Date: Sunday, June 21, 2026
From;
https://eddiebruce.com/
Eddie Bruce’s Swinging Big Band Father’s Day
Sunday, June 21, 3PM
Fringearts Theater, Philadelphia PA
Tickets;
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eddie-bruces-swinging-big-band-fathers-day-tickets-1985200227320
Date: Saturday, June 06, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Sat 6 June | 8:30PM
The Music of Cannonball Adderley
Celebrating the Sound of Soul Jazz & Hard Bop
Celebrate the electrifying legacy of one of jazz’s most iconic saxophonists and bandleaders as the Axel Kaner-Lidstrom Quintet brings Cannonball Adderley’s soulful, groove-driven classics to life.
From the feel-good groove of Mercy, Mercy, Mercy to the timeless elegance of Autumn Leaves, expect a journey through Adderley’s beloved repertoire, reimagined with fresh energy, spontaneity and deep musical connection.
Tickets;
https://toulouselautrec.co.uk/whats-on/the-music-of-cannonball-adderley/
Toulouse Lautrec
140 Newington Butts, Kennington, London SE11 4RN
Live jazz, soul, blues, latin and more in the heart of South London.
Date: Thursday, June 04, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Thu 4 June | 8PM
The Music of Bill Withers
A Soulful Celebration of a Timeless Songbook
Celebrate the music of one of soul’s most iconic voices as The Music of Bill Withers comes to Toulouse Lautrec Jazz Club, featuring acclaimed vocalist Freddie Benedict.
From the heartfelt storytelling of Ain’t No Sunshine to the uplifting groove of Lovely Day and the timeless feel of Use Me, this special evening pays tribute to Withers’ unforgettable catalogue with rich vocals, deep grooves and fresh interpretations.
Tickets;
https://toulouselautrec.co.uk/whats-on/the-music-of-bill-withers
Toulouse Lautrec
140 Newington Butts, Kennington, London SE11 4RN
Live jazz, soul, blues, latin and more in the heart of South London.
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Wednesday June 24th
Blacktronica presented by King Britt
Life on Mars honoring Dexter Wansel
Johnny Brenda’s
1201 Frankford Avenue
Doors 7.00 pm
Date: Friday, June 12, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Friday June 12th
Danny Simmons presents
Wordsmith: A Def Poetry Reunion
Honoring Ursula Rucker
Ursula Rucker + Tim Motzer
Jamaaladeen Tacuma + more
http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/WDPR
80 Scultpors Way, Hamilton NJ08619
7-10pm
Date: Friday, June 05, 2026
Tim Motzer writes;
Tim Motzer Solo Live Concert
This Friday June 5th, guitarist Tim Motzer performs at the Event Horizon series at the Rotunda in West Philly. Doors 7:30 Show 8pm
I am honored to be the featured artist—i’ll be creating a deep cosmic solo set with a myriad of guitars, electronics & voice. I’ve played many epic shows as part of the EH series over the last 15 years or so. It’s my first time back to the Rotunda in a while, so I am looking forward!
The night also features Neil Cippon (solo ambient bass), and Sonic Foundry—a collaboration between the Dorety Brothers’ Dimension Step and the creative imagination of guitarist Karl Fury.
Visuals all evening by Ken Palmer. Thanks to Bill for EH for inviting me and presenting what will be an amazing evening. See you there!
The Rotunda
4014 Walnut Street
Philadelphia PA
Doors 7:30 show begins at 8pm
presented by http://www.eventhorizonseries.org
Dates: Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - Sunday, June 14, 2026
We have received the following media release;
40 fantastic years”: Audiences urged to join Glasgow Jazz Festival’s landmark celebrations
Organisers of Glasgow Jazz Festival are urging music lovers to play their part in the history of Glasgow’s longest running festival and join the landmark celebration as it prepares to host its 40th edition next week.
Returning to the city from 10 – 14 June 2026, the milestone year will see local and international talent rub shoulders on the bill as 175 musicians take part in 40 performances across five days, as the festival celebrates four decades of fantastic jazz.
Originally launched in 1987, Glasgow Jazz Festival helped establish the city as a leading destination for contemporary jazz music, while nurturing generations of talent along the way, and was responsible for the transformation of the Old Fruitmarket into a much-loved music venue.
Audiences attending the 2026 festival can expect everything from jazz, blues, soul and funk, with programme highlights including a performance from acclaimed saxophonist Courtney Pine, a solo set from award-winning guitarist Martin Taylor, and jazz vocalist Marianne MacGregor singing the songs of Amy Winehouse.
A 40 Years of Glasgow Jazz Festival round-table discussion is also set take place, as festival directors past and present explore how the event has evolved and endured through changing times.
Already sold out are two shows which will see trumpeter Colin Steele honour Miles Davis during what would have been his centenary year.
Jill Rodger, Director of Glasgow Jazz Festival, said: “Reaching 40 editions feels like a huge milestone and one that we’re incredibly proud to mark. This year’s programme reflects the sense of collaboration, diversity and sheer creativity to be found at the heart of the city’s jazz scene.
“The festival has evolved significantly over four decades so it’s wonderful to be able to reflect on all that’s been achieved and look to Scottish jazz’s bright future. We’d love to see music fans from across Scotland and beyond join us in making this a 40th party to remember.”
Glasgow Jazz Festival is made possible with support from Creative Scotland and the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Festival Fund.
The 40th edition of Glasgow Jazz Festival takes place from 10 – 14 June 2026. Tickets are available from http://www.jazzfest.co.uk.
Visit http://www.jazzfest.co.uk or @glasgowjazzfest across social media.
Glasgow Jazz Festival Showcasing world-class musicians and emerging stars, the festival brings Glasgow’s vibrant jazz scene to life. As the city’s longest-running music festival, it plays a key role in Glasgow’s status as a UNESCO City of Music, enriching the city’s cultural landscape. Over the years, the festival has hosted some of the biggest names in jazz, ranging from iconic figures like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett to revered artists such as Dave Brubeck, Tony Allen and Mulatu Astatke, alongside leading Scottish talents such as Fergus McCreadie, Georgia Cecile and corto.alto.
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at http://www.creativescotland.com. Follow Creative Scotland on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Dates: Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - Sunday, June 28, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this residency;
From June 24th – 28th, the eight-time Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician Jon Batiste will take over KOKO for a unique four-night residency, with each performance exploring a different side of his artistry. The run culminates in the first-ever live performance of Batiste’s jazz compositions from Pixar’s Soul, performed with a full band.
Batiste is one of the most acclaimed musicians of his generation and recent projects have included collaborating with Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter, earning an Oscar nomination for the documentary American Symphony, and appearing as a mentor on Channel 4’s The Piano.
Wednesday 24th June
Batiste Symphonic
A full orchestral performance featuring music from American Symphony and other works from across Batiste’s catalogue.
Thursday 25th June
Batiste By Request
An evening shaped entirely by audience requests, with Batiste performing music from across his studio albums, film scores, deep cuts, live favourites and rarities.
Friday 26th June
Batiste and Voices: Songs Of Hope and Change
A collaborative show featuring special guests, communal singing and songs centred around connection, hope and transformation.
Sunday 28th June
Batiste Plays SOUL (Disney & Pixar)
For the first time ever, Batiste will perform his jazz compositions from the Academy Award-winning Soul soundtrack live with a full band.
https://www.jonbatiste.com/koko/#/
Koko
1A Camden High Street, London, NW1 7JE
Dates: Thursday, July 23, 2026 - Saturday, July 25, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
Guest contributor Colin May has provided the following information;
Nice Jazz Fest final line-up announced
After a delay due to a change in administration and a subsequent budget cut of 800,000 euros ( see https://www.thejazzmann.com/news/article/nice-jazz-festival-facing-cuts) the full line up for the Nice Jazz Fest ( NJF), as it is now branded, has been announced. The festival which last year was four days with twenty-seven acts this year is three days, 23rd -25th July, with 18 acts.
Despite the reduced budget, international stars Sting and multi Grammy nominated hip hop artist Busta Rhymes will headline the all standing main Masséna arena , capacity 6500, on successive nights. The headliner on the third and final night will be south London singer-songwriter Lola Young who already is a Grammy winner.
Much respected saxophonist James Carter will bring his quintet to the seated Théâtre Verdure the long-time home for jazz at the NJF. His discography ranges from a recording inspired by Gipsy jazz to an electric and effects album, and he’s earned a reputation for encompassing the history of jazz in a single set, but for the NJF will be focusing specifically on John Coltrane the100th anniversary of whose birth is in September, with a performance sub-titled “A Centennial Supreme”.
Jazz and French Caribbean influences will feature with The Mario Canonge Trio who have roots in Martinique while the seven strong Getdown ensemble draw inspiration from music from Guadeloupe and the wider Caribbean. Their line-up promises three keyboard players - organ, piano, fender Rhodes - which is an intriguing prospect.
The NJF frequently gives a platform to youngish American based artists on the rise. This year it’s vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa who is out on her own following her contribution to Joshua Redmond’s 2023 album ’ Where We Are’ which led to DownBeat labelling her *a star in the making”, though I wasn’t convinced by her when seeing the album performed live. (My review is part of `https://www.thejazzmann.com/features/article/63rd-jazz-a- juan-juan-les-pins-france-8th-18th-july-2024)
Kassa Overall who has impressive sideman credentials : Geri Allen, Steve Coleman, V.J Iyer, Gary Bartz and others, offers his take on thecoming together of jazz and hip hop.
There usually is at least one act in the tradition of Django Reinhardt and Gipsy jazz and this year it is former child prodigy Biréli Lagrène who is credited with helping to
modernise that tradition.
Ticket prices for the NJF always have a history of being good value and this year the top price for the opportunity to see six bands ( it was seven bands last year) on the
24th or 25th of June is 45 euros.
However on the 23rd of June when Sting plays people will have to pay double that amount, and it remains to be seen how many will be willing to do so.
For the full line up see https://www.nicejazzfest.fr/en/programmation/2026
Date: Friday, July 31, 2026
We have received the following press release regarding this event;
Summer Preview - Jazz Icon Herbie Hancock Returns to Newark Jul 31 for Only Concert in Tri-State Region
Jazz Icon Herbie Hancock Returns to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), July 31
sponsored in part by TD Bank
“Herbie Hancock is a jazz scientist … always focused on musical development and finding new ways of moving forward.”
– 2025 Polar Music Prize committee
NJPAC
Prudential Hall
Betty Wold Johnson Stage
One Center Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
http://www.njpac.org
NEWARK, NJ — 14x GRAMMY winner HERBIE HANCOCK returns to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Friday, July 31, at 8:00 p.m., in a highly anticipated one-night only concert.
Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Now 70+ years into his astounding cross-genre career, he’s one of the most acclaimed and honored musicians of our time. Along with his phenomenal band, he takes audiences on an unforgettable musical journey that’s inventive, playful and profound. Throughout his explorations, he has transcended limitations and genres while maintaining his unmistakable voice. With an illustrious career spanning five decades, multiple GRAMMY Awards including Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters and a Lifetime Achievement Award, an Oscar, NEA Jazz Master, and Kennedy Center Honors awards, and more, he continues to amaze audiences across the globe.
There are few artists in the music industry who have had more influence on acoustic and electronic jazz and R&B than Herbie Hancock. As the immortal Miles Davis said in his autobiography, “Herbie was the step after Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, and I haven’t heard anybody yet who has come after him.” According to Downbeat, “His career-spanning juggling act of crowd-pleasing elements with deeper-driving musicality as a jazz titan has made him a model of how to blend seriousness with funk-fueled accessibility.”
Tickets are no now sale and can be purchased by visiting NJPAC.org or calling 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722) or by visiting the NJPAC Box Office at 1 Center Street, Newark, New Jersey.
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank U.S. is a leading U.S. bank with more than 10 million clients and a network of approximately 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Carolinas and Florida. We support our clients and communities with a full range of retail, small business, and commercial banking products and services. We also offer customized private banking and wealth management services, a comprehensive suite of credit card products for consumers and businesses, and automotive vehicle financing and dealer commercial services.
TD Bank U.S. is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S. by assets and is headquartered in Mount Laurel, N.J. To learn more, visit http://www.td.com/us.
TD Bank U.S. is a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank, the sixth largest bank in North America by assets. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD.”
About NJPAC
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is an anchor cultural institution for both the city of Newark and the state of New Jersey. It is an artistic, cultural, educational and civic center where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings communities together both on and off our campus – on stages, in schools and community settings – providing access to the arts for all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Social Impact programs, NJPAC leverages the arts to advance positive outcomes in education, health and well-being, civic engagement and community development. NJPAC has attracted more than 12.7 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997. Learn more at http://www.njpac.org.
Date: Sunday, July 26, 2026
From;
https://www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk/event-details/the-fezz-plays-the-music-of-steely-dan
The Fezz Plays the Music of Steely Dan
Sun 26 Jul | The Melville Theatre
Time & Location
26 Jul 2026, 20:00 – 23:00
The Melville Theatre, 4 Pen-Y-Pound, Abergavenny NP7 5UD, UK
About the event
The Fezz bring to life the highly engaging and varied music of 70s icons Steely Dan.
Capturing the spirit of one of the most inventive and sophisticated bands of the 20thcentury, The Fezz faithfully perform the music of Steely Dan – the legendary group formedand led by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.
Augmented by some of the finest jazz and session musicians of their era, Steely Daneffortlessly straddled blues, rock and jazz, creating a run of magical, critically acclaimed albums.
Expect classics - including Rikki Don’t Lose That Number, Peg, Reelin’ in the Years, Pretzel Logic and many more.
John Denton – guitar & vocals
Alan Davies – guitar
Colin Warren – bass
Morris Windsor – drums & backing vocals
Robin Powell – keyboards
Francis Gryspeerdt – saxophones
Website http://www.thefezz.co.uk
Tickets
Ticket type
General Admission
Price
From £9.50 to £19.00
Standard
£19.00
Friends of BMJ
£17.00
Under 18’s
£9.50
Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026
From;
https://www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk/event-details/fiona-ross-trio
Fiona Ross Trio
Sun 28 Jun | The Melville Theatre
Time & Location
28 Jun 2026, 20:00 – 23:00
The Melville Theatre, 4 Pen-Y-Pound, Abergavenny NP7 5UD, UK
About the event
Multi-award winning jazz artist, journalist and founder of the award winning Women in Jazz Media organisation Fiona Ross never stops.
As vocalist, pianist, composer and producer, Fiona has become known for creating her own contemporary jazz sound - incorporating fast paced Latin Jazz, vintage Jazz club, a little neo-soul along with heart wrenching ballads.
Live performances have seen her perform at prestigious venues - including 606 Club and Pizza Express – as well as at festivals such as the EFG London Jazz Festival.
Fiona has achieved many accolades for her work, including Best Jazz Song from the World Song-writing Awards. Her song ‘Mistress’ is included in the British Library archives for prosperity.
As well as working as a Jazz artist, Fiona spends her time behind the scenes in Jazz working as the founder of the award winning not for profit organisation, Women in Jazz Media. She is also Senior Writer for Jazz in Europe.
Website http://www.fionaross.co.uk
Tickets
Ticket type
General Admission
Price
From £9.50 to £19.00
Standard
£19.00
Friends of BMJ
£17.00
Under 18’s
£9.50
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2026
Featuring: Nicolas Meier
https://www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk/event-details/bmj-collective-with-guest-nicolas-meier
BMJ Collective with guest Nicolas Meier
Sun 14 Jun | The Melville Theatre
Time & Location
14 Jun 2026, 19:00 – 22:00
The Melville Theatre, 4 Pen-Y-Pound, Abergavenny NP7 5UD, UK
About the event
BMJ Collective’s guest this month is Nicolas Meier – widely recognized as one of the World’s most original and uniquely talented guitarists.
Born in Switzerland and based in the UK, Nicolas Meier’s music expresses his love of Turkish, Eastern and Middle Eastern music, as well as the genres of flaming, tango and much more – all entwined with jazz.
His extensive talent, versatility and musical fluency has been widely acclaimed – so much so that it attracted the attention of rock guitar legend Jeff Beck, who made him a mainstay in The Jeff Beck Group, leading to two World tours.
Since founding his own record label in 2009, he has produced 12 albums - either as a soloist, in a duo format or with a group.
Please note that this is one of our early 7pm start programmes.
Website: http://www.meiergroup.com
Tickets
Ticket type
General Admission
Price
From £8.50 to £19.00
Standard
£19.00
Friends of BMJ
£17.00
Under 18’s
£8.50
Dates: Thursday, June 04, 2026 - Sunday, June 07, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
Information supplied by Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here, Worcester.
Lichfield Jazz Weekender
Thursday 4th - Sunday 7th June
The Hub @ St Mary’s and other venues throughout the city
Acid Jazz veterans The James Taylor Quartet will be closing out the Lichfield Jazz Weekender on Sunday evening, after four days of gigs, workshops and talks at The Hub and other venues throughout the city, curated by Lichfield guitarist Tom Morgan (of Detroitwich Funk Machine).
The weekend kicks off at 8pm on Thursday evening, with The Nick Dewhurst Band featuring Lydia Rae at The Hub.
There are two free events on Friday afternoon. Chris Bowden will be appearing with Edgar Macías at Insomnia Coffee Shop, Boley Park at midday, then at 2:30pm you can catch Ray Butcher with Bill Hayes at The Quill & Scholar. These are followed in the evening with two ticketed events at The Hub, with Dino Baptiste & Tash Buxton starting at 5pm before The Ben Holder Quartet closes out the second day at 8pm.
On Saturday morning, 11am, you can watch The Gaz Hughes Trio perform at The Hub before Gaz relocates to The Quill and Scholar for a free workshop on The Art of Jazz Drumming at 1:30pm. Tom Clarke-Hill brings his Jazz Funk Machine to The Hub at 3pm before he also heads over to The Quill & Scholar for a talk “Jazz in Conversation”, which starts at 5pm and is free to attend. At 6pm, The John Evans Experience (a regular at The Trumpet in Bilston), will be performing at Minster Hall, featuring Suzanne Fonseca. Saturday evening wraps up with Antonio Forcione Trio at The Hub, starting at 8pm.
Sunday’s programme starts at 12pm at The Hub, with The James Oliver Band, followed by Soul Sessions with the Tom Morgan Quartet featuring Sir Louis at 3pm. Over at Minster Hall, at 6pm you can catch a trio of rising young stars of the Birmingham jazz scene as Sophie Gilbert, Arran Shanghavi and RJ Gilbert. The James Taylor Quartet close out the weekend at The Hub, taking to the stage at 8pm.
Further information and tickets, where required, can be found on The Hub St Mary’s website.
https://thehubstmarys.co.uk/
Date: Friday, July 31, 2026
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Neil Angilley Trio at Guildford Jazz, The University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Friday, July 31, 2026
More details
Neil Angilley Trio
Friday 31 July from 20.00 to 22.15 (doors open 19.00) at The Stoke, 103 Stoke Road, Guildford GU1 4JN
A welcome return to Guildford Jazz for this awesome trio. Their unique sound incorporates instrumental virtuosity and three-part vocal harmony, creating an uplifting take on the infectious rhythms of Brazil and Cuba. They have released five albums and work regularly in the London jazz scene and across the UK, performing at prestigious venues including Ronnie Scott’s, The Stables, and the 606 Club.
