Since Tommy Smith brought his revolutionary group Karma to Shetland a couple of years back they have established a reputation as a devastating live band, including a rave appearance at the recent London Jazz Festival.

Saxophonist Smith is a good old Scottish local hero, one of our leading jazz musicians and composers, an internationally recognised soloist and bandleader since the late-1980s and the musical director and driving force behind the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, who were sensational at the recent Shetland Jazz Festival, and his own Youth Jazz Orchestra. His appearances on recordings, since touring and recording the Whiz Kids (ECM Records) album with vibraphonist Gary Burton at the age of eighteen, includes a total of twenty-three albums under his own name for Hep Records, GFM, Blue Note Records, Linn Records and his own Spartacus label.

After playing with the highly successful Hue and Cry, Smith has worked in jazz groups and big bands, and has recorded and toured with world renowned jazz musicians including Joe Lovano, David Liebman, Benny Golson, Joe Locke, Gary Burton, Chick Corea, Tommy Flanagan, John Scofield, John Patittucci, Miroslav Vitous, Arild Andersen, Trilok Gurtu, Jack DeJohnette, Jon Christensen and Kenny Wheeler. Is that impressive, or what?

Karma is a genius band all round with the magnificent Steve Hamilton on keyboards, Kevin Glasgow supreme on electric bass and the remarkable drummer Alyn Cosker who is developing something of a love affair with Shetland. Together they create music with drive, intricacy, funkiness, freewheeling expressive jazz of the highest order. In Mareel they should be sensational.

The gig, which is part of a national tour, is on Sunday 11 November at 8pm and tickets are available via Shetland Box Office in Mareel and Islesburgh, over the phone on 01595 745 555, or online here.  Not to be missed!