The Glasgow International Jazz Festival began life in 1987 when Glasgow was bidding to become the European City of Culture for 1990. It was established that all the competition had a jazz festival so the Glasgow Jazz Festival was created.

The Glasgow Jazz Festival brought some of the biggest names in jazz to the city including Sarah Vaughan, Chick Corea, Taj Mahal and Benny Carter in 1987's debut year.

The festival has a rich and varied programme looking into all types of jazz from trad and dixie to free jazz, and encompasses world music, blues and hip-hop crossovers.