To finish the 2026 festival with a roar, we are proud to present iG4 featuring the talents of jazz superstars Claire Martin, Nikki Iles, Karen Sharp and Ewan Hastie.
iG4 is a new intergenerational band of 4 of the UK's finest jazz talent sharing their love of great songs and composers.
Vocalist Claire Martin OBE joins multi-award-winning pianist and composer Nikki Iles, much-in-demand saxophonist Karen Sharp and rising star bassist Ewan Hastie who won the BBC's Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2022. Brand new arrangements written for this project by Nikki will shine a light on classic repertoire from Tom Waits to Burt Bacharach, Anthony Newly and Joni Mitchell as well as stylish reworkings from the great writers of the American songbook including Cole Porter and Johnny Mandel.
Recording artist Claire Martin has, to worldwide critical acclaim, established herself as a tour de force on the UK jazz scene gaining many awards, including winning the British Jazz Awards eight times during a career which spans over three decades. In 2018 she was the proud recipient of the BASCA Gold Badge Award for her contribution to jazz.
Nikki's recent work has taken her across the world as a member of the Julian Arguelles Octet, The Kenny Wheeler Big Band, Claire Martin and “The North “, a Scandinavian/Anglo/Canadian collaboration featuring Percy Pursglove and Anders Morgensen. With a parallel career as a widely respected teacher in composition and arranging, Nikki is a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music.
A prominent figure on the UK Jazz scene since 2000, Karen is well known and admired for her melodic, full-toned saxophone playing, winning the British Jazz Awards for best tenor saxophonist on numerous occasions. She has worked alongside musicians such as John and Jacqui Dankworth, Ken Peplowski, Alan Barnes, Tina May, Nikki Iles, Esther Miller, Jeremy Pelt, Howard Alden, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Scott Robinson and Harry Allen.
Ewan Hastie is a multi-award-winning bassist and composer, already making his mark on the UK music scene. Just recently graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in jazz, he won the coveted BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2022 title Since moving to Glasgow and more recently London, he has played professionally with a number of the top musicians from all over the country keeping him busy on UK’s thriving jazz scene.
Fresh from their recent ‘sold-out’ debut appearance at London Soho’s Pizza Express Jazz Club, together the quartet will be appearing at festivals and clubs across the UK and Europe.
"Claire Martin ranks among the four or five finest female jazz vocalists on the planet" JAZZ TIMES USA
"Nikki Iles is a formidable jazz presence rising to her full height" THE GUARDIAN
"Sharp loves melody, whether composed or improvised, as reflected in her relaxed and natural phrasing" DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
"Ewan is one the best bass soloist I've heard at his age, ever!" TOMMY SMITH OBE
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