Featuring Neil Angilley (piano & vocals), Davide Mantovani (bass & vocals), and Davide Giovannini (drums & lead vocals).
For more details and to book tickets visit
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Sunday, July 19, 2026
Featuring: Liane Carroll
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Liane Carroll & others at Guildford
Jazz, Wood Street Village Green, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Sunday, July 19, 2026
More details
Annual Wood Street Jazz Festival
Sunday 19 July from 13.30 to 18.00 (gates open at 12.45) at Wood Street Village Green, Wood Street, Guildford GU3 3EU
Another wonderful afternoon on Wood Street Village Green in aid of Challengers, a charity that supports disabled young people and their families. Headlining is the multi-award-winning pianist Liane Carroll, one of the UK’s most popular and dynamic vocalists, plus the James Davison & Calum Au Quintet evoking the spirit of 50’s and 60’s jazz. There’s also a set from Wood St regulars the Somethin’ Else Big Band and a first appearance on the newcomer’s stage from the Alice Milburn Quartet. For more details and to book tickets visit
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Monday, July 13, 2026
Featuring: Rob Barron
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Rob Barron Trio at Guildford Jazz, The Guildford Institute, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Monday, July 13, 2026
More details
Rob Barron Trio
Monday 13 July from 14.00 to 15.00 (doors open for lunch at 12.00) at the Guildford Institute, Ward St, Guildford GU1 4LH
Jazz pianist and composer Rob Barron has been described as “one of the most creative and versatile musicians of his generation” and is highly regarded for his
improvisational flair and innate musicality that reveal influences of the American greats Cedar Walton, Wynton Kelly and Sonny Clark. He performs regularly with visiting American jazz musicians and has featured on numerous movie soundtracks, including Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby.
Completing the trio are drummer Josh Morrison and bassist Marianne Windham.
For more details and to book tickets visit
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Wednesday, July 01, 2026
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Karen Street Quartet at Guildford Jazz,
The Guildford Pavilion, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2026
More details
Karen Street Quartet
Wednesday 1 July from 20.00 to 22.15 (doors open 19.00) at the Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Rd, Guildford GU1 4RP
The UK’s leading virtuoso accordionist Karen Street has played with a host of other well-known performers, including Bryan Ferry, Grace Jones, Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli and leading orchestras such as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The London Symphony Orchestra. Her ‘L’Esprit du Jazz’ Quartet plays music inspired by French swing, Latin and Tango alongside original compositions and jazz standards.
Expect a totally joyous evening of toe-tapping music and outstanding musicianship with Sam Dunne (guitar), Marianne Windham (bass) and Katie Patterson (drums).
For more details and to book tickets visit
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Monday, July 27, 2026
From;
https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/alex_hitchcock_more_tba
Alex Hitchcock + more TBA
Tickets
https://tickets.thecockpit.org.uk/sales/jazz-in-the-round
This event is part of:
Emergence
Jazz In The Round: All Shows
Monday 27 July 8pm
The Cockpit
Alex Hitchcock (solo)
More artist announcements coming soon
Alex Hitchcock @abhitchcock
Alex Hitchcock is a London-born saxophonist, composer, arranger, and producer based in New York. He draws inspiration politically as much as musically from artists in the radical tradition of Black American music, including Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor, Hazel Scott, Ma Rainey, and Max Roach. His work reckons with the politics embedded in both the history and form of this music—and the struggle, resistance, and reinvention that have shaped it. Since emerging as a leader, Hitchcock has released four solo albums to widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian described him as a “virtuoso” saxophonist, while BBC Jazz World hailed him as “leading the charge in terms of new jazz music being created in the UK.” His work has been featured on the BBC, France Musique, WDR, JazzFM, Worldwide FM, and in leading publications such as Downbeat, MOJO, Jazzwise, Musica Jazz, Stereogum, and Uncut.
Hitchcock is a two-time Ivor Novello Composer Award nominee (2020, 2022), Parliamentary Jazz Awards nominee for Best Album (2023), winner of the Peter Whittingham Award (2018), and recipient of a major prize at the 2019 Umbria Jazz Festival. His writing foregrounds musical form as a site of both freedom and resistance, rejecting the co-opting of jazz as a neat synthesis of difference. He says: “I don’t want compositions to be containers that the band just fills up—we can explode the container.” Dissonance and difference exist less to be resolved than to be explored, honouring the music’s historical role as a vehicle for dissent—always inviting the listener into that negotiation.
He tours globally with his own quartet, performing at major venues and festivals including Ronnie Scott’s, the Barbican, Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury, Bimhuis, North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, Umbria Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, and Love Supreme. He is co-founder of LVDF, described by Soweto Kinch on BBC Radio 3 as “shifting gears and inverting time signatures on a hairpin, with so much soul and synergy.” His SAME MOON project with guitarist Ant Law was described by Jazzwise as “world-class original music making”.
TICKETS
Sliding-scale ticket options:
To help make our shows accessible while ensuring we can continue to pay our artists properly, we’ve introduced new sliding scale options for our ticket prices. These prices include our usual £15 tickets, plus ‘Pay It Forward’ options for those who are in a position to pay slightly more, as well as our half price tickets for musicians and students.
Please note: ALL ticket prices are for general admission, with all seats unreserved and first-come-first-served.
High note: £25.00
Cool cat: £20.00
Standard jam: £15.00
Students & MU members: £7.50 [ID required]
As always, carers go free, call the box office to book: 020 7258 2925
All acts are subject to contract and may sometimes change.
The Cockpit
Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH
Box Office: 020 7258 2925
(10.30am - 6pm, Monday - Friday,
12 noon - 6pm, Saturday)
Date: Monday, June 29, 2026
Featuring: Led Bib
From;
https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/led_bib_holly_reinhardt_sextet_more_tba
Led Bib, Holly Reinhardt Sextet + more TBA
Tickets
https://tickets.thecockpit.org.uk/sales/jazz-in-the-round
Jazz in The Round: June
29 Jun
All GA tickets on sliding-scale prices £7.50 - £25 (incl. booking fee)
This event is part of:
Emergence
Jazz In The Round: All Shows
Monday 29 June 8pm
The Cockpit
Led Bib
Holly Reinhardt Sextet [EMERGENCE]
More artist announcements coming soon
Led Bib @ledbib
Led Bib are one of the UK’s most daring and acclaimed bands, smashing through genre boundaries with a sound that fuses jazz, rock, improv and noise into something entirely their own. Formed in 2003 by drummer and composer Mark Holub, the group have released 11 albums, toured internationally, and picked up major accolades—including a Mercury Prize nomination for their breakout record Sensible Shoes. From the raw energy of their early releases to the vocal-led experimentation of It’s Morning and the bold reinvention of their latest album Hotel Pupik, Led Bib have consistently earned critical acclaim for their restless creativity and explosive live shows. Now reimagined as a keyboard-less quartet, the band continues to evolve, with a renewed sound that’s deeper, more melodic, and as fearless as ever. Over 20 years in, Led Bib are still making music that’s impossible to pin down—and impossible to ignore.
Chris Williams - sax
Pete Grogan - sax
Liran Donin -bass
Mark Holub - drums
Holly Reinhardt Sextet @holly._.reinhardt
Holly Reinhardt is a jazz and classical Double Bass player, member of Tomorrows Warriors and National Youth Orchestra, and a Yamaha ambassador.
Sliding-scale ticket options:
To help make our shows accessible while ensuring we can continue to pay our artists properly, we’ve introduced new sliding scale options for our ticket prices. These prices include our usual £15 tickets, plus ‘Pay It Forward’ options for those who are in a position to pay slightly more, as well as our half price tickets for musicians and students.
Please note: ALL ticket prices are for general admission, with all seats unreserved and first-come-first-served.
High note: £25.00
Cool cat: £20.00
Standard jam: £15.00
Students & MU members: £7.50 [ID required]
As always, carers go free, call the box office to book: 020 7258 2925
All acts are subject to contract and may sometimes change.
The Cockpit
Gateforth Street
London
NW8 8EH
0207 2582925
Dates: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 - Thursday, August 13, 2026
We have received the following confirmation regarding this event;
Hailed by NPR as “one of America’s defining voices of freedom and peace,” Mavis Staples is the kind of once-in-a-generation artist whose impact on music and culture would be difficult to overstate.
She’s both a Blues and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer; a civil rights icon; a GRAMMY Award-winner; a chart-topping soul/gospel/R&B pioneer; a National Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement recipient; and a Kennedy Center honoree.
She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., performed at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, and sang in Barack Obama’s White House.
She’s collaborated with everyone from Prince and Bob Dylan to Arcade Fire and Hozier, and performed with The Band at The Last Waltz.
At a time when most artists begin to wind down, Mavis Staples ramped things up, releasing a trio of critically acclaimed albums in her 70’s with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy that prompted Pitchfork to rave that “her voice has only gained texture and power over the years”.
Dates: Monday, June 01, 2026 - Friday, June 05, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
Information supplied by Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here, Worcester.
RBC Exit Velocity Festival - Part 2
The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire are hosting the second part of their Exit Velocity Festival this week, showcasing the talents and skills of their third and final year students. The daytime program runs from Monday to Friday, starting at 11:05am with four or five performances each day from bands featuring various students, as follows:
Monday 1 June
11:05 Elizabeth Choyce (sax), Rufus Reader (drums), Harvey Lees (bass), Jamie McLeish (guitar), Jude Bloor (piano), Joe Lawson (trumpet)
12:05-12:55 Marcus Coates (piano), James Owston (bass), Euan Palmer (drums)
14:15-15:05 Freddie Osman Dal (drums), Diego Villarreal (percussion), Angus Sharp (bass), Macy Wright (e. bass), Nathan Thomas (keyboards), Aedan Leng (guitar), Ben Pond (tenor sax), Nat Evans (alto sax), James OJ (violin)
15:25-16:15 Reuben-James Gilbert (sax), Marcus Coates (piano), Macy Wright (bass), Kefan Hu (drums), Lue Shen (guitar)
16:35-17:25 Dom Holyoake (drums), Nathaniel Evans (sax), Nathan Thomas (keyboards), Kyle Welch (bass)
Tuesday 2 June
11:05-12:25 Shijie Han (guitar), Kefan Hu (drums), Tom Robinson (bass), Yiwei Liang (piano)
12:45-14:05 Yifan Jiang (drums), Yiwei Liang (piano), Tom Robinson (bass), Tim Cash (sax)
15:25-16:45 Yiwei Liang (piano), Shijie Han (guitar), Harvey Leeds (bass), Kefan Hu (drums)
17:05-18:25 Yangxin Tan (piano), Tailong Shi (drums), Tom Robinson (bass), Jamie McLeish (guitar)
Wednesday 3 June
11:05-11:55 Macy Wright (e. bass), Rufus Reader (drums), Hazel Greenwood (piano), Sam Franks (trombone), Mark Bonner (trumpet), RJ Gilbert (alto sax)
12:15-13:05 Oliver Talbot (drums), Nick Manz (bass), Steve Saunders (guitar), Vato Klemera (piano)
14:25-15:15 Benjamin Pond (sax), George Farrell (trombone), Ben Shankland (piano), Kyle Welch (bass), Ollie Talbot (drums)
15:35-16:25 Nathan Thomas (piano), Dom Holyoake (drums), Kyle Welch (bass)
16:55-17:45 Charlotte Baker (vocal), Nathan Thomas (piano), Angus Sharp (bass), Isla Hutchins (drums), Vocal Group: Cassie, Yaz and Emma
Thursday 4 June
10:00 Joseph Noble (piano), Josh Rose (drums), Harvey Lees (bass), Timothy Cash (sax), Sam Franks (trombone)
11:05-11:55 Angus Sharpe (bass), Ollie Talbot (drums), Dan Lockheart (sax), Aedan Leng (guitar)
12:15-13:15 Ben Shankland (piano), Jonathan Silk (drums), Dan Casimir (bass)
14:25-15:15 Owen Nugent (drums), Angus Sharp (bass), Aedan Leng (guitar)
15:35-16:25 Corey Robinson (sax), Joe Noble (piano), Kyle Welch (bass), Kefan Hu (drums)
16:45-17:45 Kefan Hu (drums), RJ Gilbert (sax), Lue Shen (guitar), Harvey Lees (e. bass), Nick Manz (piano)
Friday 5 June
10:00 Joshua Rose (drums), David Roberts (piano), Ben Shankland (bass)
11:20-12:40 Jack O’Brien (sax), Isla Hutchins (drums), Pablo Baxter (bass), Luke Holcroft (keyboards)
13:00-14:20 Xiaozhou Yao (drums), Rachel Towner (bass), RJ Gilbert (sax), Nathan Evans (sax), Joe Noble (piano)
15:40-16:30 Kathryn Schultz (sax), Sam Franks (trombone), George Farrell (trombone), Luke Holcroft (piano), Harvey Lees (bass), Rufus Reader (drums)
16:50-17:40 Kyle Welch (e. bass), Nathaniel Evans (sax), Nathan Thomas (keyboards), Dom Holyoake (drums)*
Tickets are just £5 per day, available through the RBC website.
https://www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoire
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Birmingham City University
200 Jennens Road
Birmingham
B4 7XR
+44 (0)121 331 5000
*This lineup (Kyle, the two Nats and Dom) will be opening our Autumn program at The Marr’s Bar as ‘Boomslang’, on Thursday 10th September.
http://www.musicspokenhere.club
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Julian Martin writes;
This is just an advance warning that, from next month the Roath Jam will be moving from Ardour Dance Studios.
The next Jam will be on June 18th, at The 4 Seasons Cafe, no 1 Wedal Rd. There is ample free parking along Wedal Rd from 6.00 in the evening and there are no stairs to contend with so the whole venue is generally much more accessible. Also, the bar is generally much cheaper, so this should prove to be a good move.
We will no longer be asking people to buy tickets in advance online, simply come along and you will get an opportunity to make a voluntary contribution. If this system works and I’m able to pay the band, then we will dispense with a fixed ticket fee moving forward.
Also, we can now start playing from 8.30, rather than 9.00, so we can fit a few more performers in.
Junes’ trio will be myself, Piano, Ian Williams, Drums and Ross Thomas, Bass.
Hopefully see some of you guys on the 18th, and feel free to spread the word.
All the best,
Julian
Date: Saturday, July 04, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
4th July
This July we once again join forces with our friends at the Hebridean Lost Map label to present our summer showcase of songwriters and storytellers in word and sound.
We plan to transport a trio of solo artists from across the length of the country to Leytonstone with voice, cello, sythesiser, guitar and digital processing collaged together to create something magical in the ever-welcoming space of St John’s.
This event today is part of Leytonstone Festival and Leytonstone Arts Trail and we are inviting artists and audiences to leave their mark on the afternoon. Everyone who comes into the space will be invited to join in various activities: drawing or making alongside contemplating the music.
Our first destination is London-based French singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Clémentine March. She mixes together jazz, folk, Brazilian pop, disco, krautrock and 90s alt-rock influences. Her third album, Powder Keg moves fluidly between hypnotic art-pop, motorik punk, symphonic disco and lush Brazilian-inspired songwriting, while exploring themes of memory, friendship, romanticism and the passage of time.
Looking further across the musical map of the afternoon, we are proud to present Dominie Hooper, a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose emotionally raw, ritualistic songs draw together textured cello, jagged guitars and a voice of striking power and vulnerability. Rooted in the rugged landscapes and folklore of her Devon upbringing, her acclaimed debut album In This Body Lives— explores memory, identity, healing and human connection.
At the top of the map is Isa Gordon is an Ayrshire-raised, Glasgow-based producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist whose genre-defying music fuses folk tradition with club electronics, punk energy and experimental sound design. She reimagines folk standards and 20th-century songs by artists including Richard Thompson, Lou Reed, Robert Wyatt and Black Sabbath, treating each song as living folklore reshaped for a new era.
There are yet two more layers to our afternoon of creativity: a rare chance to experience live drawing to music from Andrew Rae and Nick White. These artists and illustrators are members of the Lost Map’s ensemble Owen & The Eyeballs. And if that wasn’t enough, setting the mood and filling the space as we relax into our seats will be multi-instrumentalist Terry Edwards. This is most definitely an event or an experience you are not going to want to miss!
Tickets;
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/arcticcircle/2175541
St John’s, Leytonstone
St John the Baptist, 825 High Rd Leytonstone, Bushwood, London E11 1HH,
Date: Friday, June 19, 2026
Featuring: The Boom Yeh
Pizza Express Jazz Club,
Dean Street,
Soho,
London,
W1D 3RW.
The Boom Yeh have provided the following information;
Hey all, we’re back with a new London live date:
Friday June 19th / Pizza Express Jazz Club (Soho)
10 Dean Street W1D 3RW
Advance Tickets / Stagetime 8pm
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/the-boom-yeh
Last year’s show was a sell-out so grab your tickets as soon as.
Be great to see you there!
Band lineup:
Ian Bailey alto sax Tom White trombone Paul Silver baritone sax Jon Speedy guitar Lef Germenlis keyboards Matteo Grassi bass Sam Blue Agard drums.
Check out this live recording from last year’s Pizza Express show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2lRC-_mt04
Our album Near-Earth Objects is out now:
https://theboomyeh.bandcamp.com/album/near-earth-objects
https://ffm.to/67dxvzo
https://www.facebook.com/theboomyeh
Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Swansea Jazz Club @Arts Wing Swansea Grand Theatre
June 17th, 8pm Emma Smith Quartet
Parliamentary Jazz Vocalist of the Year 2024 - Rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about voices in jazz.
With performances everywhere from the Royal Albert Hall to the world’s top jazz clubs, she has collaborated with major artists including Michael Bublé, The Quincy Jones Orchestra, Jeff Goldblum, and the Jeremy Pelt / Wayne Escoffery Quintet. Her expressive, magnetic stage presence continues to earn her a loyal international following.
Emma’s accolades include widespread success with vocal harmony group The Puppini Sisters, a four-year stint as a BBC Radio 3 broadcaster, and her role as resident vocalist with the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars. Following a triumphant tour with American supergroup Postmodern Jukebox, she was named Jazz Act of the Year at the 2024 Jools Holland Boisdale Music Awards, and is one of only two singers ever to receive the prestigious Worshipful Company of Musicians Medal.
Dates: Thursday, June 11, 2026 - Sunday, June 21, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
For full Festival details please visit;
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/events/meltdown
Date: Friday, July 03, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Friday 3 July, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre
Talvin Singh Presents Shradhanjali - A Homage to Zakir Hussain
Mercury Prize-winning tabla pioneer Talvin Singh honours the late Zakir Hussain with this concert, featuring jazz drummer Marcus Gilmore, percussionists Anantha R Krishnan and Satin Singh, and pianist Tom Rogerson.
Date: Thursday, June 04, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Thursday 4 June, Cadogan Hall
RIOPY + Marnie Glum
With over a billion streams and a cinematic, emotionally rich sound, experience acclaimed pianist and composer RIOPY live.
