The 2026 Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival looks set to be an incredible showcase of the finest Jazz musicians in the UK and further afield.
Festival Bands
The Line Up for 2026 is as follows:
Seonaid Aitken & her Quintet celebrate two icons of Jazz “Grappelli & Ella” with Seonaid (violin & vocals),
Connor Smith (guitar), Dan Brown (piano), Andy Sharkey (bass) and Max Popp (drums).
Red Stripe Band
Mike Daly’s Rhythm Kings
Jake Leg Jug Band
Roaring Twenties
Chicago Teddybears Society Jazz Band
Martin Litton & John Hallum Duo and, as the “Wha’s Like Us” Band, Roy Percy (bass), John Fenner (banjo),
Bill Jones (trombone), Mike Daly (cornet), Martin Foster and John Hallam (reeds), and Martin Litton (piano) will play from the songbooks of Fats Waller, Eddie Condon, Jack Teagarden, Bobby Hackett and Jelly Roll Morton.
The Roaring Twenties
The “Roaring Twenties” lets you experience entertainment from the era of beautiful fashions, elegant celebrities, flappers, gangsters and hot jazz. The band’s repertoire contains tunes from the cornets and trumpets of
“King” Oliver, Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke and songs sung in the Blues and Vaudeville styles from the classic jazz singers of the 1920’s Mamie Smith, Ida Cox, Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith.
Left to Right: Simon James (trumpet), Liz Hepworth (bass), David Hepworth (clarinet & saxophone), Andy Bramall (banjo & guitar), Suzanne James (vocals), Rob Cotterell (drums)
Wha’s Like Us
Wha’s Like Us will play from the songbooks of Fats Waller, Eddie Condon, Jack Teagarden, Bobby Hackett and
Jelly Roll Morton.
The Chicago Teddybears Society Jazz Band
Originating in Manchester in the 1970s, the name came from a short-lived American television sitcom set in Prohibition-era Chicago. Fortunately, the band has proved more durable than the TV series. It was here for the first Festival in 1997 albeit with different players although Rae Owens (banjo) and Brian Singleton (drums) are still to the fore. Joining Rae and Brian, the other players are Colin Bostock- reeds, Jim Lucas – trumpet, Andrew Mackenzie – trombone and Dean Revera – string bass. Make sure you catch this lively and entertaining group.
Jake Leg Jug Band
The Jake Leg Jug Band brings you the authentic sounds of 1920’s and 30’s America – jazz, blues, ragtime and gospel – and puts its own twist on it. Guaranteed old-fashioned feel-good entertainment, transporting the
audience back in time to the prohibition era in the USA. Sit back and enjoy the show
Duncan Wilcox – vocals, double bass, Warren James – vocals, guitar, banjo, jug; Phil Shotton – clarinet, soprano sax, bass sax, Joe Moretti – alto sax; Cohen Wilcox – washboard
Red Stripe Band
Led by Red Stripe on boogie piano they continue to entertain audiences world wide with their engaging and intriguing show. They are lucky to have with them wonderful singer Lara de Belder (All Female London Gay Big Band) and a star studded line up includes on bass Costa Tancredi (Eric Clapton, Amy Winehouse) on Baritone Sax Sim Murray (The Beat) on Tenor Sax Sophie Burke, on Trumpet Lee Vivian (Suzi Quatro, Will Young, Nick Heyward) and on Drums Nick Marangoni (Massimo Ranieri). Expect to hear original songs alongside jive, rock n roll and boogie woogie classics. “Imagine a smaller version of the Jools Holland Orchestra without the annoying front man!” Time Out
Martin Litton & John Hallam
A virtuoso of classic jazz piano, Martin Litton effortlessly merges timeless melodies with dynamic improvisation. Discover the brilliance of this celebrated artist as he breathes new life into jazz’s golden era. John Hallam is an outstanding, highly acclaimed reeds player who playing is highly innovative and thrilling as well as sensitively moving. This exceptional duo will be playing swinging jazz classics and standards from the Great American Songbook.
Mike Daly’s Rhythm Kings
Mike Daly’s Rhythm Kings promise to play only the very best Dixieland and New Orleans tunes! Mike, playing cornet since his school days, was inspired by Bix Beiderbecke, Bobby Hackett and Louis Armstrong. For this
gig. He is joined by some of the finest jazz musicians today residing in Scotland. Expect to be treated to tunes from the earliest days of jazz in New Orleans through to its spread to Chicago and New York and beyond.
Seonaid Aitken Quintet ‘Grappelli & Ella’
Award-winning Scottish violinist, vocalist and BBC broadcaster Seonaid Aitken and her band present a swingin’ show to celebrate two Jazz icons. French violin master Stéphane Grappelli and ‘First Lady of Song’ vocalist
Ella Fitzgerald. Featuring Grappelli classics such as ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ and ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ plus material from his Quintette du Hot Club de France and legendary duets with Classical virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin, and
iconic recordings from Ella’s Songbook series such as ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’, ‘How High The Moon’, and hit singles for Decca Records ‘A Tisket A Tasket’ and ‘Dream A Little Dream’ with Louis Armstrong.