Seth Bennett and Kimberley Tessa each write an hour of new music, supported by the Expanded Festivals Fund through Creative Scotland.

Dundee Jazz Festival (11–15 November 2026) will premiere two commissioned works by Dundee-based musicians. Double bassist Seth Bennett presents What’s Here at Verdant Works Museum on Friday 13 November, 8pm. Saxophonist and vocalist Kimberley Tessa premieres an hour of brand new original music at Bonar Hall on Saturday 14 November, 8pm.

Both commissions are supported by the Creative Scotland’s Expanded Festivals Fund. Each artist was given the funding to write a full set of new music and to choose the band to play it.

What’s Here: Seth Bennett
Friday 13 November, 8pm, Verdant Works Museum

What’s Here is inspired by the city itself. The piece began with Seth finding inspiration from Don Paterson’s Toy Flights: A Boyhood, his account of growing up in the city before the changes of the 1980s. 

“I read a book by the Dundee poet and musician Don Paterson about his childhood in Dundee. I got really excited about the vision of the city as he saw it, it felt very familiar, in terms of my home, but also really foreign. It was a different city before deindustrialisation. This is my home. I've been here for eight years and I’m not planning to leave. I really love it here. But I only really know my version of the city. I don’t know the city as somebody who grew up here.”

He is wary of music that tells you what to think. The music doesn’t illustrate the city. It is written while thinking about it. Seth collected ideas on walks and phone recordings, then built them into a piece. Two of its tunes were written at ScrapAntics’ weekly Scrap Thursdays community sessions.

The band is Seth on double bass, Graeme Stephen (guitar), Semay Wu (cello), Charlotte Keeffe (trumpet), Monica Madas (voice) and Callum McIntyre (drums). Seth wrote for each player’s voice. Some of it will sound like conventional jazz. Some will be freer. The piece runs for around an hour.

Kimberley Tessa: A Dundee Jazz Premiere
Saturday 14 November, 8pm, Bonar Hall

Rising tenor saxophonist and vocalist Kimberley Tessa was commissioned to write a full hour of new music and to handpick a band of top local players to perform it. Kimberley draws heavily on her own life experience. She brings a personal, fresh take to modern jazz and neo-soul. She was named Rising Star at the 2023 Scottish Jazz Awards.

“The commission for Dundee Jazz Festival has allowed me to expand, I’m working with a six piece band for this that includes guitar, bass, drums, flute, saxophone and a rapper.”

Why the commissions matter

Writing at this scale takes time, and paid time is hard for locally based artists to find. Funding changed the choices open to Seth. He could write for the players he wanted, including musicians from Edinburgh, Glasgow and England alongside Dundee’s own. He also wanted the commission to celebrate local talent.

“I wanted to celebrate the talent that’s in the area,” says Seth, “because there are some really, really fantastic musicians around.”

The festival programme

There really is something for everyone, with 25 events over the five days. Legendary Scottish trumpeter Colin Steele kicks off the festival on 11 November at Canvas

Dundee with his own tribute to mark the 100 th anniversary of Miles Davis’s birth.

The very next day, TC Kylie fuses the high-octane energy of Japanese acid jazz and Cantonpop at the Marryat Hall, all while wielding her signature keytar.

Raven Afrikulture will be joining for their first time in Dundee on Saturday night. Raven AfriKulture (RAK) is a creative force spotlighting African art, music, and culture in Scotland. They exist to elevate African voices, connect communities, and keep heritage alive. Loud, proud, and unapologetic, it promises to be an amazing night, joined by an incredible rosta of talent: The Pitch Classic, Jords, Eri-Ife, Fofo, AY Bangz & Aiitee (vocals). 

From jam sessions to Jazz for Kids workshops, and two free concerts at Vinyls Music Bar at Hawkhill, it’s a great way to get out and celebrate. The festival champions Scotland’s jazz scene from the ground up, shining a light on brilliant emerging talent alongside established local voices.

John Youngs, CEO of Jazz Scotland, said “Bringing brand-new, Dundee-inspired music to our stages is at the very heart of this year’s festival. It’s been a joy to support Seth and Kimberley to write and perform these major new commissions, which shows just how rich, bold, and inventive the Dundee local music scene is. We’ve built a programme that champions Scottish talent from the ground up, giving local artists the space to push boundaries while keeping the festival deeply rooted in the story of our city, and are grateful to Creative Scotland for their continued support in making events like these possible.” 

Clare Hewitt, Music Officer at Creative Scotland said: “Dundee Jazz Festival is a fantastic celebration of the creativity and talent thriving in the city. In addition to supporting the event through Multi-Year Funding, we’re proud that the Expanded Festivals Fund has enabled these exciting new commissions from Seth Bennett and Kimberley Tessa, giving both artists the freedom to push creative boundaries and bring bold new music to audiences in their home city. These premieres highlight the vital role festivals and their communities play in championing artists and inspiring new work.