Tickets;
https://serious.org.uk/events/riopy-3
Thu 04 June 2026
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Cadogan Hall,
5 Sloane Terrace
London
SW1X 9DQ
Date: Thursday, June 04, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Thursday 4 June, ICA
Ana Roxanne + Laura Groves
To celebrate her new album Poem 1, experimental vocalist and composer Ana Roxanne presents an intimate “In the Round” performance at the ICA.
Tickets;
https://serious.org.uk/events/ana-roxanne
ICA | Institute of Contemporary Arts,
The Mall
London
SW1Y 5AH
Date: Sunday, June 07, 2026
Silk Street,
London.
EC2Y 8DS
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Sunday 7 June, Barbican
Mario Biondi + Savana Funk
Blending jazz, soul, and pop, Mario Biondi marks the 20th anniversary of “This Is What You Are”, the breakthrough single that introduced his unmistakably warm, deep voice to audiences in Italy and around the world. Over the past two decades, the song has become a modern soul-jazz classic, paving the way for collaborations with legends including Burt Bacharach, Chaka Khan, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Pizza Express Jazz Club,
Dean Street,
Soho,
London,
W1D 3RW.
From;
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/martin-speake-big-band
Martin Speake Big Band
PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)
Join acclaimed British altoist Martin Speake and his newly formed big band for the launch of their debut album, ‘Hidden Vision’. Featuring 18 renowned musicians from the UK and beyond, including Czech pianist Emil Viklický and a powerhouse brass section led by Louis Dowdeswell and Mark Nightingale, the concert will showcase innovative arrangements by up-and-coming saxophonist/arranger Charlie Rees (plus arrangements by Viklický, Martin Hathaway & Pete Saberton), all crafted from Speake’s diverse discography.
£35.00
6 June 2026 6:30pm 8:00pm PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)
Available
£35.00
Full Biography
Martin studied classical saxophone at Trinity College of Music. At that time there were no jazz courses in London, but he met some future jazz musicians at the college, including pianist Simon Purcell, saxophonist Mark Lockheart and the members of saxophone quartet Itchy Fingers who were studying at the Royal Academy of Music. He toured Europe, South America, Africa and the USA with Itchy Fingers appearing at major jazz festivals and playing on their first two CDs Quark (Virgin Records) and Teranga (Venture). In 1986 they won the Schlitz Young Jazz Musicians of the Year Award, which was televised by the BBC.
In 1988, he left the group to develop his own projects, which have been many and diverse, and establish himself as a composer and improviser. Martin is as comfortable playing personal interpretations of the music of Charlie Parker with his quartet, free improvising with drummer Mark Sanders, playing standard ballads in duet with Ethan Iverson and Indian music with Dharambir Singh and Sarvar Sabri.
He has recorded 30 CDs under his own name of diverse projects including the internationally acclaimed ECM release Change Of Heart with Paul Motian, Bobo Stenson and Mick Hutton and Intention featuring Ethan Iverson, Fred Thomas and James Maddren. He started his own record label Pumpkin in 2007 and has released many recordings. These recordings feature collaborations with drummer Mark Sanders, guitarist Colin Oxley, pianist Barry Green, bassist Dave Green, drummer Jeff Williams, guitarist Mike Outram classical pianist Douglas Finch, tuba player Oren Marshall, violinist Faith Brackenbury, pianist Alex Maguire, drummer Phelan Burgoyne, guitarist Rob Luft, cellist Matthew Forbes. Recent duo releases are Tendrils with Alyson Cawley, Unspoken with Jeff Williams, Love and Freedom with Will Butterworth and Illusion with Alcyona Mick.
Martin has many current creative projects including a Quartet performing original music. Charukesi featuring original music inspired by Indian, Arabic and Turkish traditions In All Languages -The Music of Ornette Coleman. Tendrils Duo with Alyson Cawley.
Band Lineup
Martin Speake (alto saxophone and compositions)
Martin Hathaway (alto saxophone/flute)
Charlie Rees (tenor/soprano saxophone)
Alyson Cawley (tenor saxophone/flute)
Duncan Lamont (baritone saxophone/bass clarinet)
Louis Dowdeswell (trumpet/flugelhorn)
Andy Greenwood (trumpet/flugelhorn)
Tom Dennis (trumpet/flugelhorn)
Steven Nichols (trumpet/flugelhorn)
Mark Nightingale (trombone)
Jeremy Price (trombone)
Martin Gladdish (trombone)
Simon Minshall (bass trombone)
Mike Outram (guitar)
Emil Viklicky (piano)
Matt Ridley (bass)
Tom Hooper (drums)
“Martin Speake is one of the most interesting and rewarding alto saxophonists now playing jazz on any continent.”
Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times
Dates: Friday, November 06, 2026 - Sunday, November 22, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
We have received the following press release;
Just Announced - Tix On Sale for New Jersey’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival, Nov 6-22
THE 15TH ANNUAL TD JAMES MOODY JAZZ FESTIVAL-NEW JERSEY’S LARGEST GATHERING OF JAZZ ARTISTS —NOVEMBER 6-22, 2026
Sponsored in part by TD Bank
A Landmark Year for the Preservation and Celebration of Musical Legacies
NEWARK, NJ (For Release 05.27.26) – The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today announced the line-up for the highly anticipated 2026 TD James Moody Jazz Festival taking place Friday, November 6 to Sunday, November 22, 2026. Attracting thousands of fans to the city of Newark for the past 14 years, this year’s Festival presents the world’s preeminent jazz and jazz-adjacent artists in manifold events including world premiere concerts, debut collaborations, and free performances too. This year’s lineup bridges the gaps between historic icons and the visionaries of tomorrow, featuring tributes to Miles Davis, Zakir Hussain, and the Festival’s namesake James Moody as well as a rare performance by Tony Award-winning Ben Vereen in a special 80th birthday celebration. Scroll down for a preliminary schedule of Festival events with more details to be announced later this summer.
Quote from John Schreiber, NJPAC President and CEO:
“What we deliver every year at the TD James Moody Festival is the music you love, performed in new ways; the artists you cherish in surprising and unexpected combinations; as well as new faces and new sounds you’ll want to hear more of.”
Quote from Christian McBride, TD James Moody Jazz Festival Advisor and 11x GRAMMY® Award-Winning Bassist:
“This year at the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, we’ll be remembering and celebrating some of the world’s best musicians. Legendary sitar player Niladri Kumaar will pay tribute to one of the Arts Center’s much-loved regular visitors, tabla superstar Zakir Hussain, who passed in 2024. The Moody All-Star Band will salute our festival’s namesake, James Moody. We’ll all help blow out the candles when Ben Vereen celebrates his 80th birthday the best way he knows how—on stage! And Jon Faddis will lead ‘Miles at 100,’ a concert in honor of the great Miles Davis’s centennial year. So many of your favorite jazz musicians will be on hand at the festival, from Gregory Porter to Charles Lloyd. I’ll be there too, playing with my good friend Bruce Hornsby as well as with the New Jersey Symphony. This is a lineup of one-of-a-kind performances you don’t want to miss.”
Quote from Martin Melilli, TD Bank Commercial Market President:
“TD is honored to once again support NJPAC and the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, a celebration of music, culture and community that continues to inspire audiences year after year. We believe the arts play an important role in building stronger, more connected communities, and this festival is a powerful example of how jazz can educate, uplift and bring people together.”
2026 TD JAMES MOODY JAZZ FESTIVAL ARTISTS
Andy Farber Orchestra · April May Webb · Ben Vereen · Bill Frisell · Bob Stewart · Bruce Hornsby · Charles Lloyd · Chris Komer · Christian McBride · Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars · Erena Terakubo · Eric Jacobsen · Gary Smulyan · Gregory Porter · Jesse Cook · John Clark · John Riley · Jon Faddis · Kweku Sumbry · Larry Grenadier · Lillias White · Melba Moore · Mike LeDonne · Moody All-Star Band · Niladri Kumaar · NJMEA All-State Jazz Band & Choir · New Jersey Symphony · Shoshana Bean · Stephanie Pope · Steve Turre · Todd Coolman · Wallace Roney Jr.
plus surprise special guests and more!
2026 TD JAMES MOODY JAZZ FESTIVAL LINE-UP
(subject to change)
When: November 6 – 22, 2026
Where: Multiple venues in Newark, New Jersey, including NJPAC (One Center Street), Clement’s Place (15 Washington Street), and Bethany’s Baptist Church (275 West Market Street)
Tickets: Free-$79. To purchase, contact NJPAC at 1.888.GO.NJPAC/1.888.466.5722
or visit http://www.njpac.org/jazz.
Fri 11.06 at 7:30 p.m. | Victoria Theater, NJPAC
NILADRI KUMAAR: THE SPACE BETWEEN THE NOTES HONORING ZAKIR HUSSAIN
A must-see for Indian classical music fans: The sitar star pays tribute to the late table player Zakir Hussain. Sitar star Niladri Kumaar is a musical maverick, redefining the classical Indian sound for the next generation. In this concert, he pays tribute to his friend, mentor and frequent collaborator, the late tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. Before Hussain’s passing, the sitar-tabla duo was captured in the wonderful 2017 documentary The Space Between the Notes. Kumaar will perform original compositions and revisit some of his favorite collaborations with Hussain.
Niladri Kumaar, sitar
Satyajit Talwalkar, table
Charlie Lindner, keys
Dèmitrio Albano, drums
Sat 11.07 at 6:00 p.m. | Bethany Baptist Church free
BETHANY BAPTIST JAZZ VESPERS: DIZZIE GILLESPIE ALL-STARS TRIBUTE TO JAMES MOODY
Co-presented by the Bethany Baptist Church Jazz Vespers, NJPAC begins its season-long free concert series at Newark’s Bethany Baptist Church. Since 2000, Newark’s historic Bethany Baptist Church has hosted free concerts that combine jazz and worship. This special performance by the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars ensemble pays tribute to the Festival’s namesake: jazz legend James Moody (1925-2010).
Thu 11.12 at 7:30 p.m. | Victoria Theater, NJPAC
MILES @ 100 | JON FADDIS & FRIENDS
CELEBRATING BIRTH OF THE COOL AND KIND OF BLUE
This one-night-only jazz supergroup honors the legendary Miles Davis (1926-2026) whose Centennial is currently being celebrated worldwide.
Jon Faddis, trumpet
Erena Terakubo, saxophones/flute
Gary Smulyan, baritone saxophone
Steve Turre, trombone
John Clark, French horn
Bob Stewart, tuba
Mike LeDonne, piano
Todd Coolman, bass
John Riley, drums
Fri 11.13 at 7:00 p.m. | Chase Room, NJPAC
NJMEA ALL-STATE JAZZ BAND AND NJMEA ALL-STATE JAZZ CHOIR
Catch the next generation of great jazz artists from New Jersey. This annual concert event, co-presented by NJPAC’s Arts Education Department and the New Jersey Music Educators Association, brings together some of the very best young musicians and vocalists from across the state for a dynamic group performance. Performers include NJMEA All-State Jazz Band and NJMEA All-State Jazz Choir
Fri 11.13 at 8:00 p.m. | Prudential Hall, NJPAC
GREGORY PORTER
The two-time GRAMMY®-winning singer returns to NJPAC with his deep, warm, soulful jazzy voice. Experience “a jazz singer of thrilling presence, a booming baritone with a gift for earthy refinement and soaring uplift” (The New York Times). Gregory Porter sings with passion — and compassion — on studio albums including Liquid Spirit, Nat King Cole & Me and All Rise. This year, he’s celebrating a decade of his album Take Me to the Alley. It was an instant classic in 2016, jammed with gems like “Holding On,” “Don’t Lose Your Steam” and the indelible title track.
Sat 11.14 at 8:00 p.m. | Victoria Theater, NJPAC
JESSE COOK
A global artist in every sense of the term, Jesse Cook redefines music’s power to connect people across cultures and continents. The Paris-born, Toronto-raised master of the Spanish guitar weaves together flamenco, samba, jazz and world folk traditions into something spellbinding and uniquely his own. On stage, Cook radiates infectious energy — collaborating with his band to craft immersive experiences celebrated for their warmth, precision and emotional depth. With over a billion streams and views across platforms, his sound remains as relevant as it is revered.
Sun 11.15 at 3:00 p.m. | Victoria Theater, NJPAC
BRUCE HORNSBY WITH CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE ONE ON ONE
The GRAMMY®-winning artists jam together and talk about life, music and collaboration. Singer-songwriter/pianistBruce Hornsby and NJPAC Jazz Advisor/bassist Christian McBride will jam and chat on the intimate Victoria Theater stage, in celebration of Hornsby’s 2026 album, Indigo Park. The two artists share plenty in common: Musical adventurousness that transcends genre. Constant collaboration with the biggest names on the scene. And many well-earned GRAMMY® Awards between them. Pitchfork hails Hornsby as “a solitary spirit drifting through time, bringing people together and bringing out their best, finding the strange resolution in all the dissonance.”
Wed 11.18 at 7:30 p.m. | Clement’s Place free
JAZZ JAMS
Co-presented by NJPAC’s Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers Institute for Jazz Studies, Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place is a free Jazz Jams Session concert series featuring top-flight New Jersey musicians directed by pianist and bandleader, James Austin, Jr. Audience members immerse themselves in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners’ minds. All novice and seasoned jazz musicians and singers are welcomed to jam and improv with the professional band throughout the night. Co-producers: Wayne Winborne, Executive Director, IFJS and Eyesha Marable, AVP, Comm Engagement, NJPAC.
Thu 11.19 at 1:30 p.m. | Prudential Hall, NJPAC
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, bass
ERIC JACOBSEN, conductor
Jazz and classical meet in this genre-defying program full of color, rhythm, and fun. Montclair’s own jazz legend Christian McBride debuts with the New Jersey Symphony in a concerto tailor-made for his unique groove and virtuosity. Program includes McBride soloing in George Duke’s Dark Wood: Bass Concerto for Christian McBride (2015) and McBride’s first work for symphony orchestra, Fried Bacon (2022). Eric Jacobsen, hailed by The New York Times as “an interpretive dynamo,” returns with the perfumed hues of Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Rachmaninoff’s final orchestral work, written in New York City and full of longing for his Russian home.
Sat 11.21 at 8:00 p.m. | Prudential Hall, NJPAC
BEN VEREEN’S 80TH BIRTHDAY CONCERT
It’s a birthday bash for the Broadway icon! The illustrious Ben Vereen has appeared in some of the most groundbreaking works in musical theater and film. He originated Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, won a Tony Award for Pippin and dazzled in everything from Hair to Fosse to Wicked. In addition, there have been his unforgettable roles in the Bob Fosse film All That Jazz, the landmark TV series Roots and the 2026 hit series The Gray House. On stage or screen, Ben Vereen has been at the center of American cultural history. He’ll be joined by an all-star lineup of special guests and the Andy Farber Orchestra, performing songs from Vereen’s career on Broadway, film and TV.
Ben Vereen, vocals (Pippin, Hair, Fosse, Wicked)
Shoshana Bean, vocals (Wicked, Mr. Saturday Night, The Lost Boys)
Melba Moore, vocals (Hair, Purlie, Les Miserables)
Stephanie Pope, vocals (Chicago, Fosse, Kiss of the Spider Woman)
Lillias White, vocals (The Life, Dreamgirls, Fela!, Hadestown)
Andy Farber Orchestra
and more TBA…
Sat 11.21 at 3:00 p.m. | Victoria Theater, NJPAC
CHARLES LLOYD QUARTET FEATURING BILL FRISELL, LARRY GRENADIER & KWEKU SUMBRY
The pioneering NEA Jazz Master Charles Lloyd is at the top of his game. On sax and flute, “he has no peer save himself” (Jazzwise). At 88, Lloyd has a lifetime of achievements to look back on — but looking back isn’t his style. He’s forever moving forward, earning his crown again and again as “one of America’s most influential, experimental and spiritual musicians” (Memphis Music Hall of Fame). Over his career, he has played everything (free jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, world music, psychedelia) with everyone (B.B. King, Cannonball Adderley, Jimi Hendrix and Brian Wilson, just to name a few). Among his many accolades, he won DownBeat’s 2024 quadruple crown: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Tenor Saxophonist of the Year and Hall of Fame.
Charles Lloyd, saxophone/flute
Bill Frisell, guitar
Larry Grenadier, bass
Kweku Sumbry, drums
Sun 11.22 at 2:00 p.m. | Prudential Hall, NJPAC
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY / CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE / ERIC JACOBSEN
See Nov 19 for event description.
Sun 11.22 at 11:00 a.m. + 1:00 p.m. | NICO Kitchen + Bar, NJPAC
DORTHAAN’S PLACE / WALLACE RONEY JR. QUARTET
NJPAC continues Dorthaan’s Place, its popular Sunday jazz brunch series at NICO Kitchen + Bar curated by Newark’s First Lady of Jazz, Dorthaan Kirk. The series made its debut during NJPAC’s 2012-13 season and has grown ever since. This edition presents the bold, forward-looking sound of electrifying young trumpeter Wallace Roney Jr., leading his Quartet. He comes from a renowned jazz family — his parents are late jazz luminaries Wallace Roney and Geri Allen. His quartet explores the music of Miles Davis, with fearlessly fresh improvisational talent.
“The finest in jazz is on the menu… anticipation runs high at Dorthaan’s Place, whether you’re there for the music, the food, the scene, Dorthaan, or all of the above.” (All About Jazz)
There are two brunch seatings: 11:00 a.m. (music begins at 11:30 a.m.) and 1:00 p.m. (music begins at 1:30 p.m.).
Sun 11.22 at 3:00 p.m. | Victoria Theater, NJPAC
15th ANNUAL SARAH VAUGHAN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ VOCAL COMPETITION
The divine Sarah Vaughan—Newark’s greatest musical gift to the world—got her start as the winner of a talent contest. NJPAC honors her legacy every year with the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, the only global jazz vocal contest of its kind, open to all genders and nationalities. This event offers outstanding jazz singers a one-of-a-kind platform for embarking on a career in the music business—and offers audience members a chance to discover the jazz stars of tomorrow. For this 15th annual “The SASSY Awards” event, WBGO Radio’s Gary Walker will host and 2024 SVVC winner April May Webb will perform. A panel of all-star judges—Jose James, Gretchen Parlato, Jason Olaine, Lillias White, and T.S. Monk—will select the winner. Gifted young contestants from around the world are evaluated on vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation, and ability to swing. The winner receives a $5,000 cash prize. Past winners include Samara Joy, Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Quiana Lynell, Laurin Talese, and more. For more information or to enter the competition, visit SarahVaughanCompetition.com.
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank U.S. is a leading U.S. bank with more than 10 million clients and a network of approximately 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Carolinas and Florida. We support our clients and communities with a full range of retail, small business, and commercial banking products and services. We also offer customized private banking and wealth management services, a comprehensive suite of credit card products for consumers and businesses, and automotive vehicle financing and dealer commercial services.
TD Bank U.S. is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S. by assets and is headquartered in Mount Laurel, N.J. To learn more, visit http://www.td.com/us.
