https://www.facebook.com/509178385619494/

The Lowdown Jazz Jam, The Lowdown, 142/146 Perth Road, Dundee (2026)

03/04/2026

April's edition of the jam will feature a set by a house band featuring Allan McGlone, of the Sunnysiders on alto, Perth guitar star Sean Bissett, with Scuba rhythm team Seth Bennett and Paul Judge on bass and drums. They'll play a house band set from 8.30, followed by an open jam session, at which all jazz instrumentalists and singers are welcome to sit in. Entry is free, so you may as well take a punt! Delicious beers brewed in-house, wines, cocktails and juice. Under 18s are welcome before 10pm too, and the venue is fully accessible. See you down the front! images by Lei Visser

18/03/2026

I'm late this month! Lowdown Jazz Jam March 2026 is tomorrow night at Canvas. House band this month will be Paul Greenwood on woodwinds, Iain Mathieson on piano, Seth Bennett on bass and David Mallinson on drums. They'll play a blistering house band set from 8.30, and then will be around for the house band set from around 9.30 - all jazz instrumentalists and singers are welcome to come and sit in. If you've been before, you'll know the vibe is super friendly - everyone is welcome, either as a listener or player. Entry is free and we'd love to see you.

06/02/2026

The next Lowdown session will be on Thursday 12th February at Canvas, featuring our special guest over from Glasgow, saxophonist Eleanor Colee, joined by familiar faces from the Dundee scene, the ever excellent Iain Matheson on piano, David Mallinson on drums, and Seth Bennett on bass. The house band will play the first set (starting 8.30), then the second set will be an open jam session, where any and all jazz instrumentalists and singers are welcomed - encouraged - to get up and sit in with the band. As always, thanks to our funding from Creative Scotland, entry is completely free. Come down, enjoy the music and the hang, and maybe sample some of the delicious 71 brewery beers (brewed on site), a cocktail, some wine, or some amazing Bon Accord juice.

06/01/2026

The first Lowdown Jazz Jam of the new year will be at Canvas this Thursday, first set starting at 8.30. We're really happy to be welcoming back hometown heroine Kimberley Tessa on flute, saxophone and voice, and we're really excited to hear her with our special guest through from Glasgow, Tim Lallemant on piano. The quartet will be completed by Seth Bennett on bass and Paul Judge on drum kit. Get down to hear the house band play a set from 8.30, and then there'll be an open jam set where any and all jazz instrumentalists and singers are welcome to come up and sit in with the house band. Come out and enjoy what we all need at this time of year - a cheap night out! Thanks to our funding from Creative Scotland, entry is completely free. Have a cocktail, enjoy a delicious glass of 71 Brewing beer or fancy Bon Accord juice, and enjoy the hang! Canvas, Ure Street, Dundee, DD1 5JD

05/12/2025

December's jam session will feature rising sax star Rachel Duns, who's coming through from Glasgow to play for us. The house band will be completed by Perth's Sean Bissett on guitar, and Dundonian rhythm team Seth Bennett and David Mallinson on bass and drums. There'll be a house band set from 8.30, and then an open jam from around 9.45, where any and all jazz instrumentalists and singers are welcome to sit in with the house band. Don't be afraid to play, we're very friendly! Come down, enjoy some amazing 71 Brewing beers (brewed on site) or excellent wines, cocktails or Bon Accord soft drinks - or just spend some time with the music. Thanks to our funding from Creative Scotland, entrance is completely free.

11/11/2025

For this Dundee Jazz Festival edition, we thought we'd take the opportunity to showcase local talent, so instead of inviting guests from further afield, we're welcoming an all Tayside band to Canvas this Thursday evening. Join us for a first set by the house band, then an open jam session, where any and all jazz instrumentalists and singers are welcome to sit in with the band. Please note the slightly later than usual time - we've moved the session back a wee bit to fit in with the Jazz Festival programme - check out what else is on! First set at 10pm

