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Trio Vein - Aberdeen Jazz Festival

Aberdeen Jazz Festival 2017

Published on March 25, 2017 by Elizabeth Atia

Curtis Stigers - Aberdeen Jazz Festival

The Scottish city of Aberdeen, to me, has always been a place you pass through en route to more interesting holiday destinations, or the place you reach and heave a sigh a relief after you’ve been away adventuring because you are nearly home. You start recognising Shetland faces in the crowd as you make your way to the ferry terminal via the Bon Accord shopping centre.

As of this month, I’ve called Shetland home for eighteen years and I had never before spent any length of time in Aberdeen, bar the occasional overnight stop-over at the youth hostel. However, I was recently invited down to the city by Visit Aberdeen and Aberdeen Festivals for a taste of music, culture and fine dining. With huge thanks to Aberdeen food blogger Claire at Foodie Quine for putting my name forward to the PR team, as without her recommendation I never would have appeared on their radar.

The Aberdeen Jazz Festival, organised and promoted by Jazz Scotland, is one of Aberdeen’s largest festivals. It’s one of many festivals celebrated in the city throughout the course of a year, and this year there’s an extra reason to celebrate: Jazz has officially turned 100. Although the music style goes back much further with its origins in the blues music played by African-Americans in the deep South of America, the official birthday of jazz is considered to be the 26th of February 1917 when the very first jazz recordings were made by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

Jazz has since morphed and evolved into a word describing a weird and wonderful range of sound and rhythm, from Dixieland to swing and bebop to free jazz where, on the odd occasion, it seems like the musicians are playing the music scores for six different songs, backwards. At the Aberdeen Jazz Festival, we were treated to a wide variety of these musical styles, kicking off with a performance by 90s legend Curtis Stigers.

Curtis Stigers - Aberdeen Jazz Festival

Now, I’m going to be completely honest here and say that I’d never heard of Curtis Stigers before this event. I couldn’t even say his name properly as I’d randomly inserted a rogue ‘e’ – it’s not Steigers, it’s Stigers (like tigers, with a capital S). In 1991 when Stigers reached #5 in the UK and #9 in the US for his international hit ‘I Wonder Why‘, I was just getting into music. Bon Jovi’s album New Jersey was secretly being played on my record player when my mother couldn’t hear it, and I wasn’t a radio listener back then. Jazz wasn’t even on my radar yet, and it wouldn’t be until I started to tune into the BBC Radio 3 program Late Junction. It’s only now, with me in my 40s, where I’m really starting to enjoy the musical art form that is jazz.

His Majesty's Theatre, AberdeenFast forward 16 years on a Friday night and I’m sitting in the opulent His Majesty’s Theatre, a Frank Matcham designed venue that Scottish comedian Billy Connolly once described as ‘playing inside a wedding cake’, waiting for Stigers to begin his performance. My fellow audience members were mostly grey-haired older ladies. Just an observation.

When Stigers began his first set I was instantly captivated, not only for his smooth crooning of Frank Sinatra classics but for the passion and energy in the Ryan Quigley Big Band accompanying him. From Glasgow, this ensemble has really made a name for themselves in the jazz scene with Quigley himself noted as one of the best jazz musicians in the country.

During the interval we queued up for a drink at the bar, only to be invited upstairs into the VIP lounge where it was quieter. Who should be in this lounge but Curtis Stigers himself, doing the rounds, shaking hands and saying hello. Yes, I’ve had my hand shaken by Curtis Stigers! I felt this experience would have been better appreciated by any of the grey-haired ladies who swooned when he sang his old hits, but still, shaking his hand was pretty awesome, and I shyly continued to sip my glass of white wine with a silly grin on my face. Why, oh why, didn’t I take a selfie with him?

The rest of the performance was just as energetic, with old Sinatra classics interspersed with some of Stiger’s hits and own jazz compilations. Between songs his banter was witty and amusing and at the end, he received a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience.

Afterwards, following a post-theatre cocktail at The Tippling House with Claire, we retired to our rather swish complimentary apartment suites at Skene House Rosemont, just a short stroll from the city centre.

Trio Vein - Aberdeen Jazz Festival

The following evening, after being wined and dined at some of Aberdeenshire’s finest restaurants (more on that later!), we headed to Aberdeen’s premier music jazz venue The Blue Lamp, situated in the city centre.

The Blue Lamp - Aberdeen Jazz FestivalAs we’d enjoyed our evening meal at Musa a little longer than anticipated, we arrived at The Blue Lamp fashionably late. Entering the premises through the heavy wooden revolving doors we were transported from drizzly, dark Aberdeen street to a packed venue and a fully immersive jazz experience. All it was missing was the heavy tobacco smoke haze we see in the old movies.

Despite being late and the building being absolutely packed, the event organisers had reserved us a table at the very front by the stage. I couldn’t believe my luck! I sat there for the whole performance, chin cupped in my hand, watching, up close, the best jazz I’d ever seen performed live.

First up were Swiss-based trio VEIN,Ā comprised ofĀ bassist Thomas Lahns and piano-and-drums brothers Michael and Florian Arbenz, whom I was sitting closest to and, as a result, received the majority of my rapt attention.