TD Bank U.S. is a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank, the sixth largest bank in North America by assets. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD.”
About NJPAC
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is an anchor cultural institution for both the city of Newark and the state of New Jersey. It is an artistic, cultural, educational and civic center where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings communities together both on and off our campus – on stages, in schools and community settings – providing access to the arts for all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Social Impact programs, NJPAC leverages the arts to advance positive outcomes in education, health and well-being, civic engagement and community development. NJPAC has attracted more than 12.7 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997. Learn more at http://www.njpac.org.
Date: Thursday, June 04, 2026
Featuring: Steve Banks
From;
https://www.ticketsource.com/whats-on/bristol/the-hen-chicken
The Hen & Chicken
210 North St, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1JF.
Steve Banks - guitar, Sam Crockatt - sax, Rebecca Nash - piano, Henrik Jensen - bass, Jonathan Silk - drums
Guitarist Steve Banks released his critically acclaimed debut album Emboldened in May 2023 on Stoney Lane Records followed by a UK tour. Emboldened presents a compelling, distinctive, and personal sound, immediately recognisable as the guitarist and composer’s own work. Powerful modern jazz, deep contemporary grooves, lush harmonies, and memorable melodies amongst expressive, rich, and dynamic improvisation from a quintet comprising celebrated UK musicians and bandleaders.
“All the compositions are heartfelt and honest, as are the performances. A chronicle of hard-won optimism and hope. An elegant response to troubled times” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Jazz album of the month, BBC Music Magazine
Rebecca Nash – piano. Highly respected and in-demand UK pianist and composer Rebecca’s recent album ‘Peaceful King’ on Whirlwind records was received with enthusiastic acclaim in both UK and US. “One of the freshest most creative talents in the UK at this present time” UK Vibe
Sam Crockatt – saxophone. Royal Academy graduate, Whirlwind recording artist including three critically acclaimed albums as leader and Parliamentary Jazz Award winner. “’Mells Bells’ further burnishes Crockatt’s substantial reputation” John Fordham, The Guardian
Henrik Jensen – bass. Royal Academy graduate, Babel recording artist including three critically acclaimed albums as leader. “Jensen is thoughtful, richly chordal and attractively Charlie Haden-like on the bass” John Fordham, The Guardian
Jonathan Silk - drums. Originally from Scotland, Jonathan is a drummer, composer and bandleader based in Birmingham. He has released two albums with his own big band and string orchestra to critical acclaim and worked with world-renowned composers Vince Mendoza and Maria Schneider as well as a host of other nationally and internationally renowned musicians. Awards include BBC Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year in 2014 and the Yamaha Jazz Scholar Award 2011. Jonathan has been collaborating with Steve to arrange the music from Emboldened for full jazz orchestra.
More info here: http://www.steve-banks.co.uk
Dates: Thursday, August 06, 2026 - Sunday, August 09, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
25/05/2026 - We have received the following information;
Brecon Jazz Favourites for you in 2026
GREETINGS EVERYONE
BRECON JAZZ FESTIVAL 2026
now less than three months away
43 years of amazing music
Thurs 6th - Sun 10th August
WITH MANY RETURNING FAVOURITES
at the GUILDHALL -
Jon Crespo, Dave Jones, Ursula Harrison, with newer faces Olivia Cuttill, Phoenician Blinds (check them out!)
http://breconjazzfestival.org
- in the MUSE -
Dionne Bennett, Jack Mac, Hot Club Gallois, Bella Collins, Jane Williams & Gareth Evans, Fabulous Red Diesel Band - and get to know Grounded Thread, Jack Pearce, Cable Street Rag Band
http://breconjazzfestival.org
- at THEATR BRYCHEINIOG -
Orphy Robinson, Lianne Carroll, Jacqui Dankworth, Will Barnes, Tomos Williams/Paula Gardiner, Emma Smith & Francesca Tandoi - plus the amazing, must see ‘Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band’
http://brycheiniog.co.uk
And opening on Thursday 6th August, Courtney Pine
All details on website
Tickets are via two channels:
Theatr events / Guildhall+Muse events
http://brycheiniog.co.uk
http://breconjazzfestival.org
EMAIL CONTACT: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
Featuring: Remi Harris
5 Belmont,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.
UK
From;
https://events.hiveonline.org.uk/
Travelling Riverside Blues Show
Tickets from £17
Friday 17th July
Doors at 7pm
Show starts at 7.45pm
Seated gig
Join two fine blues musicians and enjoy an evening listening to the sounds and tales of the Mississippi. The simple sound of acoustic guitar and vocal brings the Delta to life, celebrating the power and energy of the bluesmen who created the musical legend.
This early raw style – just traditional guitar and vocal - formed the foundation of modern blues music. This show weaves a story of hopes and dreams, hardship and poverty through soulful and passionate music, along with tales bringing those times and people to life.
Sit back and enjoy The Travelling Riverside Blues Show on a journey through the Delta.
Date: Sunday, July 26, 2026
GROW VISION MUSIC & MWR&BC Proudly Presents WELL HUNG HEART live at The Muse Brecon…
July 26 @ 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm
WELL HUNG HEART live in WALES…
Explosive, genre-defying, and unapologetically raw — WHH is returning to the stage for a one-off show in Wales to help celebrate the 12th year of The MWR&BC at The Muse in Brecon.
This will be the band’s only scheduled Wales appearance for 2026, making it a rare and unmissable performance.
Formed by Greta Valenti and Robin Davey, WHH has carved out a fierce reputation for their incendiary live shows, blending garage rock, blues, punk, and a splash of soul into a sound that’s as rebellious as it is unforgettable.
The line-up will feature Valenti and Davey alongside original drummer Phil Wilson and more special guests tba, delivering a high-voltage set packed with fuzzed-out riffs, primal vocals, and unapologetic attitude.
From the U.S. West Coast to stages across the UK and Europe, WHH’s live shows are equal parts sonic assault and immersive performance art.
This intimate gig at The Muse will be a rare opportunity to witness the band’s full force up close.
More at.
http://www.wellhungheart.com
Special Guest will be.
RUZZ EVANS(Solo performance)…
Based in Bristol, UK, Gretsch-endorsed guitarist.
“Ruzz Guitar is without doubt one mighty fine guitarist, with a range of styles, but clearly bound up in his love of playing the Blues”
Pete Clack (Blues In Britain Magazine)
“Ruzz Guitar is a joy to see and keeps this beautiful roots music alive and well”
– Kirk Fletcher (The Fabulous Thunderbirds/Joe Bonamassa/Solo Band)
More at.
https://www.thebluesrevue.com/
Tickets £25
Doors Open 5.30pm
Show Time
6.30pm RUZZ EVENS
7.30pm WELL HUNG HEART
More details please contact Angus Kings directly via 0786 6000 596 / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
£25
The Muse at Brecon
The Muse, Glamorgan Street
Brecon, Powys LD37DW.
Date: Thursday, July 02, 2026
From;
https://www.regaltenbury.co.uk/events/jazz-night-groove-diggers
Jazz Nights with the Groove Diggers
Thursday 2 July 2026
7:30 pm 9:40 pm
Regal Tenbury Trust
49 Teme StreetTenbury Wells, England, WR15 8AE
Join us in the Regal Studio for a night of Jazz with The Groove Diggers.
The band consists of:
Richie Lund - drums
James Hunt - sax, flute
Rob Faulkner - guitar
Jez Place - keyboard
Peter Cabara - bass
Blend of r&b, soul, jazz fusion instrumental original tunes and some well known compositions.
Expect first-class playing, great atmosphere, and the chance to enjoy live jazz up close in the intimate Regal Studio.
Tickets;
https://regaltenbury.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173666572
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Joe Stilgoe is opening “The Half Note Club”!
Be part of the launch of an institution…the first chapter of the Half Note Club in Midhurst.
Midhurst Jazz, Food & Blues is thrilled to present:
“An Englishman In New York!”
An immersive, theatrical adventure…to 1950s New York and back again…
hosted by
Joe Stilgoe!
8pm on Thursday 18th June at The Half Note Club at Fratelli, West Street, Midhurst, GU29 9NQ
Join us as we go back in time to the legendary Half Note Club in Manhattan, of the late 1950s.
For one night only, candlelight, cocktails, Italian food, live music and sharply dressed company will replace the ordinary rhythms of Sussex life.
Expect:
• live jazz, laughter and cabaret
• a beautiful five-course Italian dinner
• cocktails and conversation
• dancing late into the evening
• and PLENTY of surprises!
DRESS CODE: Think Manhattan, 1958, Cocktail Chic.
About Joe Stilgoe:
“…a panache that leaves the rest of us bug-eyed” ~ The Observer
“Joe Stilgoe is deliciously entertaining” ~ The Cambridge Critique
“★★★★★” ~ The Scotsman
“Musical virtuosity with a swashbuckling stage presence” ~ The Guardian
This is not a concert.
It’s an experience.
And with capacity intentionally limited, we suspect word will travel quickly.
TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE HERE
https://www.midhurstjazzandblues.com/half-note-club
Dates: Wednesday, July 08, 2026 - Thursday, July 09, 2026
Featuring: Kyle Eastwood Band
We have received the following information regarding these events;
Palladino’s Jazz Bar
Presents:
The Kyle Eastwood Quintet
8th & 9th July 2026
Palladino’s Jazz and Blues Bar
73 Merthyr Road
Whitchurch, Cardiff, CF14 1DD
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-kyle-eastwood-quintet-tickets-1986761393811
Palladino’s Jazz and Blues Bar is proud to present the Kyle Eastwood Band, hosting one of their first UK performance since 2024. Kyle is Clint’s son, but first and foremost a talented jazz bass player and composer of music for movies, among which GranTorino, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima and Invictus. He is the author of nine albums, the last of which, Eastwood Symphonic, is a symphonic spin-off on Clint’s cult movie themes.
Having only been open for around a year, Palladino’s Jazz Bar has been building a strong reputation as the best location to experience live jazz in Cardiff. The carefully curated series of concerts are enhanced by a top of the range sound system and backline production, with a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere that perfectly compliments the music. Venue boss (and drummer) Marc Palladino’s brother is the Grammy award winning songwriter, producer and bassist Pino Palladino, widely known for his work with artists including D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Eric Clapton, Who, Nine Inch Nails, Questlove, John Mayer, Paul Simon, Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock and Adele, John Legend, Ed Sheeran, amongst numerous others, as well as his own celebrated recordings.
The fact that the venue is run by a musician means that everything is kept to the highest standard. With many memorable performances having already taken place, Palladino’s Jazz Bar is going from strength to strength. Kyle Eastwood’s series of performances at Palladino’s will be the band’s first UK concerts in years - their booking clearly demonstrate the calibre of musicians that Palladino’s are able to recruit.
Family-run business Pizzeria Villaggio (on the ground floor below the jazz bar) has been a firm favourite on the Cardiff culinary scene for generations. Don’t miss this chance to experience the full venue in action!
2 x sets per night, each set 75 minutes.
The Kyle Eastwood Band Are:
Quentin Collins: Trumpeter Quentin Collins is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading jazz and commercial players, with a career spanning over two decades. He has performed and recorded with an extraordinary range of artists including Prince, Alicia Keys, Mark Ronson, Gregory Porter and Basement Jaxx, with whom he toured internationally. His debut album If Not Now, Then When? was named Jazz Album of the Year, while his 2019 release Road Warriorreceived widespread acclaim, including five stars from BBC Music Magazine. A long-standing member of the Kyle Eastwood Band since 2011, Collins has featured prominently as a performer, composer and arranger on multiple albums and global tours. He co-leads QCBA with Brandon Allen and is also the co-founder and Artistic Director of Ubuntu Music, where he has produced and supported emerging jazz talent. Alongside his performing career, Collins is an experienced educator, having taught internationally and mentored students at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
Chris Higginbottom: A core member of the Kyle Eastwood Band for over a decade, Chris Higginbottom is one of the UK’s most in-demand drummers. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, he is also a member of the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars and has released two albums under his own name. Now based in London, Chris previously spent eight years in New York, performing with leading jazz artists including Mark Murphy and Seamus Blake. He can also be heard on recent releases by Van Morrison.
Brandon Allen: Originally from Perth, Western Australia, saxophonist Brandon Allen relocated to London in 2000 and has since established himself as a major presence on the UK jazz scene. He has performed across a wide range of genres with high-profile artists including Eric Clapton, Paloma Faith, Beverley Knight, Jools Holland and Neil Diamond. He co-leads OMAR + QCBA alongside UK soul artist Omar Lyefook, touring internationally, and leads several of his own projects including the Brandon Allen Quartet and Groove Band. In addition to performing, he is a Jazz Professor at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Widely acclaimed by critics, Allen is regarded as one of the most exciting tenor saxophonists in Britain today.
Andrew McCormack: Pianist and composer Andrew McCormack has built a wide-ranging international career, performing at major venues and festivals worldwide. His debut album Telescope (2005) earned him the BBC Jazz Award for Rising Star, and he has since released a series of critically acclaimed recordings including Live in Londonand First Light. His 2022 release Terra Firma, featuring a new trio, received widespread praise and led to extensive touring across the UK and Europe, including sold-out performances at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and Duc des Lombards. McCormack also collaborates closely with saxophonist Jason Yarde, with whom he has toured internationally. Beyond performance, he has composed for ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra and worked as an orchestrator on films by Clint Eastwood, including Flags of Our Fathers and Changeling. A long-time collaborator with the Kyle Eastwood Band, McCormack is also an acclaimed solo artist, known for his expressive improvisation and compositional depth.
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Featuring: Nick Costley-White
10th June Nick Costley-White Trio Stratford Jazz, Rother St Arts House 14 Rother Street, Stratford upon Avon CV37 6LU.
Date: Tuesday, June 09, 2026
Featuring: Abacus
9th June Liam Brennan’s Abacus - Corner Pocket Jazz and Blues Club Westwood Club on Westwood Heath Rd Coventry CV4 8GP.
Date: Thursday, June 04, 2026
4th June Fargo Jazz Jam FarGo Village, Far Gosford Street, Coventry CV1 5ED
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Featuring: Yetii
Alex Veitch of Yetii writes;
mercury nominated trumpet player and composer LAURA JURD is our first musical guest at ST. GEORGE’S CONCERT HALL in Bristol on THURSDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER. I wanted to write to share a bit more about Laura: she’s an incredible musician and we’re excited to be performing together again!
“Composer Jurd with her band of co-virtuosos have now pulled-off what might be considered a masterpiece.” All About Jazz
“Simply stupendous ... a glorious, shifting collage of sound.” BBC Music Magazine
HERE IS THE TICKET LINK
https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/whats-on/yetii-guests/
Laura is one of the leading talents on the UK jazz scene. She leads Mercury-nominated band Dinosaur, has written music for the BBC Proms, National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and BBC Concert Orchestra. She is a BBC New Generation Artist, winner of a 2019 Ivor Composer Award, and recently released her 6th individual album “Rite and Revelations” to widespread critical acclaim.
And, more importantly, her combination with Yetii when she joined us earlier this year was seamless. She added to our compositions in new and interesting ways and it was a joyful and exciting night of music making. Laura also has the distinction of being our “fastest to sell out Greenbank show” and so we thought you might want to see some more of her playing with Yetii!
HERE is a live video of Laura in action, playing one of her original tunes from her latest album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m2NmKvSDJc
Enjoy!
All the best,
Alex Veitch
St George’s Bristol
Great George Street
(off Park Street)
Bristol, BS1 5RR
Box Office
0117 929 4929
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Saxophonist JAKE MCMURCHIE is our second guest at ST. GEORGE’S in September. I know a lot of you will know Jake from Yetii or his other projects. But for those who don’t, let me introduce him!
“A revelation” London Evening Standard
“It’s really imaginative contemporary music, with a hot free jazz core” The Guardian
“Where has he been? A very, very good saxophonist. Very original, very passionate” BBC Radio 3
Jake is a local legend. His performance credits include Portishead and Massive Attack, and he is a founding member of the BBC Jazz Award winning “Get the Blessing”. Jake is our longest term collaborator, having come on tour with Yetii and recorded some Beatles tracks with us at our home studio. He really understands what we do, as well as bringing the energy with his virtuosic blues and bebop over some of our newer compositions. A joy to play with!
HERE is a video of Yetii with Jake playing our version of “Blackbird” by The Beatles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cv-oXHNV28
“
Date: Thursday, July 02, 2026
Featuring: Dave Jones
Dave Jones has forwarded the following information;
DAVE JONES
Thursday 2 July -‘Trunk of Funk’ at WMC Cabaret venue in Cardiff Bay
Dave Jones’ ‘Trunk of Funk’ at the Wales Millunnium Centre in Cardiff Bay.
The line-up for 2 July in Cardiff is …
Ben Waghorn (saxes)
Paul Carr (guitar)
Dave Jones (keyboards)
Jon Goode (bass)
Elliot Bennett (drums)
Further details and tickets for 2 July in Cardiff are available from the ‘Buy Tickets’ button below …
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2026/trunk-of-funk
Dates: Friday, October 30, 2026 - Saturday, October 31, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
Details to be announced.
Festival website;
http://www.aberteifilive.co.uk
Date: Saturday, July 04, 2026
From;
https://jointhecircle.net/events/404
404: Lost Map Summer Soirée
Saturday 4 July 2026
12:00 13:00
St John’s, Leytonstone
825 High Road Leytonstone, London, E11 1HH.
This July we once again join forces with the Lost Map label to present our regular summer showcase of marvellous music makers. A trio of artists will present beautiful, bewildering and bewitching sounds as well as storytelling for all the senses. Artist tbc.
Arctic Circle’s Daylight Music has, for nealy seventeen years, become an important part of London’s live music scene, with a weird and wonderful mix of musicians presenting ideas and storytelling in music and sound, alongside delicious cake, in some of the most splendid and iconic venues.
Further event details: Cafe open. An event for all ages. Pay-What-You-Can entry in advance or on the door (£12 per adult suggestion, children free), subject to availability/capacity.
Date: Friday, July 03, 2026
Featuring: Empirical
One Jazz Radio have forwarded the following information regarding this event;
Empirical Album Launch
03 July, Kings Place, Kings Cross London
One Jazz are proud to be supporting the new release from one of the UK’s most enduring jazz ensembles – Empirical. Their eighth album Like Lambs: To The Slaughter sees Empirical’ s Nathaniel Facey (alto sax), Tom Farmer (double bass) and Shaney Forbes (drums), enlist long-time collaborators Ivo Neame (piano) and David Preston (guitar) to lend their distinctive musical voices to the album. As well as supporting the album launch gig at Kings Place on the 3rd of July we’ll also be hosting an album playback session happening at Spiritland on June 8th.
Date: Thursday, June 04, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
The Light Surgeons and Sculpture, 4th June at CAFE OTO
Thursday 4 June 2026
Doors 7.30PM CAFE OTO
The Light Surgeons
SCULPTURE
Join us on 4th June at CAFE OTO, London, to enjoy two landmark acts in the world of live audiovisual performance – artists for whom the screen is never passive and sound is never mere accompaniment. Two very different works. One shared impulse: to make images and sound inseparable.
