Islay Jazz Festival

10-12 September 2004

The Black Bottle Islay Jazz Festival is a celebration of jazz of the beautiful Hebridean island of Islay.  With 16 events over the weekend, visitors and musicians enjoy a heady atmosphere where ozone and whisky mix with the best of the current vibrant Scottish jazz scene. 

Festival events transform:

village halls estate houses distilleries bird sanctuaries small bars inns   into the ideal circumstances to hear some of the finest jazz musicians of today. This year is no different - there's a host of musicians (and doubtless audiences) making their Islay debuts, and many returning for another fix of the intoxicating and heady atmosphere. Newcomers playing at this years festival include:

• Jessie Davis - an alto saxophonist from New Orleans
• Donny McCaslin - one of the most thrilling tenor saxophonists in New York
• Les Ecossais - a band fronted by trumpeter Philip Cardwell and saxophonist Theo Forrest
• Susan McKenzie and Haftor Medboe - a saxophone and guitar duo
• Julian Arguelles - one of Europe's finest saxophonists
• The Scottish Jazz All Stars who will be performing with Forrie Cairns, Fionna Duncan, Brian Kellock et al.

Islay favourites returning for the 2004 fesival will be 95 Proof.  They will be back with their late night blues and soul performing with guest harmonica star Fraser Spiers.  For the first time singer Sheena Swanson will be joining them.  Sheena will be singing the songs made famous by Billie Holiday with a band that includes Paul Harrison, Mario Caribe and Brian Palmer.

Other performers include:

• the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Tommy Smith - featuring compositions by Thelonious Monk.  Guest soloists will be Jesse Davis and Donny McCaslin.
• Laura MacDonald - playing the music of Cole Porter
• Tam White - the blues legend,
• Cathie Rae - the acclaimed songstress
• and the young tenor titan, Konrad Wisniewski aims to reprise his burning session from last year
  

For more information on the festival and this year's performers, have a look at the Islay Jazz Festival website. Information on some of the artists performing and their recordings can also be found on the Caber Music website.