A mini one-night festival of blues and jazz takes place on Wednesday 10th December at The Lot in Edinburgh.  Hosted by Todd Gordon it marks the launch of  Jazz International’s new monthly concert season with all proceeds from this charity event going to The Drake Music School.

Music is such an emotional thing yet technical skill is required to play well.  The Drake Music School in Scotland is a charity organisation that enables children and adults with learning disabilities to play, learn and compose music.  Through the use of computers, software, sensors and multiple switches, even the most disabled can learn to play music.  And now using Fingernotes, a revolutionary music notational script developed by two Finnish musicians, Markku Kaikkonen and Kaarlo Uusitalo, their work takes music education to the next level.

Using a system of colours and shapes, their work has evolved to show that it not only assists those with learning disabilities but opens up the learning of music to pre-school and adults, not previously fortunate to embrace music .  Their teaching methods are currently being used across Italy, Japan, Estonia and now the Drake Music School, who wish to take a pilot scheme across Scotland.

Performing at The Lot on the 10th  to raise funds for this most worthy of charities are Tam White, Haftor Medbøe, David Patrick, Konrad Wiszniewski, Lorna Reid, Jess Abrams (Lorna Reid & Jess Abrams), Euan Burton, Cathie Rae, Malcolm MacFarlane, Claire Daly, Stuart Brown, Paul Harrison and many more.  Don’t miss this superb evening of entertainment from so many talented and generous musicians.