Online this weekend it's the Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival

The Inner Hebrides island of Islay hosts the Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival online this weekend. Among the line-up are the Norman Willmore Quartet, Brian Kellock (Scotland's greatest living jazz pianist), the Jim Mullen Burns Quartet, Mario Caribe, Fraser Fifeld, Dave Milligan, Graeme Stephen, Matt Carmichael and the Fergus McCreadie trio. McCreadie's Cairn with its lilting sense of Caledonian flow is one of the top albums of 2021. Sponsored by whiskey distiller Lagavulin saxophonist Laura Macdonald participates in an online bottling event with the sponsors as you do. Nice - neat? - work if you can get it. Trebles all round, surely. Find out more

Fergus McCreadie, above

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theoncross

Sons of Kemet tuba player Theon Cross whose latest album Intra-I was released last month and the singer-songwriter Poppy Ajudha are to benefit from new Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) funding it's been announced. The pair are among 20 indie artists to gain from the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) and UK government-backed scheme aimed at boosting artists abroad and worth grants of £300,000 in total. Minister for exports at the Department for International Trade (DIT) Mike Freer MP said: “Our music industry is one of the UK’s strongest cultural and economic assets. Every year countless songs are written in the UK and performed around the world. We want to continue to make the most of the global opportunity to grow British music and DIT is proud to co-fund MEGS with industry to support independent labels and artists.” Theon Cross, above

Online this weekend it's the Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival

Theon Cross and Poppy Ajudha are successful in gaining MEGS funding