Trio Vein Aberdeen Jazz Festival

Vein were accompanied by guest American jazz tenor saxophonist Rick Margitza, one of the giants of contemporary tenor sax. He used to play with Mile Davis, one the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. It was an unforgettable night, that’s for sure. The four of them playing together was very much my kind of jazz. I didn’t want the show to end, but when it did and we were ushered out of the building for an hour while they switched sets for the next band, I got to exchange hellos with Margitza himself, a quiet and humble man of pure talent.

Following a quick pint at 6°North, a craft beer bar in the city centre and a chat with the director of the Aberdeen Jazz Festival himself, Keith McRae, we piled back into The Blue Lamp for a second, entirely different, jazz performance.

Where the first performance in this venue oozed pure jazz class, with a barely whispering seated audience (in fact, some of my table mates were shushed of their whispering by the avid jazz fans seated by the stage), the second performance, Fat Suit, a mega-instrumental collective, was more relaxed and informal with a notably more youthful audience. This Scottish blend of jazz, folk, fusion, traditional and dance was jazz you could dance to. The audience was jumping. As we were seated near the back of the room our view was limited and I’m still trying to get used to wearing my new varifocals (a badge of middle age, these, no?), I was struck, with amusement, of the resemblance between the (highly talented and entertaining) saxophone player and Noddy (of Noddy and Big Ears fame) with his cap and little peek of curls peeking out from underneath it. All he needs is a little bell on his hat.

We only stayed for a very enjoyable first set as it was getting late, and frankly, I’m not as young as I used to be! Two late nights out in a row! I was knackered! šŸ˜‰

Jazz on the Green - Aberdeen Jazz Festival

On Sunday afternoon, after a delicious brunch at Rye & Soda, we strolled around the Merchant’s Quarter, Belmont Street, Union Square and St Nicholas Street for Jazz on the Green – Aberdeen’s biggest free admission music event featuring seventeen exciting Scottish and top Aberdeen bands on eight different stages. One of these bands was Further On, with Keith McRae on bass. An audience member danced and grooved to the rhythms, clearly feeling the music vibe. She made my heart smile.

After this amazing weekend in Aberdeen (I’ll be writing separate blog posts about some of the other things I got up to – watch this space!), my opinion on the city has entirely changed. Aberdeen has a thriving culture and music scene, you only need to get off the main shopping street to find it. It’s only an overnight ferry ride away and the places to eat, the architecture of the old city and the culture (and other festivals) are certainly something I want to explore more.

One opinion I have of Aberdeen remains unchanged, though – it always rains when I’m there. Aberdeen is, allegedly, the least rainy city in Scotland, but I’ve never had a day there when it hasn’t rained on me. It didn’t dampen my spirits, though.

If you’re interested in visiting Aberdeen for any of their ten annual festivals do check out the Aberdeen Festivals website. There are loads of discount codes on food and accommodation too.

With huge thanks to Visit Aberdeen and Aberdeen Festivals for organising and inviting me on this press trip. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience, and one I will treasure always! Watch this space for more blog posts! This is not a paid post. All watermarked photos are copyright Stewart Mitchell of Earthly Light. The rest are Ā iPhone snaps taken by myself.Ā 

Category: Adventure, ScotlandTag: Aberdeen, Aberdeen Jazz Festival, Jazz, Music

About Elizabeth Atia

Daydream adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natalie Dickinson

    May 16, 2017 at 5:02 pm

    Oh what fun! I’ve never been to Aberdeen either! 2 more things to add to my list!

    Reply
  2. Claire Santiago

    March 30, 2017 at 3:59 pm

    I love jazz music, it’s relaxing. i love it played live, they sound even more beautiful…

    Reply
  3. stacey

    March 30, 2017 at 9:29 am

    Amazing line up. I’d love to experience this one day.

    Reply
  4. Angela Zimsky

    March 30, 2017 at 8:46 am

    This sure does look like a good time. I have never been to a jazz festival before but it looks enjoyable.

    Reply
  5. Angela Milnes

    March 29, 2017 at 7:02 pm

    Looks a fun festival and my hubby would always love to attend in this kind of event. I bet being there was so much fun

    Reply
  6. Terri Beavers

    March 29, 2017 at 4:18 pm

    I love music as much as I love ice cream. I’d love to check this out, I am loving all of your photos. There are certain places we go where it always rains as well, lol.

    Reply
  7. Ashlea

    March 29, 2017 at 2:21 am

    This looked like it was fun to go to. I will have to look them up one day for my husband.

    Reply
  8. GƔbor

    March 29, 2017 at 12:12 am

    It would be so cool to go to a jazz again… My brother in law plays the sax in some bands….

    Reply
  9. Echo

    March 28, 2017 at 6:27 pm

    This sounds so amazing! Honestly, I haven’t been to a music festival in many, many years, but I used to love them! I wish we had more of them here.

    Reply
  10. Emma

    March 28, 2017 at 1:42 pm

    I lived in Edinburgh fro 4 years while I was at University but I never visited Aberdeen – I love jazz so looks like I should have travelled further afield and got myself ago the festival – Im in london now so it’s a bit far to travel at the moment!