The Light Surgeons present Adrift — a live cinema performance years in the making. Christopher Thomas Allen and composer Tim Cowie weave analogue slide photography, archival video and a live electro-acoustic score into a meditation on liminal landscapes, migration and the changing face of our world. The performance will also feature material from Landsong, an ongoing exploration of aerial footage and sonification gathered across the UK.
Sculpture – the duo of Reuben Sutherland and Dan Hayhurst – conjures volatile, hyperkinetic worlds from turntables, zoetropic prints, cassette decks and samplers. Their live AV sets resist category: animation bleeds into collage, outsider pop splinters into improvised noise, and genre tropes dissolve the moment they form. Expect multisensory overload.
Set times
8 pm - The Light Surgeons
9 pm - Sculpture
Ticket Price
£14 Door £12 Advance £8 MEMBERS
https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/events/unpredictable-sculpture-and-the-light-surgeons/
Cafe OTO
18–22 Ashwin street
Dalston
London
E8 3DL
Date: Saturday, June 06, 2026
Featuring: Hattie Whitehead
We have received the following press release regarding this event;
Joni Mitchell Sung By Hattie Whitehead
6 June at Norton St. Philip Church, Bath
Matinee & Evening Performances
This June, Night River and Hattie Whitehead present a very special, intimate evening celebrating the music of Joni Mitchell. Hattie Whitehead performs a heartfelt celebration of the music of Joni Mitchell, one of the most singular and influential voices in modern songwriting, hosted at Norton St. Philip Church, Bath on 6 June. The concert is presented as a seated, attentive listening experience, with a daytime matinee welcoming families and an extended evening performance.
Hattie is an acclaimed British singer-songwriter known for her rich, honeyed vocals and deeply introspective songwriting which blends folk and jazz influences, drawing comparisons to artists like Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake. She has also spent several years fronting the seven-piece band Hejira who pay homage to Joni Mitchell’s jazz infected material from the late 1970s playing UK-wide sold-out shows including performances as prestigious venues such as London’s Jazz Café.
At the unique Norton St. Philip Church shows, Hattie will perform solo accompanied by pianist Chris Eldred for a more stripped-back performance to allow for the beauty, complexity and emotional depth of Joni’s timeless songs to take centre stage. Hattie will perform a set of the Joni Mitchell’s songs she feels a deep emotional connection too - from beloved early songs to deeper cuts such as Clouds, Blue, Hejira, The Hissing of Summer Lawns and more – as well as performing her own songs.
Matinee show doors at 2pm
Tickets here.
https://wegottickets.com/event/691320
Evening show doors open 7pm
Tickets here.
https://wegottickets.com/event/690090
More info on Hattie Whitehead here.
https://www.hattiewhitehead.com/live
Church of St Philip & St James
Vicarage Ln, Norton St Philip, Bath BA2 7LY.
https://wegottickets.com/nightriver
01373 834581
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Tuesday 14th July, 8pm Muse
Debbie Arthurs’ Hot Five
We know you love this music and here it is!
Swing from the ‘40s with vocals, sax, banjo, trombone lineup.
‘Earlybird’ tickets £15 available
Standard @ £17, Door £19
https://www.ticketsource.com/breconjazz-jazzlivecymru/t-aaarvez
PWYC & Youth ticket options on all shows
BRECON JAZZ CLUB
MUSE ARTS CENTRE
Glamorgan St.
Brecon, LD3 7DW
Date: Tuesday, June 09, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Tuesday 9th June, 8pm Muse
Showcase of Funky Jazz with the Tân Cerdd community
Expect talent, innovation & delight. We’re planning a really special set of lineups & songs - and a very affordable ‘night out’ for everyone @ £12 per member/earlybird ticket.
https://www.ticketsource.com/breconjazz-jazzlivecymru/t-oeenjon
BRECON JAZZ CLUB
MUSE ARTS CENTRE
Glamorgan St.
Brecon, LD3 7DW
Date: Friday, June 05, 2026
From;
https://www.kidderminsterjazzclub.co.uk/2025-2026-season-shows
Harry Diplock Trio
Kidderminster Jazz Club
Fri, Jun 5 @ 7:00PM
A modern take on the jazz guitar trio.
Harry Diplock brings his own take on melodic virtuosity to the world of jazz. Rooted in the acoustic qualities of the guitar and heavily inspired by masters of both the French and American Jazz scene, the trio has a unique sound that is distinctly original.
Having released the critically acclaimed album “Trio & Friends” in 2023, the trio played across 8 countries for a 28 date tour in 2025 and are poised to release their new album ” Swift” in 2026
Venue Address
St Ambrose’s Parish Centre
Leswell St, Kidderminster DY10 1RP
Bring Your Own Bottle/Drinks
Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026
Featuring: Steve Waterman’s Latin Jazz Quartet
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Steve Waterman’s Latin Jazz Quintet at Guildford Jazz, Loseley Park, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026
More details
Steve Waterman’s Latin Jazz Quintet
Sunday 28 June from 17.15 to 19.30 (doors open 16.30) at Loseley Park, Guildford GU3 1HS
Bring a picnic and a bottle or two of your favourite tipple and join us for an exciting evening of Salsa, Samba and Tango rhythms from the outstanding UK trumpeter Steve Waterman and his quintet featuring Simon Allen, tenor sax, Alex Hutton, piano, Rob Statham, bass and Marc Cecil, percussion plus The Farnham Big Band.
Come rain or shine, this is always a fabulous event in this most beautiful of settings, raising money for GUTS, fighting bowel cancer. For more details and to book tickets visit https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Andy Davies Quartet at Guildford Jazz, The Guildford Pavilion, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
More details
Andy Davies Quartet
Wednesday 24 June from 20.00 to 22.15 (doors open 19.00) at the Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Rd, Guildford GU1 4RP
An outstanding evening of live jazz featuring the award-winning Welsh trumpeter Andy Davies and multi-award-winning guitar legend Nigel Price. Andy has released
several albums with his Quartet, most recently the critically acclaimed ‘Rise of The Spider Monkey’, and, as a sideman, he has performed and recorded with jazz artists such as Ian Shaw, Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, Guy Barker Big Band, Tony Kofi Quintet and Nigel Kennedy. With fantastic drummer Jamie Murray and Marianne Windham on double bass.
For more details and to book tickets visit https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Simon Spillett-Ray Gelato Quintet at Guildford Jazz, The Guildford Pavilion, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026
More details
Simon Spillett-Ray Gelato Quintet
Thursday 11 June from 20.00 to 22.15 (doors open 19.00) at the Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Rd, Guildford GU1 4RP
Tenor saxophonists Ray Gelato and Simon Spillett are two of the best-loved and entertaining musicians on the UK jazz scene, Ray with his hugely popular Giants and Simon with his big band and quartet. If you love the classic, melodic, swinging sax sounds of US masters such as Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Illinois Jacquet and Gene Ammons then this is a gig not to be missed. With Gunter Kurmayer, piano, Marianne Windham, bass and Pete Cater, drums.
For more details and to book tickets visit
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Monday, June 08, 2026
Featuring: Karen Sharp Trio
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Karen Sharp Trio at Guildford Jazz, The Guildford Institute, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Monday, June 8, 2026
More details
Karen Sharp Trio
Monday 8 June from 14.00 to 15.00 (doors open for lunch at 12.00) at the Guildford Institute, Ward St, Guildford GU1 4LH
Multi-award-winning tenor saxophonist Karen Sharp is universally admired for her melodic, accessible yet distinctive, saxophone playing. Having recorded six albums as leader she has won the British Jazz Award for best tenor saxophonist on several occasions and has been a nominee in the Rising Star category of the US Downbeat Critics Poll for baritone sax in both 2018 and 2019. With the brilliant Gareth Williams, one of the UK’s leading jazz pianists, and Marianne Windham on bass.
For more details and to book tickets visit
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Saturday, June 06, 2026
Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;
Sarah Jane Eveleigh Quintet at Guildford Jazz, The High Clandon Estate Vineyard, Guildford, Surrey
Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
More details
Sarah Jane Eveleigh Quintet
Saturday 6 June from 13.00 to 20.00 (doors open 19.00) at the High Clandon Estate Vineyard, West Clandon, Guildford GU7 7RP
Vocalist Sarah Jane Eveleigh celebrates the legendary ladies of jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee. With jazz trumpeter Martin Shaw, pianist Alex Hutton, bassist Marianne Windham and Andrew Eveleigh drums. Bring a picnic or have pizzas on the lawn and, on arrival, enjoy a complementary glass of award-winning vintage Cuvee from High Clandon Estate Vineyard. All proceeds go to Cherry Trees, an organisation that provides home from home specialised short breaks for young people with complex disabilities. For more details and to book tickets visit
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk
Date: Thursday, July 09, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Thursday 9 July, Cadogan Hall
Terence Blanchard & Ravi Coltrane:
Miles Davis and John Coltrane at 100
2026 marks the centennial of two visionary architects of modern jazz: Miles Davis and John Coltrane. To celebrate their enduring legacy, two of today’s most innovative and influential bandleaders – Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane – will join forces for a special celebratory concert at Cadogan Hall with a full live band.
Blanchard and Coltrane, both deeply connected to the spirit and lineage of these jazz icons, embody the very essence of creativity, futurism, transcendence, freedom and the timeless “birth of cool” that defined Miles and Trane’s artistry. Staying true to the spirit of jazz, this centennial tribute will thrive on improvisation, creativity, and emotional depth - making it a night that is both singular and impossible to replicate.
Part of the Summer Jazz Series, this unmissable line-up brings together a handpicked selection of world-class jazz talent from across the globe.
Thu 09 July 2026
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Location
Cadogan Hall,
5 Sloane Terrace
SW1X 9DQ
Date: Friday, June 12, 2026
Featuring: Bruno Heinen
From;
https://www.93feeteast.co.uk/?post_type=one50&p=8922
Fri 12 Jun 7:30 PM - 1:30 AM
Bruno Heinen’s The W / Ruth Goller / ZOOT MOiR
Live Room
Described by the Guardian as eclectic, eccentric and unobtrusively erudite, Bruno Heinen’s contemporary chamber jazz collective The W launch their new record Mikrokosmos featuring Heidi Vogel (Cinematic Orchestra), Andrea Di Biase (Kenny Wheeler) and Gene Calderazzo (Radiohead, Pharaoh Sanders).
Top class…Super project – Gilles Peterson
Tonight’s gig opens with a solo set from Ruth Goller (Alabaster De Plume, Acoustic Ladyland) – electric bass and vocals with effects and soundscapes, mixed with tunes from her recent records Skylla and Skyllumina embedded in thundering bass improvisations.
Goller unravels an intimacy so deep it feels almost blasphemous to be privy to its wonders. – ECM Reviews
DJ ZOOT MOiR – Rare grooves
18+ Accessible Access
https://www.instagram.com/brunoheinenpiano
93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane
London, E1 6QL
Date: Friday, October 09, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Fri 9 Oct | Hall One 7.30pm
REMEMBER US TOMORROW
The world premiere of this newly commissioned third and final chapter of his acclaimed work The Windrush Suite. With Remember Us Tomorrow, Renell Shaw turns towards the future. This powerful new work asks what it means to be of Afro-Caribbean heritage after three generations in Britain, raising a fourth generation
in a world that is both hyper-connected and deeply divided.
Ticket Prices: £20 – £25
Booking Link: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/jazz/renell-shaw-remember-us-tomorrow/
Further information to be announced.
About Renell Shaw
Renell Shaw is a composer, songwriter, producer, and performer building a distinctive creative world through music, story, and live experience. His work brings together theatre, contemporary composition, songcraft, and performance in ways that feel cinematic, immersive, and emotionally direct. Rather than treating these disciplines as separate lanes, he uses them as part of one larger artistic language, creating work that moves people, deepens perspective, and leaves a lasting impression.
An Ivor Novello Award winning composer and platinum selling songwriter, Renell works across stage, studio, and collaboration with a voice that is culturally grounded and forward facing. His credits include The Windrush Suite, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons of the Caribbean, Othello and The Crucible at Shakespeare’s Globe, and Is God Is at the Royal Court. He has also written and collaborated with artists including Rudimental, Anne-Marie, Nile Rodgers, Emeli Sandé, and Nitin Sawhney. Alongside this, he is one half of 2fox, a project rooted in soulful house, live musicianship, and contemporary Black British sound, which has built an audience of over 30 million streams and more than 250,000 monthly listeners.
About Kings Place
Kings Place is an adventurous music and arts venue with an ambition to inspire local community and promote the power of the arts in our society. Its venues enable learning, discovery, debate and experiences that are powerfully intimate, enabling human connection between artists and audiences.
The dedicated and supportive team programmes a series of festivals and events, developing cross-arts collaborations and artistic relationships that deliver unforgettable live experiences.
The award-winning concert series, Unwrapped, is its flagship programme, exploring big ideas and overarching themes across the year. Kings Place is also the UK’s home of live podcasting as creators and hosts of the London Podcast Festival.
As a registered charity Kings Place does not receive regular public funding. Income is generated through ticket sales, donations, grants, and the staging of world-class conferences and events.
Kings Place, 90 York Way, King’s Cross, London N1 9AG
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
We have received the following press release regarding this event;;
LIVE PREMIERE
RENELL SHAW
THE WINDRUSH SUITE AND ECHO IN THE BONES
THE UK’S FINEST MUSICIANS ACROSS JAZZ, CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC ASSEMBLE FOR A LANDMARK CONCERT OF CONNECTION, REFLECTION AND
CELEBRATION, HONOURING THE WINDRUSH GENERATION
KINGS PLACE, JUNE 25, 7.30PM
Live premiere of The Windrush Suite & Echo in the Bones. A multi-sensory performance of music, storytelling, visuals and recordings of the pioneering voices of the Windrush Generation.
Inspired by Ivor Novello recipient, Platinum-selling composer and songwriter Renell Shaw’s Caribbean roots.
Featuring a roll-call of 12 of the finest musicians in the UK blending Jazz, Classical and Contemporary music, led by Shaw. The ensemble includes Orphy Robinson
MBE, Cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson and legendary saxophonist Jean Toussaint.
The third and final chapter of this musical trilogy, Remember Us Tomorrow, a new Kings Place commission, premieres October 9 2026. Full line-up to be announced.
Kings Place today announces a roll call of some of the UK’s finest musicians, spanning jazz, classical, and contemporary music who will perform in Ivor Novello recipient, Platinum-selling songwriter and producer Renell Shaw’s award-winning composition The Windrush Suite and its electrifying sequel, Echo in the Bones. The extraordinary concert on June 25 marks the first ever performance with a full live ensemble of this award-winning masterpiece. Distinguished musicians directed by Shaw include multi-
instrumentalist Orphy Robinson MBE; renowned classical crossover cellist Ayanna Witter- Johnson; Rudimental trumpeter Mark Crown, Trombonist Nathaniel Cross; Charlie Laffer who plays for Maverick Sabre, on guitar; Jorga Smith bassist Mutale Chashi; Olivier-award winning composer Romarna Campbell (Sleepova) on drums, award-winning Jazz ensemble Tomorrow’s Warriors alumni Kezia Abouma on piano and not least, Grammy-award-winning and legendary tenor saxophonist Jean Toussaint.
Vocalists include the powerhouse voice of Afronaut Zu (lead singer of Afro-punk band Steam Down), OFFIE Award-winner Rochelle Rose (Best Performance in musical Black Power Desk) and the modern soulfulness of artist Nandi (on ITV’s The Voice 2018).
Shaw’s work bridges theatre, contemporary composition and artist led music. Known for combining emotional depth with a strong connection to audiences, he has collaborated with artists including Rudimental, Anne-Marie, Nile Rodgers, Emeli Sandé and Nitin Sawhney, while building a distinct compositional practice with credits including The Crucible and Othello for Shakespeare’s Globe, Is God Is for the Royal Court Theatre, and Yasuke, an original opera developed with Music Theatre Wales.
This, his year-long Artist Residency at Kings Place forms a central part of the venue’s Memory Unwrapped season which invites artists to explore the extraordinary power of music to stir innermost recollections, to preserve history and to honour the unforgettable.
The Windrush Suite pays homage not only to Shaw’s grandparents’ journey from the Caribbean to Britain telling their stories of love, pain, struggle, and triumph through a fusion of jazz, spoken word and Caribbean traditions but it is also a heartfelt tribute to all of the trailblazers who arrived in Britain in 1948 building lives, community and culture against the odds. Echo in the Bones explores what it means to be Black British through the eyes of the Windrush generation’s children - weaving music, history, and storytelling into a moving portrait of resistance, legacy, and belonging. Listen to the albums HERE;
https://open.spotify.com/album/718lGoKV7Bb9IpGXkjqVzC
https://open.spotify.com/album/6r1IaAyFAlYmM4Ts5Tbmx7
A brand-new commission titled Remember Us Tomorrow will be the closing statement to this three-part concert series. This powerful new work will premiere during Black History Month, on October 9 and importantly asks what it means to be of Afro-Caribbean heritage after three generations in Britain, raising a fourth generation in a world that is both hyper-connected and deeply divided. What stories must we protect? And how do we ensure we are remembered as tomorrow takes shape. Shaw’s most personal work to date, is both a love letter to community and a bold act of cultural preservation.
Shaw, who is of Jamaican and Dominican heritage, says:
“Staging The Windrush Suite and Echo in the Bones at Kings Place right now feels deeply significant to me because these works are about memory, inheritance and the stories that continue to shape who we are. They honour lives, histories and emotional truths that deserve to be heard in full. I hope audiences leave feeling moved, expanded and more connected to the human depth within these works. Through this journey I have learnt that my role is not just to compose, but to hold space for memory, truth and transformation through music.”
Sam McShane, Artistic Director of Kings Place adds:
“The Windrush Suite & Echo in the Bones brings together everything that makes Renell Shaw such an important artistic voice. These works honour the Windrush generation while giving powerful expression to the experiences of those who followed, weaving music, memory and storytelling into something deeply moving and contemporary. This performance sits at the heart of Renell’s residency at Kings Place, an ambitious statement of heritage, identity and creative evolution.”
Previous praise for Renell Shaw’s work and for The Windrush Suite
“A breath of fresh air. Very atmospheric.”
Jazzie B OBE
“Renell is a multi-talented producer and songwriter who has been instrumental in the making of our songs.”
Rudimental
“Deeply rooted in the tradition of his ancestry, Renell Shaw is a remarkable musician and composer, an important voice of our time.”
Ayanna Witter-Johnson
Full Line-Up;
Renell Shaw Composer, musical director, conductor and vocalist
Orphy Robinson Marimba
Ayanna Witter Johnson Cello
Romarna Campbell Drums
Charlie Laffer Guitar
Mutale Chashi Bass
Kezia Abouma Piano
Mark Crown Trumpet
Nathaniel Cross Trombone
Jean Toussaint Sax tenor
Nandi Vocalist
Afronaut Zu Vocalist
Rochelle Rose Vocalist
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Where: Kings Place, 90 York Way, King’s Cross, London, N1 9AG
Socials: Instagram and FB @kingsplacelondon @renellshaw
Thu 25 Jun | Hall One 7.30pm
THE WINDRUSH SUITE & Echo In The Bones
An evening that celebrates history, identity, and the power of music. Featuring a world-class live ensemble, intimate family recordings, and striking visuals, Renell Shaw turns memory into music, bringing the Windrush story to life with depth and soul. The second half presents Echo in the Bones, Shaw’s electrifying follow-up to The Windrush Suite.
