Five emerging professional musicians from Scotland’s jazz and improvised music community have been selected for the second edition of Air Time: Jazz CPD Scotland. The programme, funded by the Scottish Arts Council, facilitates the professional development of the selected musicians through an opportunity to take time out to develop their creative and business skills.

This year’s programme takes place between June and December, and includes a five-day residency at the Tolbooth in Stirling in September and a series of interviews and planning sessions.

The participants are Joe Acheson (producer, bass), Phil Bancroft (saxophones), Aileen Campbell (voice), Ryan Quigley (trumpet), and Chris Wallace (drums). The five were nominated and selected by a panel of the industry’s leading figures, including members of the Scottish Arts Council and international music producers Serious, who manage the project. The panel also included Raymond McDonald, Dave Milligan, Graham McKenzie, and Louise Mitchell. The participants were selected for their potential to make a positive contribution to the local, national, and international community and benefit from the opportunity, in addition to a range of other criteria. The initiative is in its second year following a pilot edition last year.

– Nivedita Sarnath