Ian Cruickshank (1947 – 29 April 2017) was an English electric and acoustic guitarist most associated with the blues-rock and gypsy jazz genres, also well known in the U.K. as an educator, author and columnist, record producer and record label owner, festival organiser and promoter of artists in the gypsy jazz world.

He achieved some success in the 1960s in the Keef Hartley Band playing electric guitar under the pseudonym Spit James before becoming enamoured of the gypsy jazz style originated by Django Reinhardt in the 1930s and devoting almost all of his energies to educating, performing and promoting activities in this area up till his death in 2017.

[3] After leaving Hartley, Ian concentrated on teaching and session work, and at some point he became fascinated with the playing of the late jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt and taught himself to play quite effectively in this style - a feat given the dearth of gypsy jazz stylists in the U.K. at that time.

Eventually in May 1978 he made his way to the village of Samois-sur-Seine to attend the Django Reinhardt memorial jazz festival which in that year was celebrating 25 years after the death of Django and discovered how the living tradition of gypsy jazz was flourishing among the Manouche gypsies of France and northern Europe.

He organised the U.K. "Gypsy Jazz Guitar Festival" annually from 1997 to 2000, and appeared as a guest artist on three compilation albums from these for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000.