical Theatre, winning a Tony Award for her Broadway role of Eponine in Les Miserables, with lead performances in Chicago, Ll

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

Brought to Edinburgh by members of North Carolina theatre and performance troupe Concrete Generation, this was an impressionistic wander through the lives of two of the most inspirational, and aesthetically controversial, figures in American 20th century jazz: Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

At  9.50pm on a Sunday night, I join the queue snaking from the archway of the Assembly Hall, round the corner up the Mound almost to the High Street.  Camille, the Celtic Queen of Cabaret is back in town following sell out seasons in London, New York and Sydney. From her Edinburgh debut in Le Cirque in 2003, and her award winning Spiegeltent show in 2007, it's been a long journey for this French-Irish architect from Cork who literally ran away with the Circus to be a global musical star.

Most people will remember the Blues Brothers from the eponymous 1980 film and fans will have longed to do two things.  Attend a Blues Brothers gig and throw their car's cigarette lighter out the window.

North Sea Gas have struck gold again with a new show and new album Rosslyn. After a hectic three week Fringe schedule I arrived at the Acoustic Music Centre rather tired, footsore and weary. Ten minutes later I was singing, clapping and stomping along

On their 2007 Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut The Tam White Band played to a packed house in the Spiegel Garden in George Square. As always, they gave a worthy performance.

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.

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.

The streets are filling with more people, the Fringe banners going up, and gangs of men can be seen throughout the city hauling scaffolding and equipment off big trucks. Even the seagulls, whose cries form part of the soundtrack of this city, seem more numerous, no doubt drawn by the wealth of easy tourist pickings.