https://www.robadamsjournalist.com/rss/ Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/bluegrass-legend-tony-rices-ground-breaking-1977-album-set-for-reissue-29-apr-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/bluegrass-legend-tony-rices-ground-breaking-1977-album-set-for-reissue-29-apr-2026 Guitarist Tony Rice’s self-titled 1977 album is being reissued on blue vinyl by Craft Recordings on 5th June to mark what would have been the ground-breaking bluegrass musician’s 75th birthday. Newly remastered from the original tapes and back on vinyl for the first time in over 40 years, the album features an all-star line-up including mandolin virtuoso David Grisman, legendary ba Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/pianist-peter-johnstone-joins-international-line-up-in-the-lake-district-18-apr-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/pianist-peter-johnstone-joins-international-line-up-in-the-lake-district-18-apr-2026 Scottish pianist Peter Johnstone joins an illustrious programme at Ambleside Days in the Lake District town from Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th September. Now in its tenth year, the weekend festival brings together major talents from the European jazz scene for concerts and spontaneous sessions. The 2026 programme includes pianists Gwilym Simcock, Nikki Iles and Frank Harrison, Hunga Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/nominations-open-for-parliamentary-jazz-awards-2026-17-apr-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/nominations-open-for-parliamentary-jazz-awards-2026-17-apr-2026 Public nominations are now open for the 2026 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. The Parlies, as they are familiarly known, are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group. They celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, talent and breadth of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom. "These awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the talents and energies of the great musicians, educ Sat, 4 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/kinross-venue-announces-expansion-into-recording-and-music-tuition-4-apr-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/kinross-venue-announces-expansion-into-recording-and-music-tuition-4-apr-2026 Mundell Music has announced plans to create a multi-purpose addition to the venue the company runs at the Green Hotel in Kinross. The Vault, which sits adjacent to the Backstage venue which has hosted hundreds of concerts by heritage bands, is being developed to incorporate display space for memorabilia, a recording studio and an educational area for music-based activities including guitar tuiti Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/new-book-tells-story-of-east-neuk-boy-made-good-22-mar-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/new-book-tells-story-of-east-neuk-boy-made-good-22-mar-2026 A concert in the Edinburgh Society of Musicians on Friday 27th March will launch a new book about an Edinburgh music publisher who became the chamber composer to King George lll. James Oswald was one of the most prolific British composers of the 18th century. He was also a major influence on Robert Burns and is claimed to have written the melody of God Save the King. Born in 1710, Oswald w Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/bassist-david-bowden-flies-solo-on-unsung-songs-20-mar-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/bassist-david-bowden-flies-solo-on-unsung-songs-20-mar-2026 Award-winning double bassist David Bowden releases a solo bass album, Unsung Songs, on Friday 10th April. Best known as a crucial member of pianist Fergus McCreadie’s internationally acclaimed, Mercury Prize-nominated trio, Glasgow-based Bowden is a former Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year and an in-demand bass player on the Scottish jazz and folk scenes. Having successfully l Sun, 8 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/monty-alexander-and-ccile-mclorin-salvant-head-up-leading-french-festival-8-mar-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/monty-alexander-and-ccile-mclorin-salvant-head-up-leading-french-festival-8-mar-2026 Pianist Monty Alexander, vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, guitarist Marc Ribot and saxophonists Melissa Aldana and Trygve Seim are among the musicians confirmed for Jazz sous les pommiers in Normandy in May. Now in its forty-fifth year, Jazz sous les pommiers will take over the cathedral city of Coutances from May 8 to 16 and has become renowned as one of Europe’s taste-making fes Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-molley-explores-jazzs-scottish-roots-with-ts/origin-25-feb-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-molley-explores-jazzs-scottish-roots-with-ts/origin-25-feb-2026 Saxophonist Brian Molley releases his sixth album, Tùs/Origin, on Friday 20th March. One of Scottish jazz's most travelled musicians, Molley follows two albums featuring collaborations with Indian musicians, by exploring links closer to home on his latest release. Tùs/Origin began with a show that Molley premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024. From the folk traditions of t Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-laura-macdonald-appointed-head-of-jazz-at-the-rcs-19-feb-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-laura-macdonald-appointed-head-of-jazz-at-the-rcs-19-feb-2026 Saxophonist Laura Macdonald has been appointed Head of Jazz at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. Ayrshire-born Macdonald, who had been filling the role on an interim basis over the past few months, brings experience in education and as an international bandleader, composer and recording artist. From a musical family, she took up the alto saxophone at the age of sixteen and became a Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-oscar-lavn-unleashes-elegant-calamity-21-jan-2026 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-oscar-lavn-unleashes-elegant-calamity-21-jan-2026 Saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Oscar Lavën releases Elegant Calamity, the follow-up to his internationally admired debut, Questions in Red, on Thick Records on Friday 16th January 2026. An effervescent presence on New Zealand’s currently vital jazz scene, Lavën (pronounced Lah-venn) is a double graduate from the New Zealand School of Music and brings his degrees in jazz an Mon, 8 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/pianist-john-donegan-revisits-the-trio-format-with-interfuse-8-dec-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/pianist-john-donegan-revisits-the-trio-format-with-interfuse-8-dec-2025 Following a successful run of four sextet recordings, Cork-born, Hertfordshire-based pianist John Donegan changes direction with a return to the jazz piano trio tradition on his latest album, Interfuse. “I loved working with the sextet – I still do – but I wanted to shake things up a bit and revisit the trio format,” says Donegan whose piano influences include Bill Evans, W Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/leading-nz-jazz-musicians-release-new-quintet-recording-10-nov-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/leading-nz-jazz-musicians-release-new-quintet-recording-10-nov-2025 Wellington-based Scottish drummer John Rae and New Zealand-born pianist Ben Wilcock follow their internationally acclaimed Splendid Isolation album with March of the Octopus, a suite of original compositions ranging from reflective solo piano pieces to quintet explorations, on Friday 28th November. Recorded in Neil Finn of Crowded House’s Roundhead Studios, the album features Rae and Wilco Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/dublin-label-makes-two-more-albums-by-guitarist-louis-stewart-available-again-16-oct-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/dublin-label-makes-two-more-albums-by-guitarist-louis-stewart-available-again-16-oct-2025 The relaunched Livia Records continues to reactivate the great Irish guitarist Louis Stewart's back catalogue with two releases. Due on 14th November, Alone Together features Stewart with flute virtuoso Brian Dunning in a set of ten duets from 1979. Alongside familiar tunes including There Will Never Be Another You, Chick Corea's Windows and Joe Henderson's Inner Urge tracks include Definitely D Thu, 9 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/new-harp-duo-showcases-three-harp-styles-9-oct-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/new-harp-duo-showcases-three-harp-styles-9-oct-2025 The Meeting of Friends, the first recording by a new harp partnership, is released on Tuesday 7th October. Leading Scottish harper Karen Marshalsay met Cheshire-based composer/harpist Lauren Scott through online harp ceilidhs during lockdown designed to keep harp players from across the world in touch with each other and playing together to rase their spirits in a difficult time. What started as Sat, 4 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/tommy-smith-and-gwilym-simcock-release-concert-recording-4-oct-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/tommy-smith-and-gwilym-simcock-release-concert-recording-4-oct-2025 Saxophonist Tommy Smith and pianist Gwilym Simcock release their first recording together, Eternal Light on Friday 3 October 2025 exclusively via Bandcamp.   A live album recorded direct to 2-track at The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, 11 September 2025, Eternal Light captures Smith and Simcock in concert at Scotland’s flagship jazz venue. It features seven original compositions – two new works by Si Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/pianist-paul-harrison-pays-homage-to-brazilian-genius-gismonti-26-jul-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/pianist-paul-harrison-pays-homage-to-brazilian-genius-gismonti-26-jul-2025 Pianist Paul Harrison releases Encontros, a personal celebration of the music of Brazilian composer Egberto Gismonti’s music, on Friday 5th September. One of the leading players on the vibrant Scottish jazz scene, Harrison was first attracted to Gismonti’s work after hearing Choro, Gismonti’s homage to the popular, intricate musical style that originated in 19th century Rio de Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/fans-collective-releases-third-teenage-fanclub-tribute-compilation-24-jun-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/fans-collective-releases-third-teenage-fanclub-tribute-compilation-24-jun-2025 The Teenage Fanclub Fanclub collective returns with a new