Ticket Prices: £20 – £25
Booking Link: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/jazz/renell-shaw-the-windrush-suite-echo-in-the-bones/
Running Time: 140 mins with interval
About Renell Shaw
Renell Shaw is a composer, songwriter, producer, and performer building a distinctive creative world through music, story, and live experience. His work brings together theatre, contemporary composition, songcraft, and performance in ways that feel cinematic, immersive, and emotionally direct. Rather than treating these disciplines as separate lanes, he uses them as part of one larger artistic language, creating work that moves people, deepens perspective, and leaves a lasting impression.
An Ivor Novello Award winning composer and platinum selling songwriter, Renell works across stage, studio, and collaboration with a voice that is culturally grounded and forward facing. His credits include The Windrush Suite, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons of the Caribbean, Othello and The Crucible at Shakespeare’s Globe, and Is God Is at the Royal Court. He has also written and collaborated with artists including Rudimental, Anne-Marie, Nile Rodgers, Emeli Sandé, and Nitin Sawhney. Alongside this, he is one half of 2fox, a project rooted in soulful house, live musicianship, and contemporary Black British sound, which has built an audience of over 30 million streams and more than 250,000 monthly listeners.
About Kings Place
Kings Place is an adventurous music and arts venue with an ambition to inspire local community and promote the power of the arts in our society. Its venues enable learning, discovery, debate and experiences that are powerfully intimate, enabling human connection between artists and audiences.
The dedicated and supportive team programmes a series of festivals and events, developing cross-arts collaborations and artistic relationships that deliver unforgettable live experiences.
The award-winning concert series, Unwrapped, is its flagship programme, exploring big ideas and overarching themes across the year. Kings Place is also the UK’s home of live podcasting as creators and hosts of the London Podcast Festival.
As a registered charity Kings Place does not receive regular public funding. Income is generated through ticket sales, donations, grants, and the staging of world-class conferences and events.
Kings Place, 90 York Way, King’s Cross, London N1 9AG
Date: Monday, June 29, 2026
From;
https://www.cheltenhamjazz.co.uk/
THE GARETH WILLIAMS & DAVE GREEN DUOPLAY MUSIC INSPIRED BY BILL EVANS & SCOTT LA FARO
WHEN: 8.00 pm, Monday 29 June 2026
WHERE: The Victory Club Ballroom Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham.
Tickets: CJ Members £19.00, non members £22.00
Gareth Williams and Dave Green have agreed to recreate their “Tribute to Bill Evans and Scott la Faro” of some years ago as a testimonial to Simon Radford.
Whilst you will hear very direct influence and in-depth reworking of the original stylistic devices, you will also hear the individual skills and styles of Dave and Gareth. Gareth has immersed himself in the harmony of Bill Evans for many years and Dave is a Scott La Faro disciple, so expect a thorough investigation into the sound world of Bill Evans and Scott La Faro.
Tickets available on the door or online at http://www.ticketsource.com
Date: Monday, June 15, 2026
Featuring: Eddie Gripper
From;
https://www.cheltenhamjazz.co.uk/
THE EDDIE GRIPPER TRIO
WHEN: 8.00 pm, Monday 15 June 2026
WHERE: The Victory Club Ballroom Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham.
Tickets: CJ Members £19.00, non members £22.00
Eddie Gripper – Piano, Clem Saynor – Bass, Patrick Barrett-Donlon – Drums.
Performing music from his second album Americana (released April 2025), Eddie Gripper tells the story of an 8,000 km hitch hiking journey from Alaska to California, completed in under two months during the summer of 2022. The music captures the vast landscapes and unforgettable moments along the way - from sleeping in the Alaskan wilderness to cycling down Santa Monica Pier - offering a vivid, hopeful, yet unflinching reflection on American life.
Tickets available on the door or online at http://www.ticketsource.com
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Featuring: Alex Hitchcock Quartet
From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/alex-hitchcock-quartet/
Alex Hitchcock Quartet
June 25 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm
£15
“Tumbling with ideas, impulsive improvisations and swinging, left-field energy” – MOJO Magazine
We are delighted to welcome Alex Hitchcock back to the Marr’s Bar for the third time on our program. He first appeared with Resolution 88 in November 2022 and, as a mentor for Dan Lockheart on the Jazz Central Mentoring Scheme, he performed with Dan’s quintet in September the following year. This time, following sold-out album launches in New York and London, he’s back with his own cutting edge quartet performing music from his new album, Letters From Afar, a sonic correspondence across emotional, geographic, and artistic distances.
Described as “leading the charge of new jazz music being created in the UK” (BBC Jazz World), “an astonishingly quick thinking virtuoso” (Jazzwise magazine) and “tumbling with ideas, impulsive improvisations and swinging, left-field energy” (MOJO Magazine), saxophonist and Ivor Novello-nominated composer Hitchcock is a leading voice on the international jazz stage. Emerging from London’s fertile jazz scene and shaped by inventive collaborations across Europe, the US, and further afield, he has built an international reputation for music that balances real-world urgency with formal and stylistic exploration.
The group’s sound draws as much from film and visual art as from music itself: shimmering bitonal harmonies that bloom and fracture; layered textures of colour, density, and rhythmic asymmetry; loops and motifs that build, collide, and dissolve. Hitchcock has carved out a distinctive space in contemporary jazz – at times intense and chaotic, at others disarmingly sparse and direct. Beneath the surface of the quartet’s notated forms lies a deep commitment to free improvisation, creating music both tightly sculpted and thrillingly fluid.
This is music for curious, open-minded listeners drawn to art at the edge of beauty and disruption. Fans of Caroline Davis, Tyshawn Sorey, or Peter Evans will find familiar terrain, though this is a group never content to stay in one place for long.
The quartet features Will Barry on piano, Freddie Jensen on bass Ananda Brandão on drums.
TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/
Venue
The Marr’s Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester, Worcestershire WR1 1TA
Phone
(01905) 613336
Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026
From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/v6-organ-trio/
V6 Organ Trio
June 11 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm
£15
Hot, fiery, swingin’ and groovin’ organ trio from The Midlands.
Following his debut appearance at The Marr’s Bar with Detroitwich Funk Machine in January, Arran Shanghavi returns on Hammond Organ with the hot, fiery, swingin’ and groovin’ V6 Organ Trio – a new collaboration with guitarist Jamie McLeish and Jono Hilliam on drums.
Shanghavi brings the bluesy, funky style we all know and love! McLeish, with ‘the finest ear in The Midlands’, adds harmonic and melodic richness while Hilliam, with his big band background, adds a huge sound and exciting energy into the small ensemble setup.
Expect to hear tunes you know, tunes you don’t and some you never thought you’d hear in this setting!
TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/
Venue
The Marr’s Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester,
Worcestershire
WR1 1TA.
(01905) 613336
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
We have received the following press release;
Jorge Drexler Announces London Show At The Roundhouse As Part Of “TARACÁ” World Tour
*Academy Award–winning Uruguayan songwriter brings new album TARACÁ to London with full band on Tuesday October 27, 2026*
**Tickets go on pre-sale this Thursday April 9th at 3pm, and on general sale Friday April 10th at 3pm [HERE]**
https://comono.co.uk/artists/jorge-drexler/
The Academy Award–winning Uruguayan singer and composer Jorge Drexler has announced he will return to London to perform at The Roundhouse on Tuesday October 27, 2026 as part of his international “TARACÁ” tour.
The show follows the arrival of Drexler’s new album TARACÁ, released in March 2026, which marks a new creative chapter in his career. On the album, Drexler returns to musical roots that have shaped his artistic identity while continuing to expand his sonic palette, with the Afro-Uruguayan rhythm of candombe running throughout the record.
Elena Beltrami, Director of Como No:
“We’re very happy to be bringing Jorge back to London. Over the years we’ve promoted several memorable shows with him in the UK, including his sold-out night at the Roundhouse in 2020. His concerts are always special, and it’s exciting to present this new chapter with the music of TARACÁ.”
The TARACÁ Tour sees Drexler performing with a seven-piece band, bringing the new album to life on stage while revisiting key moments from across his acclaimed catalogue.
The London show marks Drexler’s return to the Roundhouse following his sold-out performance at the venue in 2020, and continues a longstanding relationship with UK audiences following appearances at the Barbican, Cadogan Hall and Union Chapel.
About Jorge Drexler
Uruguayan singer, songwriter and composer Jorge Drexler is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Ibero-American music. Across a career spanning more than three decades, he has released fifteen studio albums and performed worldwide, building an artistic identity defined by curiosity, experimentation and poetic lyricism.
His work moves fluidly between music, literature and science, and has received numerous international honours, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song, sixteen Latin Grammy Awards, and a Goya Award.
His previous album Tinta y Tiempo won seven Latin Grammys and led to a global tour of more than 90 concerts. In March 2026 he released TARACÁ, rooted in the Afro-Uruguayan rhythm of candombe and presented live on his international TARACÁ tour.
Roundhouse
Chalk Farm Road London NW1 8EH
http://www.roundhouse.org.uk
Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
AGMP Concerts presents
JOHN SCOFIELD
LONG DAYS QUARTET
John Scofield (Guitar)
John Medeski (Keyboards)
Ted Poor (Drums)
Vicente Archer (Bass)
Calling it the Long Days Quartet in honour of the lengthy daylight hours of summer, this group is freshly forming to debut Scofield’s recent groove compositions and revisit some classic Scofield material with modern perspectives.
27 years after their initial association (John Scofield’s A GoGo album) keyboardist John Medeski and John Scofield continue their imaginative collaboration together.
Over the decades they’ve followed with three more albums and much touring with Medeski Scofield Martin and Wood, Duo work and together in the cooperative project Hudson.
Tickets;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/john-scofield-long-days-quartet/union-chapel/3596710
Union Chapel
19b Compton Terrace
London
N1 2UN
Date: Friday, June 05, 2026
Featuring: Jon Lloyd’s European Quartet
From;
https://jonlloydmusic.com/concerts
Jon Lloyd Quartet
Fri, Jun 5 @ 7:00PM PPianissimo club, Bristol Music Centre
Concert at Bristol Music Centre as part of PPianissimo club, the intimate music club in the centre of Bristol.
PPianissimo Series: Jon Lloyd Quartet
A gig held at Bristol Music Club on Friday 5th June. Doors are at 19:00 with the event starting at 19:30. The event finishes at 22:00. The event has been tagged in the classical, contemporary jazz, folk, jazz and world categories.
Saxophonist/composer Jon Lloyd has been running his quartet - with pianist John Law, bassist Nick Pini and drummer Alex Goodyear - for three years now, during which time the group made the wonderfully acclaimed album Earth Songs (currently at nearly 2 and a 1/2 million streams and rising!) and they have an even more stunning recording shortly to be released. Jon’s original music is deceptively simple, using subtle melodies and chords to create a hauntingly original sound, reminiscent of some of the Nordic music on the ECM label. Mesmerising and hypnotic, Jon Lloyd’s works remind us that music doesn’t have to be highly complex. This is music that reminds us of the elemental power of sound, and organisation of sound, and what it means to sit and listen. And wonder.
“Sounds like the only music you ever want to hear.” [London Jazz News]
The PPianissimo Series is supported by Arts Council England and All Instruments, Westbury
Entry requirements: no age restrictions
BRISTOL MUSIC CLUB
76 St Paul’s Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1LP
Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
Featuring: Remi Harris
From;
https://events.hiveonline.org.uk/
Travelling Riverside Blues Show
Tickets from £17
Friday 17th July
Doors at 7pm
Show starts at 7.45pm
Seated gig
Join two fine blues musicians and enjoy an evening listening to the sounds and tales of the Mississippi. The simple sound of acoustic guitar and vocal brings the Delta to life, celebrating the power and energy of the bluesmen who created the musical legend.
This early raw style – just traditional guitar and vocal - formed the foundation of modern blues music. This show weaves a story of hopes and dreams, hardship and poverty through soulful and passionate music, along with tales bringing those times and people to life.
Sit back and enjoy The Travelling Riverside Blues Show on a journey through the Delta.
https://events.hiveonline.org.uk/whats-on/travelling-riverside-blues-show/
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026
Featuring: Josephine Davies
5 Belmont,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.
UK
From;
https://events.hiveonline.org.uk/
Jul
11
Sat
19:00
Josephine Davies Satori Quartet
Tickets from £12
Saturday July 11 £25/£12 U22
Doors open at 6:30pm for a 7:00pm start.
Award winning saxophonist & composer Josephine Davies brings her dynamic ensemble Satori to SJN at the Hive to perform the music from ‘Weatherwards’. The album is inspired by Josephine’s Nordic roots in the Shetland Islands, and beautifully weaves together the band’s contemporary jazz background with a hauntingly evocative folk influence. The intricate compositions, coupled with the thrilling interplay between Pianist Alcyona Mick, Bassist Dave Whitford & drummer Jay Davis, evokes the interconnection of Shetland sea, land, sky, and ever-present wind.
Fluent, Imaginative ……The Jazz Mann
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Elles Bailey
Champions & Patrons on sale Wed 8 April
Members on sale Thu 9 April
General on sale Fri 10 April
Elles Bailey
7.30pm | Thursday 15th October 2026
Rising from the UK blues scene to international acclaim.
Backed by her road-honed band, singer-songwriter Elles Bailey’s raw, smoky vocals now sit at the centre of a sound that’s equal parts Southern soul, British grit, and pure authenticity.
There’s a steeliness that courses through Elles Bailey’s latest album, Can’t Take My Story Away. Fiercely independent, the British singer-songwriter has been steadily honing her craft for the better part of a decade.
https://thesubrooms.co.uk/whats-on/elles-bailey
The Subscription Rooms
George St
Stroud
GL5 1AE
Elles Bailey is a Bristol-born, award-winning independent singer-songwriter whose smoky voice and roots-influenced songwriting have made her a leading figure on the UK blues and Americana scene. A multiple UK Blues Award winner and inductee of the UK Blues Hall of Fame, she reached a new milestone with her 2024 album Beneath The Neon Glow, which charted at No. 12 on the UK Official Albums Chart and topped the Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart.
In 2025 , she toured the UK supporting Brit Award winner Rag’n'Bone Man before releasing her fifth studio album, Can’t Take My Story Away, on 16 January 2026. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart and the Record Store Chart, No. 2 on the Official Independent Chart, and No. 14 on the Official Albums Chart. Produced by Luke Potashnick and recorded with a stellar lineup of musicians, including renowned producer Ethan Jones, the eleven tracks of Can’t Take My Story Away tie together to form the album Elles was destined to make. Created over a three-year period, using songs whose origins date back almost ten years, it offers an honest and vulnerable glimpse into Bailey’s story.
The album has already received widespread acclaim, including 4 ★ revies from MOJO and The Sun, with MOJO praising Bailey: ‘‘Blessed with a voice that’s equal parts Etta James’s emotional gravity an Janis Joplin’s gritty power, Elles Bailey is a musical marvel.’‘
The release included a sold-out tour of record stores around the country, while the single ‘Growing Roots’ hit BBC Radio 2’s A-List and was the most-played track on the station for the first three weeks of 2026.
Following a hugely successful UK and European headlines tour with her long-standing band- playing to full rooms every night. Bailey will take the album further afield with US fesival appearances alongside Jason Isbell and Tedeschi Trucks Band, as well as additional US dates later this year with the legendary Judy Collins.
She is also set to play many festivals across the UK this summer, including State Fayre in Chelmsford alongside Alanis Morissette and Kings of Leon, and headlining Beardy Folk Fest, The British Country Music Festival and then continuing her headlines touring in Autumn 2026.
In addition to her recording and touring work, Elles Bailey is a regular presenter on Planet Rock radio, sharing her passion for blues, rock, and roots music with a national audience. Through her weekly show, she highlights both classic tracks and emerging artists, giving listeners insight into the songs and stories that have shaped her own musical journey.
Date:
Thu 15 Oct 2026
Start Time:
19:30
Doors:
18:30
Venue:
The Sub Rooms
Price:
£30 - £35
Event Is:
Standing + Seated Balcony
Event Type:
Music
Date: Saturday, August 08, 2026
From;
https://serious.org.uk/events/thamesmead-festival-2026
Sat 08 August 2026
Stage time / 12:00pm
Location
LONDON Thamesmead Festival,
Southmere Lake,
Binsey Walk,
SE2 9TU
Tickets
FREE
Thamesmead Festival is back on Saturday 8 August 2026!
Thamesmead’s free, family-friendly festival promises another unforgettable celebration of music, culture and community spirit.
Expect a day full of music, dance, comedy, art, food, local crafts, a dog show and much more. Local clubs, community groups and charities all play their part.
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Wednesday 28 October, EartH Theatre
Jasmine Myra
We’re thrilled to welcome back Jasmine Myra for a one-night-only performance celebrating her new album Where Light Settles. Following a standout appearance at last year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, she returns as one of the UK’s most exciting rising voices in jazz.
Tickets;
https://serious.org.uk/events/jasmine-myra
With her third album Where Light Settles, released in May on Gondwana Records, composer, saxophonist, and bandleader Jasmine Myra steps boldly into a new chapter of her evolving artistic journey. Building on the critical acclaim of Horizons (2022) and Rising (2024), this latest release marks a confident and cohesive statement from one of the UK’s most distinctive contemporary voices.
Where Light Settles is Myra’s first self-produced album, with Matthew Halsall contributing as producer. Cinematic in scope, her music draws on a love of film scores and emotive storytelling, alongside inspirations ranging from contemporary jazz and folk to the textures of the natural world. Landscapes such as North Wales, the Lake District, and the South Downs inform the album’s tonal palette—echoing its central theme of beauty and intensity coexisting in balance.
From the delicate piano-led opening to the sweeping, hopeful title track, Where Light Settles unfolds with a quiet, autumnal glow - its melodies shimmering with clarity and purpose. As Myra continues to gain recognition both in the UK and internationally, this new work signals an artist fully coming into her own, inviting audiences into a deeply felt and vividly imagined sonic landscape.
“A great new artist!”
Jamie Cullum
“A new generation of spiritual jazz”
Jazzwise
“This is beautiful and profound music.”
London Jazz News
Wed 28 October 2026
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Location
EartH (Theatre),
11-17 Stoke Newington Road
N16 8BH
Visit Website
https://earthackney.co.uk/
Tickets
£27.50 (incl. booking fees)
Date: Saturday, June 06, 2026
From;
http://midwalesrandb.club/events/category/events/
The Mid Wales R&B Club Presents the return of Jack J Hutchinson to The Muse in Brecon…
June 6 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
£14.00
London based blues rock guitarist Jack J Hutchinson has announced THREE intimate acoustic performances for the summer of 2026 the middle one being for the Club & The Muse in Brecon the only WELSH date.
