Jacqui Dankworth headlines the 2024 Dundee Jazz Festival festival alongside pianist Charlie Wood and the Tayside Big Band. 

Jacqui is one of the most highly regarded vocalists in the UK - unsurprising perhaps, given her illustrious musical family. Her parents, Dame Cleo Laine and the late Sir John Dankworth, were a musical power couple who transcended boundaries of genre, nationality and race to become genuine jazz superstars. Known primarily as a jazz singer, Jacqui’s unique musical palette is equally transcendent, and draws on folk, soul, classical, blues, and other influences. Her concert appearances and numerous recordings showcase her virtuosic, seemingly effortless mastery of a variety of genres.

Tonight she will perform a number of brand new songs and arrangements from her new release Windmills, a stunning new album, fuelled by Memphis-born pianist Charlie Wood’s impeccable arrangements and recorded by Jacqui with the BBC Big Band, the Carducci String Quartet and the Bedazzle Strings.

The first set will be Jacqui and Charlie Wood performing songs from her new album in an intimate duo setting and in the second half ,rather than the BBC Big Band, local heroes, the Tayside Big Band will provide backing for Jacqui and Charlie as well as performing some of their own favourite big band numbers.

"One of our finest singers, regardless of category.”   - Clive Davis, Sunday Times

"A subtle control of dynamics and a voluptuous tonal richness that seems to make almost any material sound special."- John Fordham, The Guardian