tribute album, What They Do to Me Volume Three, celebrating the Scottish alt-rock band’s Post-Creation Years, on 4th July. Following previous successes with compilation projects, the collective’s latest recording explores their heroes’ Lightships and Teenage Fanclub albums as well the band’s collaboration with Amer Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/testimony-bears-witness-to-bancrofts-solo-saxophone-mastery-15-apr-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/testimony-bears-witness-to-bancrofts-solo-saxophone-mastery-15-apr-2025 Saxophonist Phil Bancroft releases Testimony, an improvised suite forsolo saxophone, as the 6th release on his Myriad Streams platform onFriday 25th April. Recorded during lockdown in 2021 in a barn on the smallholding he andhis wife, Jude, had recently moved into, Testimony was musicallycompletely unplanned and spontaneous. “I was exploring the amazing acoustics of the barn and trying t Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/harper-karen-marshalsay-plays-lichfield-and-the-lakes-14-apr-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/harper-karen-marshalsay-plays-lichfield-and-the-lakes-14-apr-2025 Scottish harper Karen Marshalsay is among the attractions appearing at Lichfield Festival, which runs in the Staffordshire city from 8-20 July. Lichfield is feted as one of the UK’s most eclectic multi-arts festivals with world-class artists, new talent, and local voices from music, theatre, dance, comedy and literature converging on venues across the city. Popular folk act The Unthanks, Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/report-plots-ways-to-ensure-england-swings-26-mar-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/report-plots-ways-to-ensure-england-swings-26-mar-2025 A cross-party Parliamentary focus group has published a review of jazz in England that sets out the way ahead for the music to flourish nationally over the next ten years. The All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG), which sponsors the prestigious annual Parliamentary Jazz Awards, commissioned the report to shed light on the opportunities and challenges faced by one of the most vibrant compon Tue, 4 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/argyll-promoter-announces-spring-concert-season-4-mar-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/argyll-promoter-announces-spring-concert-season-4-mar-2025 Melfort Music is bringing top line traditional and classical musicians to Kilmerford and Kilninver Village Hall in Argyll in a programme of concerts taking place from March to June. Fiddler Lauren Collier and her band open the series on Saturday 15th March and other musicians booked include guitar-mandolin duo Jenn Butterworth & Laura Beth Salter, fiddle, harp cello, step dancing and vocal qua Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/livia-records-ushers-in-new-era-for-irish-jazz-26-feb-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/livia-records-ushers-in-new-era-for-irish-jazz-26-feb-2025 Dublin-based Livia Records releases its first album of a new era when saxophonist Michael Buckley’s Ebb and Flow hits the streets on Friday 28th February. Set up originally to release the music of the late Irish jazz guitar virtuoso, Louis Stewart, Livia ceased trading with the death of its founder, Gerald Davis, in 2005. The label was reactivated by Dublin radio presenter and music enthus Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/live-1969-surman-recording-set-for-release-22-jan-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/live-1969-surman-recording-set-for-release-22-jan-2025 Cuneiform Records release a double CD of recordings by veteran British saxophonist John Surman on January 31. Caught live in Germany in April 1969, Flashpoints and Crosscurrents features Surman's large ensemble with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, saxophonists Alan Skidmore, Mike Osborne and Ronnie Scott, trombonists Malcolm Griffiths and Erich Kleinschuster, pianist Fritz Pauer, bassist Harry Miller Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-molley-releases-indo-jazz-collaboration-journeys-22-jan-2025 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-molley-releases-indo-jazz-collaboration-journeys-22-jan-2025 Saxophonist Brian Molley releases his fifth album, Journeys, on Friday 7th February. Journeys features Molley's internationally acclaimed quartet in collaboration with the Asin Langa Ensemble from Northern India and was recorded in a custom-built studio in the heart of the Western Rajasthani desert. Molley's quartet first performed alongside Asin’s group at RIFF in Jodhpur in 2015 as pa Sat, 30 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-bancroft-launches-new-band-with-album-from-down-on-the-farm-30-nov-2024 https://www.robadamsjournalist.comnews/saxophonist-bancroft-launches-new-band-with-album-from-down-on-the-farm-30-nov-2024 Saxophonist Phil Bancroft launches his new trio, The Beautiful Storm with an album he recorded in the Ringo barn on his East Lothian farm. Featuring guitarist Graeme Stephen and Delhi-based tabla master Gyan Singh, the trio merges two duos that Bancroft has worked with in recent years. He and Singh released the well received Birth & Death album earlier this year and Stephen, a long-time coll