Fans of Jacqui Dankworth’s solo work should expect a totally different experience when the jazz crossover singer performs with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland. ‘With a big band behind you, it’s like a steam train pushing you along,’ she says. ‘You’ve got to really punch it out to be heard.’

Her last album, Detour Ahead, was a swaying blend of her own material and covers from Lerner and Loewe, Paul Simon and Bonnie Raitt.

The daughter of British jazz legend Cleo Laine and musician/composer John Dankworth, she has inherited her parents’ ear for a good jazz melody. ‘The inevitable comparisons can be a pain in the arse,’ she admits with a wry laugh. ‘But it’s about being brave enough to draw from your experiences and be honest.’

Switching between Broadway showstoppers and sultry standards, Dankworth has performed on Courtney Pine’s album, Devotion, and received regular airplay on Michael Parkinson’s Radio 2 show. She was asked to perform in Edinburgh by NYJOS directors, Malcolm Edmonstone – a friend – and Andrew Bain, a drummer in her band. ‘The Spiegeltent is a magical space. Good lyrics, the noise of a big band, and a crowd that lets itself feel uplifted – that’s when fantastic music happens.’ (Claire Sawers)
Spiegeltent, George Square Gardens, 0131 473 2000, 1 Aug, 6pm, £10.