Soundhouse: Playtime Trio with Matthew Kilner

Playtime Trio are playing the Traverse Theatre on Friday 16 October, with saxophonist Matthew Kilner joining them as guest. It's part of the Soundhouse series, and it's a bit of a shift for the trio, who usually hold court in a pub rather than a theatre.

If the name sounds familiar, it's because Playtime has been a fixture of the Edinburgh jazz scene for twelve years. It started as a multi-platform institution — regular gigs, livestreams during lockdown, and podcasts on the creative life of jazz — and since 2014 the nights have run every fortnight at The Outhouse pub, run by founder Colin. These days, the nights are fronted by the Playtime Trio, made up of founding members guitarist Graeme Stephen, bassist Mario Caribé and drummer Tom Bancroft. Their repertoire runs from fresh compositions, some written on the day of the gig, to tributes to jazz legends and the work of special guests.

That's where Matthew Kilner comes in. He'll be on saxophone for the night, adding a fourth voice to the trio's usual guitar-bass-drums setup. The set will draw on the same mix they're known for: new material, nods to the jazz greats, and pieces written for the guest of the evening. It's a night of Scottish jazz and improvisation, and with Kilner in the mix, the trio's usual sound will be pushed into something different.

The gig starts at 8pm at the Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED. Tickets are £23 standard, with children and concessions at £18.