Musicians from Argentina to New Zealand join this year’s line up

Musicians from Argentina, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Chile, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United States will all be in this year’s jazz festival line-up.

The 42nd annual event will feature 130 concer ts staged across 12 venues over ten days from 12-21 July.

Highlights include appearances from Kyle East wo o d, who has scored films for his l e g e n d a r y H o l l y wo o d - s t a r father Clint, along with other American acts like Meschiya Lake, Davina and the Vaga b o n d s , t h e N e w O r l e a n s Swamp Donkeys, Zac Harmon and Popa Chubby.

S c o t t i s h m u s c i a n s A l a n Benzie, Stewart Forbes, Tom Gibbs, Laura Macdonald, Ali Affleck, Liam Shortall, Brian Kellock and Michael Butcher will be staging special projects developed with musicians in H u n g a r y, Fr a n c e , No r way, the Netherlands, the United States, Italy and Belgium,

Other home-grown favouri t i e s i n t h e l i n e - u p i n c l u d e Av e r a g e W h i t e B a n d s t a r Hamish Stuart, Colin Steele, with a new show based on Joni Mitchell songs, Tom Bancroft, Brian Kello ck, Mag gie B ell, Kevin Mackenzie and Lorna Reid.

R i s i n g s t a r s o f t h e S c o t - tish scene being showcased i n c l u d e G r a h a m C o s t e l l o , Fergus Mccreadie, Jed Potts, Ma r k H e n d r y a n d G e o rg i a Cecile.

The festival will launch with its traditional free Mardi Gras in the Grassmarket and a carnival on its opening weekend.