Showcasing the blues and roots side of his playing, the shows will feature new material written especially for the run, plus select covers of blues artists who have influenced his song-writing.
The dates come on the back of a successful year for Hutchinson which saw his latest album ‘Battle Scars’ crash-land in the Official Blues Chart Top5. Classic Rock raved about the release describing it as “genuinely spiritual”.
In recent years Hutchinson has completed headline tours of Europe, plus shows in America and Brazil. He has also supported acts like FM, King King and Ocean Colour Scene’s Steve Cradock, and played festivals alongside BlackBerry Smoke, the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson and Jeff Beck.
He is currently recording his fifth studio album at Momentum Studios, Plymouth, with producer Josiah J Manning, and will be hitting the road in support t of the release throughout 2026.
Jack J Hutchinson
Acoustic Dates:
29 May-Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
6 June- The Muse, Brecon for the MWR&BC
7June-The Half Moon, Putney
Special Guest Act for June 6th TBC
To know more about the Mid Wales R&B Club date please PM me all the very best Angus
Tickets will be £14 and can be booked on-line via the links below.
https://jackjhutchinsonmusic.com/
http://www.midwalesrand.com
The Muse at Brecon
The Muse, Glamorgan Street
Brecon, Powys LD37DW.
Dates: Friday, November 13, 2026 - Sunday, November 22, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
For full line-up and other details please visit Festival website;
https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/
Dates: Wednesday, June 03, 2026 - Saturday, June 13, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
We have received the following press release regarding this event;
Press release
Anniversary edition of Battersea Jazz Festival taking place this June
Battersea, London, March 23 - This year’s edition of the annual Battersea Jazz Festival will take place from June 3-13. The fifth edition of the jazz festival that celebrates national and international jazz talent will once again offer a multitude of styles and sounds across venues in and around Battersea.
The festival will open with a bang: nothing less than a jazz ballet. The Hugo Jennings Big Band and Battersea’s E33 Dance Company come together for a night of music and dance featuring a brand new jazz arrangement and choreography of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet at the iconic Clapham Grand. The legendary American jazz tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton will also feature. Together with Nat Steele he will bring a programme of swing and straight-ahead jazz to St. Mary’s Church in Battersea. Other festival gigs include QOW Trio, Genevieve Namazzi Quartet, Deschanel Gordon Trio, Jim Davison Quartet, and Emily Masser-Alex Clarke Quintet. The full programme can be found at http://www.batterseajazzfestival.co.uk.
The festival’s anniversary edition comes with several changes that reflect its five-year development and growth: A fresh look and feel with a renewed logo; a Festival Pass on offer that gives jazz enthusiasts heavily discounted access to all performances in the programme; and to top it off, the festival will host performances in two new venues: Battersea Barge and Arches Lane Theatre.
Founder Hugo Jennings said:
“This fifth edition of the festival is a special one for me. What started as one weekend in 2022 has grown into a celebrated annual event in the London jazz calendar which brings some of my favourite musicians in the world to the local area. This year we have performances across even more venues than before, offering a wider audience the opportunity to experience the joy of jazz.”
Full programme:
June 3: Romeo and Juliet and Swing - The Clapham Grand
June 4: QOW Trio - The Landor Space
June 5: Genevieve Namazzi Quartet - St. Mary’s Battersea
June 6: Deschanel Gordon Trio - St Mary’s Battersea
June 6: The Dukes - St. Mary’s Battersea
June 7: Scott Hamilton & Nat Steele - St Mary’s Battersea
June 11: Jim Davison Quartet - The Landor Space
June 12: Emily Masser - Alex Clarke Quintet - Arches Lane Theatre
June 13: Closing Party at Battersea Barge
Tickets for performances can be purchased via the website. Super Early Birds £14 until April 1st; Early Birds £17 until May 1st; Full Price after May 1st and on the door £20. Opening night jazz ballet excluded. A Festival Pass for unlimited access to gigs can be purchased for £72.
For the full programme and more information, please visit http://www.batterseajazzfestival.co.uk or follow @batterseajazzfestival on Instagram or Facebook.
Battersea Jazz Festival is a Community Interest Company (CIC), registered in England and Wales, company number 14633499.
The Battersea Jazz Festival was founded in 2022 by pianist, singer, and conductor, Hugo Jennings. He came up with the idea for the festival when he was composing a “Jazz Mass” for the choir of St. Mary’s Battersea, and wanted to create a platform for jazz musicians in London, and to celebrate the community of Battersea. This year will see the fifth edition, with both local and international musicians performing at various locations in the Battersea area. http://www.batterseajazzfestival.co.uk/
Dates: Friday, July 17, 2026 - Sunday, July 26, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
For full details please visit http://www.ejbf.co.uk
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
17th September.
Ben Crosland’s Threeway plus Rob Luft, Jazz Coventry, The Albany Club, 10 Earlsdon Street, CV5 6EG.
Dates: Sunday, June 21, 2026 - Friday, July 31, 2026
We have received the following press release;
54TH ANNUAL STANFORD JAZZ FESTIVAL PRESENTS SIX WEEKS OF VIBRANT LIVE MUSIC ON STANFORD UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, JUN 21-JUL 31
Centennial Celebrations: Miles @ 100 featuring Jeremy Pelt +
Jimmy Heath @ 100 with Jeb Patton and David Wong
Veteran Masters Billy Childs and Branford Marsalis Lead Their Respective Quartets
Acclaimed Latin Jazz Artists including Luciana Souza, Marcel Camargo, Camila Meza, Yilian Cañizares + Aldo López-Gavilán
Today’s Top Vibraphonists: Stefon Harris + Sasha Berliner
Tickets go on sale April 3 at http://www.stanfordjazz.org.
The Stanford Jazz Workshop today announced details of the 54th annual Stanford Jazz Festival taking place Sunday, June 21 to Friday, July 31, 2026, across multiple venues on the sprawling Stanford University campus. Having grown in both size and reputation since it first began in 1972, the Festival–which draws thousands of fans to the Bay Area–has become a destination for all arts lovers in one of the most bucolic settings in the nation. This year’s Festival celebrates jazz’s rich roots and its global connections, featuring an exceptional line-up spanning generations and styles. From acclaimed world-class headliners such as Billy Childs, George Cables, Branford Marsalis, and Anat Cohen to local Northwest natives such as The Westerlies, Nick Rossi, Nicolas Bearde, and Sasha Berliner, to innovative jazz fusings with Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Indian music, the 25+ events include Festival debuts, world premieres, family-friendly concerts, and more. As always, the Festival presents annual fan favorites including SJW alum Taylor Eigsti, Guitar Night, Ruth Davies’ Blues Night, and the All-Star Jam session closing out the Festival in what has become the biggest jazz celebration of the summer. For program details, updated line-ups, and tickets, please visit http://www.stanfordjazz.org.
Quote from Cory Combs, Executive Director, Stanford Jazz Workshop:
“This year’s Festival brings together some of the most powerful voices in jazz today, led by the visionary Branford Marsalis Quartet on June 26. Branford’s singular quartet has defined modern jazz for decades, and we’re honored to welcome them back to Stanford. From that opening weekend forward, the Festival reflects jazz as a living, global force, honoring its deep American roots while embracing the international sounds shaping its future. From Indian Jazz Journey to bold contemporary voices presented throughout the six-week Festival, audiences will experience the full heartbeat of this music, reflecting its diversity, dynamism, and unifying power.”
2026 Stanford Jazz Festival Performers
Aldo López-Gavilán · Anat Cohen · Anisha Rush · Ben Flocks · Billy Childs · Branford Marsalis · Camila Meza · Christina Galisatus · Dan Wilson · Dr. David Hart · David Wong · George Brooks · George Cables · Gretchen Parlato · Jeb Patton · Jeremy Pelt · Luciana Souza · Mahesh Kale · Marcel Camargo · Marcus Shelby · Michael Mayo · Nick Rossi · Nicolas Bearde · Ruth Davies · Sasha Berliner · Sean “Mack” McDonald · Stefon Harris · Taylor Eigsti · Victor Lin · The Westerlies · Yilian Cañizares · Zack Grooves
Plus surprise special guests and more!
About Stanford Jazz Workshop
Founded in 1972 by saxophonist, arranger, and educator Jim Nadel, Stanford Jazz Workshop is an intensive summer education program staffed with acclaimed musicians who are also many of the Stanford Jazz Festival’s featured performers. The synergy between the Workshop and the Festival manifests at every concert, as all the students enrolled in a session receive complimentary tickets, bringing an infusion of youth to the venues.
About Stanford Jazz Festival
Over the past 54 years, the Stanford Jazz Festival has consistently presented the finest performers on the scene. Audiences have heard legendary performances by Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, and Stan Getz, along with virtuosic modern masters like Joshua Redman, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Taylor Eigsti. The Festival is unique and adventurous, presenting over 30 celebrated artists and bands over several weeks. From family-friendly matinees to groundbreaking premieres, the Stanford Jazz Festival proudly keeps the torch of live jazz burning bright.
2026 STANFORD JAZZ FESTIVAL
When: Sunday, June 21 – Friday, July 31, 2026
Where: Dinkelspiel Auditorium (471 Lagunita Drive) and Campbell Recital Hall (541 Lasuen Mall) on the Stanford University campus, Stanford, CA 94305
Tickets: Tix go on sale to the general public at 10:00 a.m. PST on Friday, April 3, 2026. To reserve, visit http://www.stanfordjazz.org.
SUN 6.21 at 4:00 p.m. | INDIAN JAZZ JOURNEY FEATURING MAHESH KALE AND GEORGE BROOKS
No American-born jazz musician has forged deeper or more extensive ties throughout the expansive world of Indian classical music than Berkeley tenor saxophonist George Brooks. Over the past two decades those relationships have manifested in a kaleidoscopic array of combinations at his Stanford-exclusive Indian Jazz Journey, and in recent years the concert has focused on his ever-evolving communion with Mahesh Kale. Born and raised in Pune, the cultural capital of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, Kale was a disciple of Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, a hugely influential figure who revived the Marathi musical theater tradition in the 1950s. In 2015, Kale won the best playback singer award at India’s equivalent of the Oscars for a classical piece in the film Katyar Kaljat Ghusli, a breakout role that catapulted him into stardom. As in past concerts, Brooks has assembled a sensational cast of players ideally equipped to join him and Kale in exploring musical landscapes defined by the world’s two most sophisticated improvisational traditions.
FRI 6.26 at 7:30 p.m. | BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET
Branford Marsalis, tenor and soprano saxophones | Eric Revis, bass | Joey Calderazzo, piano | Justin Faulkner, drums
There’s no ensemble in jazz quite like the Branford Marsalis Quartet, a celebrated ensemble that has honed telepathic interplay over thousands of high-energy gigs. The eldest sibling in the illustrious New Orleans jazz clan, tenor and soprano saxophonist Branford Marsalis spent his early career seizing a series of extraordinary opportunities. From his first international exposure with the Art Blakey Big Band and Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, he went on to formative stints with Herbie Hancock, Sting, and his brother Wynton Marsalis’s epochal first quintet. Branford launched his own era-defining band 40 years ago with the late pianist Kenny Kirkland, bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, and he’s been one of the music’s most dependably eloquent improvisers ever since. The near-legendary stability of his quartet allows for breathtaking interplay, starting with the band’s most recent arrival, Justin Faulkner, who’s held down the drum chair since he turned 18 in 2009. Pianist Joey Calderazzo joined in 1998, the year after bassist Eric Revis signed on, and the group has earned renown as one of the most muscularly cohesive on the scene. With last year’s reimagining of Belonging, the 1974 ECM album that introduced Keith Jarrett’s European quartet, Marsalis and his comrades have worked the thrilling material deeply into the quartet’s book.
SAT 6.27 at 7:30 p.m. | BILLY CHILDS QUARTET
Long before Los Angeles-based pianist Billy Childs gained recognition as one of the country’s preeminent composers he was dazzling Bay Area audiences as a sideman. After a brief stint with trombone great J.J. Johnson, the Los Angeles native started regular treks north when trumpet legend Freddie Hubbard assembled a prodigious young band in 1978 that also featured bassist Larry Klein (who earned greater renown producing albums by Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, Luciana Souza, and Childs’ own 2014 jazz-chart topping project Map of The Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro). After years of playing funk and fusion, Hubbard had returned to straight ahead jazz sounding fierier than ever. For Childs, who was in his early 20s, heading upstate to perform at Keystone Korner, Kuumbwa and Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society with Hubbard’s band was trial by blowtorch on every gig. He’s been making trips north ever since, both as an accompanist for masters such as Bobby Hutcherson and Dianne Reeves and leading his own bands, giving audiences regular updates on his extraordinary evolution as a six-time GRAMMY Award-winning composer, arranger and improviser. Indeed, he’s carved out an anomalous career path with his pen, and makes a living via commissions. Writing for orchestras and chamber ensembles has become Childs’ bread and butter over the past two decades, which means every opportunity to stretch out with his band is an opportunity he seizes with both hands.
SUN 6.28 at 11:00 a.m. EARLY BIRD WITH DAVID HART
This annual jazz jam is a perfect morning for kids of all ages! Dr. David Hart and the Zookeepers get families swinging, singing, and clapping. This interactive family-friendly concert lets kids discover the joy of jazz and the inspiration that comes from playing instruments.
SUN 6.28 at 7:30 p.m. LUCIANA SOUZA’S NEW MOON
One of jazz’s most celebrated vocalists, Luciana Souza introduces New Moon, a lustrous new project with fellow São Paulo native Marcel Camargo on guitar and his arrangements incorporating string quartet. Whether she’s interpreting Brazilian Songbook standards, deploying her voice like a horn with an orchestra or singing her original compositions transforming beloved poems into songs, Souza is a musician of the highest order. Long based in Los Angeles, she’s probably best known for a series of intimate, Grammy and Latin GRAMMY-winning recordings pairing her with a superlative cadre of Brazilian jazz guitarists, including Romero Lubambo, Toninho Horta, and Marco Peirera. Her latest project New Moon finds her taking the duo foundation into lustrous new territory with guitarist/composer Marcel Camargo. He’s toured internationally with Michael Bublé, led, produced and arranged vocalist Gretchen Parlato’s Flor project, and shared the stage or studio with the likes of Sérgio Mendes, Herb Alpert, and Macy Gray. New Moon pairs the duo with a string quartet, fulfilling a longtime dream of Souza’s. Together, she and Camargo, who like Souza hails from an eminent musical family, reimagine Brazilian classics and debut new co-written songs. His delicately calibrated arrangements create lyrical soundscapes rich in texture and emotion for one of jazz’s most alluring singers.
FRI 7.10 at 7:30 p.m. | THE MUSIC OF DUKE ELLINGTON WITH NICK ROSSI’S JAZZOPATERS
An eminent scholar of pre-World War II jazz, ace guitarist Nick Rossi leads the West Coast’s only combo devoted to classic small group recordings by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and star soloists. Based in San Francisco, Rossi is one of the world’s foremost experts on pre-World War II jazz, both as a practitioner and a scholar. A few years ago, he realized that the Bay Area was clearly in need of a band devoted to the small group music recorded by Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and the orchestra’s featured soloists such as baritone saxophonist Harry Carney, altoist Johnny Hodges, and trumpeter Cootie Williams. Thus, was born the nine-piece Jazzopaters, which has been delighting audiences and dancers at the Bay Area’s finest clubs and venues for the past two years. Stacked with some of the region’s finest improvisers, the group proudly keeps seldom-performed tunes by the nonpareil Ellington in circulation.
SAT 7.11 at 7:30 p.m. NICOLAS BEARDE QUINTET
Inhabiting a sparsely populated zone between masculine R&B fervor and cool jazz styling, the effortlessly soulful Nicolas Bearde is a Bay Area treasure who knows that vulnerability and passion go hand in hand. He earned an avid following as an R&B solo act, but he’s evolved over the past decade into a captivating jazz singer who brings easy-going authority to ballads and swaggering mid-tempo standards. He made his Stanford debut in 2024 focusing on a program from his album I Remember You: The Music of Nat King Cole, and will be casting a wider net for this performance. Bearde first gained widespread notice in the late 1980s as a founding member of Bobby McFerrin’s innovative, improvisation-steeped a cappella ensemble Voicestra. He spent much of the 1980s and ‘90s pursuing a dual-track career as a musician and an actor, working on stage and television. Thankfully, music has been his primary pursuit in recent years. Whether he’s navigating Billy Strayhorn’s rueful “Lush Life,” Eden Ahbez’s beatific cantorial chant “Nature Boy,” or Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane’s impetuously grooving “Come Back to Me,” Bearde finds the emotional core of every lyric.
SUN 7.12 at 7:30 p.m. | MARCUS SHELBY SEXTET: THE LANGUAGE OF CHARLES MINGUS
Marcus Shelby walks in the footsteps of iconic bassist/composer Charles Mingus, creating epic works that tell overlooked stories from Black history with blues and swing. Shelby has never shied away from extending his creative reach. From his early years as a young lion recording for some of jazz’s most vaunted labels, the San Francisco bassist, composer, bandleader and educator has earned renown for his leadership on a wide array of fronts. He’s best known for his ambitious, historically informed works like 2006’s Port Chicago (Noir Records), a suite for his jazz orchestra inspired by the World War II miscarriage of justice, and 2018’s Black Ball: The Negro Leagues and the Blues, a suite commissioned by the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. He served as a musical foil for playwright and actor Anna Deavere Smith throughout the interview-driven creation of her one-woman show about the school-to-prison pipeline, Notes From the Field. And since taking over as artistic director of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival in the Fall of 2020, he has greatly expanded the already internationally recognized organization. While his temperament is a mirror image of the tempestuous Mingus’s, Shelby is steeped in his music and is ideally placed to offer insight into his composing, bandleading, and gift for coaxing superlative performances from his collaborators.
MON 7.13 at 7:30 p.m. | CHRISTINA GALISATUS QUINTET PLAYS JONI MITCHELL
Now living in Los Angeles, Christina Galisatus has gained recognition in recent years as one of the brightest young artists on the vibrant Southland scene. A quadruple creative force as a pianist/multi-instrumentalist, composer, vocalist, and songwriter, she’s released several critically hailed albums, including 2023’s Without Night and 2025’s Hold Still, which introduced her lustrous vocals. Raised on the Peninsula, she graduated from Stanford with honors and practically grew up at the Workshop, and has surprised exactly none of her Bay Area fans by thriving in LA. She returns to campus with her new Joni Mitchell project, which delves into the extraordinary songbook of one of her primary influences. Though she approaches Mitchell’s music with reverence, Galisatus infuses the songs with her particularly harmonic and melodic sensibility, turning them into highly personal vehicles for emotional expression. She’s joined by a cadre of longtime collaborators including reed expert Michael Blasky.
