Jazz (We Got)

Glasgow may have that whole indie rock and dance thing sewn up, but Auld Reekie has long been the place to see live jazz. This year's Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival has attracted some top names from around the world; here's five nights to look out for...

Lizard Lounge (HMV Picture House, 30 Jul)
The festival kicks off in style with James Brown's right hand man Fred Wesley bringing the brass and London rapper Ty supplying lyrics and soul. As if that’s not already ample fodder for a sweaty night out on its own, The Rumba Caliente Afro Latin Soul Orchestra round off a vibrant bill.

Samuel Hallivist Quartet (Voodoo Rooms, 31 Jul)
There's been a thriving scene in Scandinavia for a while now, and Hallivist – Jazz in Sweden artist of the year 2010 – is well worth catching for his weird guitar based take on the future of jazz.

The Bays and Hidden Orchestra (The Caves, 1 Aug)
Deep house layered with dubby bass lines from The Bays, all improvised, never the same twice; little wonder they are one of the most talked about live acts in the UK right now. The artists formerly known as Joe Acheson Quartet – now Hidden Orchestra – support with the spaced out cinematic grooves we’ve become accustomed to.

Anthony Joseph & the Spasm Band (Voodoo Rooms, 4 Aug)
If you're up for a bit of swampy punk and funk – and who isn’t at this time of year? – Mr Joseph is your only destination. This teacher, poet and novelist comes out of the Gil Scott-Heron spoken word tradition but with some of Sun Ra's angular oddness.

NeWt (The Lot, 7 Aug)
An international trio who play in the boundaries of jazz, progressive rock and ambient, they'll be joined by acclaimed Berlin clarinettist Silke Eberhard for some downtown NY edge meets European classicism.