Glasgow Jazz Festival
With locations across Glasgow set to burst with jazz talent, the 2025 five-day Glasgow Jazz Festival will take place between Wednesday 18th and Sunday 22nd June!
About Glasgow Jazz Festival
| 18th Jun 2025 to 22nd Jun 2025 | |
| See event website for details | |
| Various Locations Glasgow | |
| See event website for details | |
| Event organiser/part of Glasgow Jazz Festival | |
| Visit the event website here | |
| Follow glasgowjazzfest on Twitter | |
| Facebook information can be found here | |
| Follow glasgowjazzfest on Instagram | |
As Scotland’s jazz scene enjoys an all-time high, Glasgow Jazz Festival is set to have the city reverberating with the rhythms of homegrown and world-renowned talent alike.
Returning for its staggering 39th edition from Wednesday 18 – Sunday 22 June 2025, the city’s longest-running music festival will swing into summer showcasing the health and breadth of Scottish, UK and international jazz music.
Over 100 musicians will take part in more than 25 performances, sessions and pop-ups, showcasing everything from soul and fusion to funk and classic jazz. Tickets for the festival, which is supported by Creative Scotland, are on sale now at www.jazzfest.co.uk.
Headline international talent this year comes in the form of American keyboardist, flautist and singer Brian Jackson, who plays Saint Luke’s on Friday 20th June. Half of the power duo Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson, Brian wrote, arranged and produced over 10 albums over an eight-year period, with his music featured on over 100 tracks including on releases from the likes of Kendrick Lamar.
The Neil Cowley Trio return to the festival for the first time in eight years when they play the opening night, also at Saint Luke’s. The trio will present material from their new recording Entity – their seventh studio album – and exceptional back catalogue.
Grammy-award-winning British-born, New Orleans based funk and R&B musician Jon Cleary is set to play an intimate show at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s Green Room.
Genre defying instrumental collective Fat-Suit will pay tribute to the golden age of video game music at Òran Mór. From Zelda to Final Fantasy, Mario Kart to Sonic the Hedgehog, this one-off show reimagines iconic soundtracks through Fat-Suit's signature blend of jazz, folk, funk and electronics.
English jazz group Mammal Hands, known for combining jazz, contemporary classical, electronica, folk and minimalism, will also bring their intense and hypnotic live performance to this year’s festival. Over at Òran Mór, award-winning London tuba player and composer Theon Cross will be back in Glasgow with this Trio, delighting audiences with his unique sound and collaborating with Scottish drummer Graeme Costello.
Baiana, the alias of powerhouse Liverpool-born Brazilian jazz artist, Laura Doyle, will bring her hypnotic vocals to the west end on Wednesday 18th June, joined on the bill by northern funk rockers The Haggis Horns and percussionist Snowboy. Brazilian musical duo Anavitória will also bring their signature blend of folk and contemporary sounds to life for Mackintosh Church audiences.
A Beyond Borders commission with Serious, London, will make its Scottish debut at the summer festival. The performance from members of the Take Five flagship talent development programme for emerging jazz and improvising musicians will feature the likes of Scottish singer Lulu Manning, Xhosa Cole, Conor McAuley and Claire Victoria Roberts.
Award-winning Scottish jazz group Rose Room will celebrate their remarkable 15th anniversary on Wednesday 18th June with a performance in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s Green Room, while trumpeter Colin Steele and his Quartet will play the music of Glasgow icons The Blue Nile in the same venue on Friday 20th June.
Scottish saxophonist Matt Carmichael will perform his most ambitious work to date – Dancing with Embers– on Thursday 19th June. Matt’s distinctive, powerfully emotive blend of jazz and folk music will be on display, while Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra will be joined by special guest Pat Thomas at an afternoon show at Saint Luke’s on Saturday 21st June. The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra will also return to Òran Mór, with the acclaimed saxophonist leading a talented group of young jazz musicians.
Scottish vocalist Marianne MacGregor launches her new album in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s charming Green Room on the festival’s final day, and Stephen Henderson‘s quintet, Modern Vikings, will play their bold and emotive music to fans at Saint Luke’s.
This year’s festival will also welcome a number of new partnerships. Hyndland record store Second Line Records will be sponsoring Theon Cross Trio and Matt Carmichael’s shows, while ESP Music Rentals is backing Neil Cowley Trio’s show and SM Lighting Ltd is supporting Colin Steele Quartet’s show.
Media Partner One Jazz, the digital radio station, will also be broadcasting from the festival. Additionally, for Glasgow 850 Clyde Chorus on Friday 30th May, the festival will be part of a showcase at The Savings Bank alongside The Glasgow Mela, with a performance from Glasgow soul pioneers Mama Terra.
The free Late Night Jam Sessions return on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night of the festival, offering a welcoming platform for musicians to connect, collaborate and improvise. BBC Young Jazz Musician 2024 Timmy Allan will host the first night at Nice n Sleazy following his headline show in the venue.
There will also be city-wide concerts ranging from Gavin’s Mill in Milngavie, to Glitch 41 at The Rum Shack in the south of the city, as well as Basement Jazz Cafe and The Butterfly & Pig in the city centre.
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
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Other Events at Various Venues or Glasgow Jazz Festival
Baiana Feat Snowboy and the Haggis Horns
Glasgow Jazz Festival welcome Baiana feat. Snowboy and The Haggis Horns to Oran Mor Glasgow for a night of Brazilian-inspired musical magic!
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