The 22nd Scarborough Jazz Festival takes place 26-28 September, bringing artists including James Taylor, Alan Barnes, Emma Rawicz, Simon Spillett and Joe Stilgoe to the North Yorkshire coastal town.
Now in its second year with Mark Gordon as director (following the retirement of Mark’s father, Mike, who founded the event), the festival is set among the town’s striking Victorian architecture, with attractive coastal scenery nearby. The town’s Spa Grand Hall, renowned for its excellent acoustics and intimate atmosphere, hosts the main concerts, but there will also be free performances in the Sun Court – allowing enjoyment of live music against the backdrop of the North Sea – late-night partying in Farrer’s Bar, and music from the Al Morrison Trio at the Jazz Café.
The main concerts feature:
- James Taylor Quartet
- Alan Barnes’ Works of Art
- Emma Rawicz Jazz Orchestra
- Joe Stilgoe & The Entertainers
- Jazz Dynamos
- Simon Spillett Big Band plays Tubby Hayes
- Ben Holder Quartet
- Shirley Smart Trio
- Emily Masser & Alex Clarke Quintet
- Alexia Gardner Quintet
- Five-Way Split
- Gaz Hughes Trio
- Billy Marrows’ Grande Família
- Jamil Sheriff’s 4in1
- 100 Years of Oscar Peterson: Dean Stockdale’s All Star 11
- My Iris
- ¡Ritmo Caliente! – A Tribute to Cal Tjader at 100
Scarborough, with its blend of cultural richness and natural beauty, offers much more than music during the festival weekend. Attendees can explore the town’s historic landmarks, such as Scarborough Castle, or take a stroll on its sandy beaches. There are many hotels and B&Bs a short walk from the venue and the cliff lift runs all weekend until late.
Tickets are available from the scarboroughspa.co.uk/whats-on/scarborough-jazz-festival and there’s more information and updates on Facebook @scarboroughjazzfestival and X @scarboroughjazz.
