Seonaid Aitken - Bute Jazz & Bute Manouche 2022

Jazz On Bute & Bute Manouche
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Seonaid Aitken

Seonaid Aitken
Seonaid Aitken
Seonaid Aitken is a violinist, vocalist, composer/orchestrator and broadcaster from Fife, Scotland.
As one of the rare few female improvising violinists in the UK influenced by the great Stephane Grappelli, she performs with her award-winning Gypsy Jazz band Rose Room - current winners of ‘Best Band’ at the Scottish Jazz Awards - as well as a guest with the Tim Kliphuis Sextet, Martin Taylor MBE and Swing 2022.
She was awarded ‘Best Vocalist’ twice at the Scottish Jazz Awards following her highly acclaimed Ella Fitzgerald big band show ‘A Night With Ella’ at Aberdeen, Fife, Dundee and Edinburgh Jazz Festivals, performing to audiences of up to 1000 to mark the centenary of the birth of the ‘First Lady of Song’.
Much in demand as a versatile session player, recording artist and arranger, Seonaid has played with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera for 21 years and took part in the 2019-2022 UK touring production of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ on violin/viola. She has recorded with numerous Scottish acts such as Deacon Blue, Carol Kidd MBE and Blue Rose Code, and her arrangements have been commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Red Hot Chilli Pipers and feature in the BBC/Richard Curtis film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s ‘Esio Trot’ starring Dame Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman.
Seonaid presents ‘Jazz Nights’ on BBC Radio Scotland, is a regular tutor at the Grappelli-Django Camp in The Netherlands, and her most recent commission ‘Chasing Sakura’ was premiered at the 2021 Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival and released as an album in Spring 2022.

“Stupendous gypsy jazz player”
THE SCOTSMAN
“A voice that ranges from crystal clear high notes to a low, silky purr.”
ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE
“Seonaid Aitken’s bright vocals and breezy virtuosity are simply a pleasure to behold”
HERALD SCOTLAND

Jazz On Bute & Bute Manouche are trading names of Bute Jazz Concerts Ltd.,
a non-profit company and a registered Scottish Charity SCO28601
All directors are volunteers and receive no remuneration.
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