The phrase ‘jazz royalty’ is much misused, but not this time!  Crail arts Festival is more than excited to offer a very rare appearance by the Phil Bancroft Trio - Phil on tenor sax, twin brother Tom on drums and Mario Caribe on double bass.  Plus, we have a very special surprise guest playing, none other than trumpet giant Byron Wallen.

Phil is one of the greatest, if not the greatest tenor player Scotland has ever produced. 

Tom and Phil studied medicine at Cambridge, both qualifying as doctors and entering practice in the early 1990s; however, the magnetic and irresistible lure of jazz pulled them from the medical path towards lives offered up to the services of music.

They have been mainstays and educators in the world of Scottish music for as long as we can remember, animating and breathing life into the art form, as much part of the firmament as Edinburgh Castle or the Stones of Callanish.

They’ve played with all the greats, including Sun Ra, Branford Marsalis, Martyn Bennett, Bill Wells, Hue & Cry and are members of the cross-genre 80-piece Grit Orchestra.

Mario Caribe was born in Sao Paulo-Brazil and moved to Scotland in 1996 to further his musical education.  He is a consummate bass player and a lecturer at the Conservatoire who teaches Latin American Music workshops throughout Scotland.  The cast of stellar musicians he has performed with is so extensive that it would probably break our website if we listed them, so we’ll show some restraint!

Phil’s trio explores jazz standards – you’ll know them all - and your ears will thank you when they join this wonderful trio on their journey into every musical Neuk and cranny of these great tunes… you don’t want to miss this!

Special guest Byron is widely recognised as a seminal figure in world jazz and constantly travels the world recording, teaching and performing. He has been playing trumpet in various contexts, live and on record, alongside legendary musicians such as George Benson, Andrew Hill, Chaka Khan, Ingrid Laubrock, Hugh Masekela, Courtney Pine, Mulatu Astatke, Red Snapper, Lonnie Liston Smith, Style Council, Jack Dejohnette, Jean Toussaint, Cleveland Watkiss and King Sunny Ade.