    Reply
  11. Clark Albert

    March 28, 2017 at 11:22 am

    I am not familiar with the band but the jazz talk itself and I know it is an excellent festiv.

    Reply
  12. Claire @foodiequine

    March 28, 2017 at 9:35 am

    It was such a good trip – so pleased that I was able to refer a blogging buddy. Absolutely loved the suave and sophisticated Curtis but suspect the high brow stuff isn’t for me – shhhhhhh!
    Love your action shot of the lady outside M&S – she was rocking out big time.

    Reply
  13. Ghastly Girl

    March 28, 2017 at 5:22 am

    Sounds like it was an awesome time! I have always been a huge fan of live music and jazz is some of the best.

    Reply
  14. Bel

    March 27, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    My boyfriend has been obsessed with jazz lately and would kill to be at a conce.rt like this. This looks like an amazing experience and frankly I’d love to be here too

    Reply
  15. Fatima Torres

    March 27, 2017 at 6:26 pm

    The Aberdeen festival seems like a treat! The performers look so enthusiastic in the shots. I’d love to catch it someday.

    Reply
  16. Amanda Love

    March 27, 2017 at 4:36 pm

    It’s been a long time since I watched a Jazz concert live. I love that there’s a Jazz festival that people can look forward to!

    Reply
  17. Anna nuttall

    March 27, 2017 at 11:46 am

    My father in law would enjoy this festival. It look very lively. xx

    Reply
  18. Michelle Snow

    March 27, 2017 at 10:46 am

    I love music festivals, and this sounds like it was a lot of fun! You got some great concert shots, too! =)

    Reply
  19. Jojo Vito | The Happy Trip

    March 27, 2017 at 10:06 am

    This sounds like a great festival! I am happy that Jass Music is promoted through this festival šŸ™‚

    Reply
  20. Elizabeth O.

    March 27, 2017 at 6:06 am

    I’m glad that people are keeping Jazz music alive. It’s one of the best genres and it would be so nice to be able to watch this live.

    Reply
  21. Pooja K

    March 27, 2017 at 2:48 am

    As a Jazz lover, I really enjoyed reading this post. I traveled extensively thru Scotland but missed Aberdeen šŸ™

    Reply
  22. Elizabeth Brico

    March 27, 2017 at 1:50 am

    Wow, this’sounds incredible. I’m not. Huge jazz fan in my day to day life, but I’m always impressed when I come across it. I mean musical talent is always impressive but IMPROVISED music?! That’s amazing! Sounds like a great weekend.

    Reply
  23. Jessi Joachim

    March 27, 2017 at 12:33 am

    This looks great! I love a good music festival! Too bad it isn’t anywhere near me.

    Reply
  24. Jasmine Eclipse

    March 26, 2017 at 8:00 pm

    This looks like it would be such a fun event to attend! My brother in law would love it, he’s a musician and really appreciates great instruments, too!

    Reply
  25. Ayana

    March 26, 2017 at 7:00 pm

    This sounds so fun!!! I’d love to visit and check out a festival like that!!

    Reply
  26. Sheri

    March 26, 2017 at 4:25 pm

    I like jazz music even though I do not listen to it very often, been to a few jazz clubs and always enjoyed it. We have heard a lot about Aberdeen and would love to visit.

    Reply
  27. Agentszerozerosetter

    March 26, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    You sure enjoyed this weekend! I love music festivals, their atmosphere and seeing lot of funny new people around!

    Reply
  28. kristen morris

    March 26, 2017 at 2:51 pm

    Jazz has never been one of my favorite types of music, but I do envy your night out! It sounds like a fantastic time, especially meeting one of the stars of the style!

    Reply
  29. Author Brandi Kennedy

    March 26, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    Wow, the Jazz festival sounds like an amazing event! I’m glad you had so much fun on your trip to Aberdeen!

    Reply
  30. Kristy

    March 26, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    Jazz music is one of my favorites. I would attending a jazz festival.

    Reply
  31. R U S S

    March 26, 2017 at 5:53 am

    I’m not too familiar with all the bands & the groups but I listen to jazz in general. I have always found jazz music relaxing. There’s just something about it that I think will not die – it’s so classy and timeless at the same time. Glad to know that you had fun time – front seats, so envious.

    Reply
  32. Lauren Michelle

    March 25, 2017 at 10:10 pm

    I think Jazz music can be so liberating! This is awesome. I’d love to go to a Jazz festival one weekend! You got me a little jealous.

    Reply
  33. Sandra crespo

    March 25, 2017 at 5:42 pm

    I enjoy the music but I do not know much about the bands or the artists but how cool that you got to experience this! Definitely looks like a very fun weekend.

    Reply
  34. Raine C. S.

    March 25, 2017 at 3:35 pm

    Admittedly, I don’t know a lot about jazz, but I am a big fan of seeing live music. This looks like an amazing festival and a really good time! Thanks for writing about this, if I ever find myself in Aberdeen while this is going on, I’ll be sure to check it out!

    Reply

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