Later this month, revered musicians from around the world will make their way to the Isle of Wight for the annual Jazz Weekend.

The County Press had the chance to speak exclusively to Jim Mullen, the Scottish guitarist known for his work with Let’s Go Round Again hitmakers, the Average White Band, and Morrissey Mullen.

Jim will take to the stage at Newport Minster, alongside singer Claire Martin, on Sunday, September 22.

“It’s a great musical challenge working with Claire because she is always full of surprises,” Jim said.

“She wasn’t long out of stage school when we started playing wine bars together,” referencing the pair’s ‘almost 30 years’ of collaboration.

Joining Jim and Claire on the night will be bassist Adam King.

With Claire on vocals, she decides the songs to play and Jim often won’t know the setlist until just before walking on stage.

“I’m never quite sure what she is going to do,” Jim said.

“There will always be quality songs. It’s a lot of fun.”

This is far from the first time Jim has performed on the Island, and although he is only here for “a matter of hours” this year, he is looking forward to his visit.

“It’s always nice coming down to the Isle of Wight,” said Jim.

“Getting out of London is always a great pleasure.”

Jim added that he’ll make sure he gets some fish and chips during his time on the Island.

While he will perform at the Newport Minster for the Jazz Weekend, Jim told us about a recent appearance at the legendary Royal Albert Hall, joining the Average White Band on stage.

“I played a couple of songs with them and the place was packed. 

“Everybody was up dancing,” Jim said.

The Pick Up The Pieces group embarked on a farewell tour earlier this year, after more than 50 years together.

Jim, 78, has played with the band many times and knows Alan Gorrie, the band leader, from teenage years.

“I don’t know what they’re going to do now,” Jim said, adding that ‘they’ve still got it.’

“I can’t imagine they will stop playing music because the alternative for musicians is too terrifying!”

Jim reassured us that he is ‘not ready’ to do his own farewell tour yet, instead planning on ‘bopping until [he] drops.’

In fact, Jim hopes to tour the UK later this year, playing music from his 2018 release, Volunteers, where all the musicians on the album played for free.