Scotland's Jazz

Scotland's Jazz - bringing homegrown talent to the international stage

Scotland’s dynamic music scene is brimming with jazz and improvising talent from established musicians to a new generation of artists, encompassing many styles from traditional to free improvisation.

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Jazz is a vital part of Scotland’s musical voice and cultural landscape. Our passion for deep-rooted traditions is matched by a 21st-century spirit of curiosity and innovation that embraces ancient myths, inspiring scenery, world-famous food and drink, dynamic new art and a unique musical heritage. Jazz is one of the many driving forces that place Scotland at the forefront of global culture.- Alan Morrison, Head of Music

Download a visual description (pdf) for this film, as well as the film credits (pdf).

The jazz world's biggest international event: jazzahead!

Scotland’s presence at jazzahead! gives our jazz and improvised music a profile in front of one of the industry’s most important international gatherings. It encourages and enables people working in Scotland’s jazz scene to develop international connections that can enhance careers in the long-term by building connections with others.

Scotland at jazzahead!

Scotland’s presence at jazzahead! gives our jazz and improvised music a profile in front of one of the industry’s most important international gatherings.

Live Performances

Scotland sets the stage for some of the most exciting jazz and improvised music festivals, regular series, promoters and venues, welcoming musicians from across the world and showcasing our own homegrown talent. Whether you’re a musician, a promoter or a fan, we look forward to welcoming you to Scotland’s jazz scene.

Download our Guide to Festivals, Venues and Series

Seonaid Aitken's Scottish Jazz Playlist

Enjoy a small selection of recent jazz from Scotland, plus a few classic selection, curated by the award-winning musician Seonaid Aitken.

Further resources

There are a wealth of resources on Scotland's Jazz available at your fingertips.

  • Explore the Scottish Jazz Archive, dedicated to preserving and promoting Scotland’s rich history and heritage of jazz music.
  • The Scottish Jazz Space celebrates all things experimental jazz through blogs and stories
  • Discover how musicians are working to diversify jazz in Scotland through the Jazz Forward Agency over on Our Creative Voice
  • The Playtime Podcast hosted by Tom Bancroft is a great place to enjoy in-depth discussions on jazz and improvised music in Scotland, including interviews with guest musicians.
  • For more jazz music, check out saxophonist Matt Carmichael's Spotify playlists on Scottish Jazz and jazz from Glasgow.
  • Follow Glasgow Jazz on Instagram for the latest music, videos and news from the Glasgow scene and beyond.
  • The annual Scottish Jazz Awards, run by Glasgow Jazz Festival, recognise and honour contributions to the genre from some of Scotland’s finest vocalists and instrumentalists, while inspiring gifted newcomers to the scene.