16/06/2025

It's nearly time for the next Lowdown session! This Thursday 19th June , we'll be welcoming incredible multi-talented musician Rachel Simpson, along with Aberdeen piano ace Neil Birse, and crack Dundee rhythm pair Seth Bennett on bass and Andy James on drums. Rachel is a jazz singer, trumpet session player (recently working with Andrew Wasylyk and Modern Studies, amongst others), folk singer-songwriter and games audio wizz. Originally from Dublin, Rachel got to Tayside via studying music at Chichester while working on the Brighton scene. Neil was last in Dundee as part of the house band playing behind Harben Kay, wowing the Lowdown audience with his craft and harmonic imagination. Both Seth and Andy will be well known to Dundee audiences. As always, there'll be a house band set from 8.30, then an open session where any and all jazz musicians and singers are welcome to sit in. Thanks to our funding from Creative Scotland, entry is completely free - come and check it out! Groucho's is at 132 Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4ED, on the 5, 73 and 17 bus route, and 10 minutes walk from the train station. We'd love to see you!

12/05/2025

It's nearly time for the jam! We're really looking forward to welcoming amazing Aberdeen violinist Coralie Usmani to play the house band set this Thursday, accompanied by Adam Bissett on piano, Calum McIntyre on drumkit, and Seth Bennett on double bass. Coralie had a classical training, but has since moved sideways into jazz and traditional music. She brings all of her background and more to her improvising, giving her a unique voice that has to be heard. Calum is a storied drummer, once dubbed "one of the best and versatile skin-smackers in the country" in The Scotsman, and has worked in an incredible variety of settings, from residencies at the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh to working with Trad singer Karine Polwart, and Edinburgh hip-hop group The Young Fathers. Adam and Seth are well known on the Dundee scene as part of many a creative, flexible and swinging rhythm section. As always, our first set will be from the house band, and then the second set is an open session - all jazz musicians and singers welcome to sit in. Come down to listen, to play, or preferably both! It's at Groucho's, 132 Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4ED. Music from 8.30 or so. Thanks to our funding from Creative Scotland, entry is FREE!!!

14/04/2025

The jam continues! We've lost the Lowdown, but, very kindly, Grouchos on Nethergate have stepped up to host the April edition, which is going to be a banger! We're very excited to welcome legendary drummer Tom Bancroft to our house band, alongside Tayside regulars Kimberley Tessa on Woodwinds and Vocals, Iain Matheson on piano, and Seth Bennett on double bass. They'll be doing a house band set at around 8.30, then there'll be an open jam session - all jazz musicians welcome to sit in with the band! Come down for a play, a drink, or just the hang. It's FREE! What do you have to lose? Groucho's is at 132 Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4ED

The fantastic image of Tom playing on a beach is by Chris Payne

11/03/2025

It's already nearly time for our next session this Thursday March 13th! We're super excited to welcome Harben Kay through from Glasgow, Neil Birse down from Aberdeen, and Tayside's own Seth Bennett and Paul Judge. Come down for 8.30 to hear a set from our very special house band, and then stick around to jam - all jazz instrumentalists and singers welcome to sit in with the band in the second set, or just hang out, drink some delicious local beer and make the scene! Thanks to support from Creative Scotland entry is completely free. See you down the front!

07/02/2025

Super excited to announce our musicians for the house bands for the next three months! Next Thursday, 13th February we have Dot Allan coming over from Edinburgh to play keys for us, then on March 13th we have two guests, amazing Aberdonian Neil Birse on piano, and fantastic Glasgow-based sax player Helena Kay. April 17th we have Tom Bancroft coming up to play drums for us - going to be heavy! As always, it's free, doors are at 8, the first set is from the house band, then the second set is an open jam session, come down with an instrument or your voice (!) and sit in, all welcome!

If you're interested in getting involved, but don't feel like you know enough about how jazz works, keep an eye out for publicity for our three free jazz workshops, coming up very soon. They'll be friendly, collaborative sessions aimed at showing folk the nuts and bolts of jazz - how it works, what the conventions are, and how to go about playing it.

The Lowdown Jazz Jam

03/04/2026

18/03/2026

06/02/2026

06/01/2026

05/12/2025

11/11/2025

16/06/2025

12/05/2025

14/04/2025

11/03/2025

07/02/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category