SCOTLAND'S national jazz orchestra will be joined by a leading taiko drumming group for a live performance in Greenock this month.

World of the Gods will bring together the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) and the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers for a vibrant evening of music and experimentation.

SNJO director and saxophonist Tommy Smith composed new music and arrangements of traditional Japanese melodies which have been combined with taiko rhythms composed by Mugenkyo.

The performance at the Beacon Arts Centre on May 26 is the only opportunity for audiences to attend in the west of Scotland, with the three-date tour then travelling to Perth and Edinburgh.

It will mark the first anniversary of the Beacon Jazz Club, which launched in May last year and sees events take place on the last Thursday of every month.

The event also comes as the local venue marks its 10th anniversary with a year-long programme celebrating the best in music, theatre, and comedy.

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World of the Gods has been described as a “truly imaginative work that dances in both the physical and musical sense”.

Karen Townsend, creative producer and acting co-director at the Beacon, said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers to the Beacon for what will be a spectacular performance.

“Audience members can expect an evening filled with energy as this show brings together modern orchestral sounds with a music tradition that is more than 2,000 years old."

The SNJO was established in 1995 and it is dedicated to promoting jazz as an important art form through performances, compositions, recordings, and educational outreach programmes.

Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers are the UK’s longest-established taiko ensemble and Europe’s only professional touring company of the performing art.

For more information, or to book tickets, please visit beaconartscentre.co.uk.