TUE 7.14 at 7:30 p.m. | JIMMY HEATH CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WITH JEB PATTON AND DAVID WONG
Inveterately swinging pianist Jeb Patton and veteran bassist David Wong celebrate the legacy of their mentor and former employer Jimmy Heath (1926-2020), the brilliant saxophonist, composer and arranger. Jimmy Heath would likely give a wry smile over the fact that his 100th birthday is destined to be overshadowed by the centennial milestone celebrations for Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Hailing from one of jazz’s most distinguished families, Heath was both universally esteemed by his peers but underappreciated, particularly when it came to his prowess on the tenor saxophone (he was also formidable on flute and soprano sax). His success as an arranger and composer–Heath wrote at least a half dozen standards, including “Gingerbread Boy,” “Gemini,” “C.T.A.” and “For Minors Only”–meant that he never quite got his due as an improviser. Pianist Jeb Patton and veteran bassist David Wong experienced the creative intensity of Heath’s horn first -and as members of the Heath Brothers band (with drummer Tootie Heath). They’ve led distinguished careers accompanying other masters who got their start in the 1940s, including drum legend Roy Haynes, saxophone great George Coleman and alto sax powerhouse Charles McPherson. They co-lead this celebration of Jimmy Heath’s music, tunes that defined the hard-bop era.
WED 7.15 at 7:30 p.m. | VICTOR LIN: GERSHWIN REIMAGINED
Pianist/violinist Victor Lin brings fresh perspective to the music of George Gershwin in an evening of lively, imaginative interpretations. Lin always brings a thoughtful and imaginative game plan to the Festival. A mainstay at the Stanford Jazz Workshop since the late 1990s, he has emerged in recent years as a savvy producer with a gift for conceptual concerts that highlight both repertoire and relationships among Workshop faculty. This year, Lin turns his attention to the music of George Gershwin, re-examining one of America’s most enduring composers through a contemporary jazz lens.
With this new program, Lin brings the same spirit of curiosity and collaboration to Gershwin’s songs and orchestral works, revealing their rhythmic vitality, harmonic sophistication, and deep jazz roots. His gift lies not only in the material he chooses, but in the musicians he gathers–a rotating cast of friends and colleagues who bring fresh perspective, shared history, and joyful spontaneity to the music.
THU 7.16 at 7:30 p.m. | MICHAEL MAYO QUARTET
Every generation seems to produce an exceptionally talented male jazz vocalist or two, and the ‘20s will be remembered for the emergence of Michael Mayo, a lithe, soul-steeped improviser devoted to direct emotional expression. Growing up in Los Angeles, Mayo seemed destined to a life in music. His father is a vocalist and saxophonist who performed with Earth, Wind & Fire and Sérgio Mendes, while his mother’s distinguished career as a background vocalist includes work with Beyoncé, Diana Ross, Luther Vandross, and Whitney Houston. A credit to nature and nurture, he’s emerged over the past decade as a supremely talented vocalist, composer, songwriter, and arranger. A graduate of New England Conservatory and the Thelonious Monk Institute (now the Hancock Institute of Jazz), Mayo has honed an enthralling sound steeped in jazz, neo-soul, and R&B. He’s toured with Herbie Hancock, recorded with drummer Nate Smith, and collaborated widely with Taylor Eigsti, singing on the title track of the pianist’s GRAMMY-winning 2021 album Tree Falls. Since then, Mayo has released two acclaimed albums of his own, firmly establishing himself as one of the most exciting young vocalists in jazz.
SAT 7.18 at 7:30 p.m. | ANAT COHEN
Fresh off a series of major events marking her 50th birthday, from Jazz at Lincoln Center to SFJAZZ, tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Anat Cohen returns to Stanford, where her jazz festival performances are an annual highlight. Since arriving in New York City in 1999 she has played trad jazz in ensembles devoted to the early music of Louis Armstrong and post-bop with her generation’s cutting-edge improvisers and composers. She soared in orchestral settings, celebrated Benny Goodman with Benny Green at the Village Vanguard, and danced tightrope in duet with Fred Hersch at Healdsburg (all captured on albums). She’s embraced her brothers (trumpeter Avishai and soprano saxophonist Yuval) in 3 Cohens and navigated Oded Lev-Ari’s intricate compositions for the Anat Cohen Tentet. Her love of Brazilian music has often been the focus of her annual Festival appearances, where she’s collaborated with some of the world’s greatest Brazilian musicians. Whether she’s exploring the music of overlooked genius Moacir Santos or MPB superstar Milton Nascimento, playing choro, bossa nova or Brazilian jazz with her Quartetinho, Cohen is a nonpareil clarinetist and suavely swinging tenor saxophonist at the peak of her craft.
SUN 7.19 at 7:30 p.m. | THE WESTERLIES
A singular chamber jazz ensemble, The Westerlies have honed a gorgeous, intricately calibrated approach that brings uncommon intimacy to the unique two trumpet, two trombone lineup. Featuring trumpeters Riley Mulherkar and Chloe Rowlands and trombonists Andy Clausen and Addison Maye-Saxon, The Westerlies sound like no other group in jazz. Introducing a new instrumental concept after more than a century of jazz-powered innovation is no small task, but The Westerlies combine the dynamic precision of a string quartet, the sonic punch of a rock band, and the derring-do of a circus act. Across 10 acclaimed studio albums the ensemble has arranged and performed music by a dazzling array of composers and collaborators, including Caroline Shaw, Nico Muhly, Conrad Tao, Wayne Horvitz, Robin Holcomb, and Theo Bleckmann. Last year the group released two major projects, Paradise, a breathtaking reimagination of the Shape Note choral tradition, and Songbook, Vol. 3, a live EP and concert film celebrating friends and recent collaborators, including Samora Pinderhughes, Anaïs Mitchell, Aoife O’Donovan, and Joanna Newsom. This year The Westerlies are presenting a major retrospective of new music by key mentor Bill Frisell and an adaptation of Maria Schneider’s GRAMMY-winning song cycle Winter Morning Walks featuring South African vocalist Vuyo Sotashe.
MON 7.20 at 7:30 p.m. | ANISHA RUSH QUARTET & BEN FLOCKS MOONSHADES
A potent double bill pairs two stellar saxophonists, with bands led by rising star Anisha Rush and mid-career master Ben Flocks, who’s celebrating the release of a powerhouse trio album Moonshades. An integral part of the Workshop family since he was a teenager, Flocks has earned widespread esteem while performing and recording with a glittering constellation of jazz stars, from Dave Brubeck, Patrice Rushen and Joshua Redman to Antonio Sanchez, Javier Santiago and Caili O’Doherty. He’s focused on writing and performing with a stripped-down trio, honing an approach that’s intensely lyrical and palpably physical. Sharing the evening is Colorado Springs-reared, New York City-based saxophonist, composer and educator Anisha Rush, an intrepid improviser who draws from the kindred currents of jazz, soul, R&B, and gospel. A rising bandleader in her own right, she’s made a powerful impression as a sidewoman with veteran masters such as Makaya McCraven, Ron Miles, Matt Wilson, and Art Lande.
TUE 7.21 at 7:30 p.m. | MILES CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION FEATURING JEREMY PELT
A prodigious trumpeter, producer and composer who’s been at the center of the New York jazz scene for a quarter century, Jeremy Pelt has released some two dozen albums as a leader exploring a wide array of instrumental settings. The Los Angeles native has traversed similarly expansive terrain as a sideman on some five-dozen albums with both veteran masters (such as Gerald Wilson, Cedar Walton, Louis Hayes, and Wayne Shorter) and contemporaries (including Camille Thurman, Somi, and Jaleel Shaw). Embracing his role as an established veteran, he’s taken to mentoring younger players while sharing wisdom from well-traveled cats in a series of books featuring his interviews with jazz masters, Griots: Examining the Lives of Jazz’s Great Storytellers. Many of the veterans he’s conversed with are Miles Davis alumni and Pelt is ideally prepared to celebrate Miles’ centennial, as both a player and raconteur.
WED 7.22 at 7:30 p.m. | RUTH DAVIES’ BLUES NIGHT
Returning for its 23rd edition, Ruth Davies’ Blues Night is a bona fide Stanford Jazz tradition that ensures that the music’s essential roots are explicitly recognized and honored. When John Lee Hooker needed to put some boom in his “Boom Boom,” he gave Ruth Davies a call. When R&B great Charles Brown sought a supple pulse for his cool West Coast blues, Davies supplied the beat. And when Elvin Bishop required extra propulsion for a new band, Davies provided the fuel. Over the past four decades she’s been the bassist of choice for dozens of masters in blues, jazz, R&B and beyond, from Taj Mahal and Barbara Dane to Clark Terry and Maria Muldaur. At Stanford, she’s taken it upon herself to ensure that the blues is always on the program, bringing in a special guest each season. This year’s featured artist is 23-year-old Sean “Mack” McDonald, an Augusta, Georgia-raised guitarist who is part of a wave of brilliant young Black musicians revitalizing the art form. Steeped in Chicago and West Coast post-war blues, he’s absorbed the sounds of Bobby “Blue” Bland, Louis Jordan, T-Bone Walker, and early BB King.
THU 7.23 at 7:30 p.m. | STEFON HARRIS & BLACKOUT
The contemporary jazz scene is amid an unprecedented wave of vibraphone innovation, and no artist deserves more credit for this development than Stefon Harris. Since emerging in the late-1990s with a series of highly acclaimed albums for Blue Note Records, the New York native has mentored many of the brightest young players to come up in his wake (like Sasha Berliner). But for the past two decades, he’s been a scarce presence in venues and recording studios. His latest album, 2018’s Sonic Creed (Motéma), features his band Blackout, and is a brilliant and lushly produced program of Harris originals and hard-bop standards by Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons and Bobby Hutcherson. And like much of his work since he made a highly productive trip to Cuba in 2008 the album digs into the kindred roots of jazz and rumba (via percussion great Pedrito Martinez). An ambitious composer, startlingly eloquent improviser and savvy bandleader, he’s always looking to expand and deepen the Blackout musical family. He brings the band’s latest iteration west for a rare Stanford sojourn.
SAT 7.25 at 7:30 p.m. | YILIAN CAÑIZARES
After her jaw-dropping appearance last summer as a special guest with percussion maestro John Santos, it was obvious that Cuban violinist/vocalist Yilian Cañizares needed to return and present her own band. Cañizares is on the cusp of becoming a major figure on the North American jazz scene. Introduced to Bay Area audiences just before the advent of the pandemic via her collaboration with piano great Omar Sosa, with whom she recorded the gorgeous, spiritually charged 2018 album Aguas, the Swiss-based Cañizares has been looking for opportunities to return ever since. Born in Havana, she was 14 when she moved to Venezuela in 1997 to study at El Sistema founder José Antonio Abreu’s Academia Latinoamericana de Violin in Caracas. Three years later she relocated to Switzerland to complete her studies at the Fribourg/Freiburg conservatory and ended up settling in Lausanne. Increasingly interested in fusing her Cuban roots with jazz, she launched her first band, Ochumare, which means rainbow in Yoruba. The trio became a proving ground for her rapidly evolving music, which has been fueled by collaborations with Cuban piano stars such as Chucho Valdés, Omar Sosa, and Roberto Fonseca. But she’s reached far beyond her homeland in her quest for musical adventures, performing with Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, Romani flamenco legend Diego El Cigala, South Korean vocalist Youn Sun Nah, Tunisian oud master and vocalist Dhafer Youssef, and Cameroonian bass maestro Richard Bona.
SUN 7.26 at 8:00 p.m. | SASHA BERLINER
San Francisco-reared vibraphonist Sasha Berliner, who last performed at the Festival two years ago co-leading a tribute to vibes legend Bobby Hutcherson and drummer Eddie Marshall, returns for his Festival debut as a headliner with her state-of-the-art band. On a jazz scene bristling with brilliant young vibraphonists, she has distinguished herself with a lithe electro-acoustic group sound that’s rooted in post-bop improvisation and deeply informed by contemporary musical currents. Now based in Los Angeles, the San Francisco native spent formative years at the Workshop. The first of the three times she attended in high school she was still focusing on drums, but on her return trips she had switched to vibes and recalls soaking up invaluable experience in a combo led by Victor Lin. Sessions with Ambrose Akinmusire and Billy Hart set her up well for New York City and studies at the New School. She’s been soaring ever since as a bandleader, sidewoman and composer. Last year she released her third studio album, Fantôme (Outside In Music), a supple, lyrically charged project laced with electronic textures and production. Last fall the storied German jazz outfit the Frankfurt Radio Big Band performed a concert of arrangements of her compositions, and Berklee concluded a seminar focusing on her compositions with a program by the Sasha Berliner Berklee Ensemble. With jazz stars like Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Tyshawn Sorey calling her for gigs, she is flourishing as a full-spectrum creative force.
MON 7.27 at 8:00 p.m. | GUITAR NIGHT FEATURING CAMILA MEZA & DAN WILSON
A long-running, ever-changing showcase for jazz’s finest guitar practitioners, Guitar Night brings together two extraordinary bandleaders with very different sounds this season. Chilean-born Camila Meza first gained widespread attention on the New York scene in the late aughts working widely in bands led by Cuban pianist Fabian Almazan and trombonist Ryan Keberle (who started incorporating her vocals into arrangements for his Pan-American band Catharsis). She’s carved out her own identity as a composer, most vividly with her eight-piece Nectar Orchestra. Dan Wilson also came to renown as a sideman, via widespread touring with Hammond B3 great Joey DeFrancesco, and later bass star Christian McBride. Deeply inspired by guitar maestros Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, Joe Pass, and George Benson, he came up playing in church and every note is marked by his sanctified origins. With the release of his fourth album as a leader last year,Things Eternal, Wilson cemented his status as one of jazz’s most accomplished and expressive guitarists.
TUE 7.28 at 8:00 p.m. | GEORGE CABLES SEXTET FEATURING STANFORD JAZZ WORKSHOP FACULTY
At 81, pianist George Cables is jazz royalty. As an accompanist, composer and bandleader he’s been at the center of jazz’s progressive mainstream since the late 1960s, with a resume that rivals any living peer and a book of beloved compositions in regular circulation. A treasured presence at the Workshop for years, George Cables made a name for himself on a series of classic recordings by era-defining musicians, including Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson and Woody Shaw. As a bandleader and composer, he’s made his mark with some two dozen albums, most recently his 2024 trio session I Hear Echoes with bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Jerome Jennings. Since his recording debut on the 1968 album Electrifying Sounds of the Paul Jeffrey (a quintet session with drummer Billy Hart, his bandmate in the all-star combo The Cookers), Cables has distinguished himself with his bright, voluptuous sound and vivifying combination of elegance and grit. Altoist Art Pepper famously dubbed him “Mr. Beautiful” for his sublime melodic sensibility, but he could just as easily have been talking about Cables as a man. A composer of arrestingly alluring tunes, he’s made a deep mark wherever he’s spent time, nowhere more so than in Northern California, where his regular presence at Keystone Korner was an essential part of the storied North Beach venue’s creative mojo.
WED 7.29 at 8:00 p.m. | ALDO LÓPEZ-GAVILÁN
Even in a country with a glorious tradition of extravagantly talented pianists, Havana-reared Aldo López-Gavilán is a conspicuously commanding musician. Steeped in jazz, Afro-Cuban and European classical music, he’s a celebrated composer who hails from an illustrious musical clan. His father, Guido López-Gavilán, is an esteemed conductor and composer, and his late mother, Teresita Junco, was an acclaimed concert pianist. His older brother, violinist Ilmar Gavilán, is a founding member of the Harlem Quartet (their long thwarted but eventually successful efforts to perform together became the subject of the 2020 documentary Los Hermanos/The Brothers by award-winning Bay Area filmmakers Ken Schneider and Marcia Jarmel). After making his professional debut at age 12 with the Matanzas Symphony Orchestra, López-Gavilán went on to perform Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Cuba. At the same time, he was delving into the classical canon, López-Gavilán was honing his skills as an improviser. Invited to perform at the Havana Jazz Festival with Chucho Valdés, he made such a powerful impression that the legendary pianist called him “simply a genius, a star.” He’s been living up to the praise ever since.
THU 7.30. at 8:00 p.m. | TAYLOR EIGSTI GROUP FEATURING GRETCHEN PARLATO & ZACK GROOVES
Since the turn of the century no artist has been more deeply identified with Stanford Jazz than pianist Taylor Eigsti, a prodigy who went on to carve out a brilliant career as an accompanist, composer and two-time GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist.
Eigsti’s annual performance at Stanford typically falls in the Festival’s last week, providing a bold exclamation point to the previous weeks of musical adventures. Though he’s never hidden his incandescent talent under a bushel, Eigsti did wait a decade between albums, a drought that came to an end with 2020’s Tree Falls, which earned a GRAMMY Award. His 2023 follow-up, Plot Armor, scored another GRAMMY, and he’s joined at this concert by the brilliant vocalist Gretchen Parlato, who sang on both projects. Eigsti has also toured widely with Parlato and recorded on several of her albums. They’re thrilled to regroup with a more recent connection, YouTube sensation Zack Grooves (aka Zack Graybeal). A stellar drummer who was known mostly as a busy sideman around North Carolina, he’s turned his YouTube channel into a bustling educational resource for fellow trap set acolytes with close to a half-million subscribers. Zach Grooves has been touring with Eigsti over the past couple of years, including a 2024 European jaunt featuring Parlato and tenor saxophonist Ben Wendel and a fall 2025 European tour with vocalist Becca Stevens.
FRI 7.31 at 8:00 p.m. | ALL-STAR JAM
At this lovingly curated annual jam session, audiences will hear pairings and combinations of jazz artists rarely heard anywhere else. In duet, trio, quartet, and larger ensembles, these amazing top-tier players will let their unbridled creativity soar. Artists TBA.
Dates: Saturday, June 20, 2026 - Sunday, June 21, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
Festival tickets are on sale now via http://www.ticketquarter and www.africaoye.com.
For more information, please visit http://www.africaoye.com.
Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026
From Chris Taylor of Sy : Gigs
Event 4.0 - September 13th - Haiku Salut + Osgled + Matt Sewell
A new delicious afternoon matinee for your diaries.
Sunday 13th September 2026
The Darwin Room, Shrewsbury Library in Shrewsbury
2:30pm til 6:00pm (Performance starts 3:00pm)
September 13 — Early Bird tickets are now on sale. There are only a small number owing to capacity of venue.
https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Shrewsbury/The-Darwin-Room%2C-Shrewsbury-Library/Haiku-Salut—Osgled—Matt-Sewell/42155982/
I am really thrilled to welcome back @haikusalut to Shrewsbury.
The last time Haiku Salut joined us was in November 2018 at St Alkmund’s Church, an evening show beautifully supported by my friend Joel (@tinyleavesmusic).
This time, they return in a different light at our new venue, The Darwin Room, Shrewsbury Library, presenting a special afternoon matinee, with support from Osgled and Matt Sewell.
For those discovering them afresh, Haiku Salut are the Derbyshire-born trio of Gemma Barkerwood, Sophie Barkerwood and Louise Croft. Self-described as “instrumental dream-pop-post-folk-neo-everything,” their music is intricate, cinematic and entirely wordless, glockenspiel, accordion, piano, electronics and found sounds woven into something both playful and profound.
Drawing inspiration from composers such as Yann Tiersen and Benoît Charest, alongside the delicate experimentalism of Múm, they create immersive soundscapes that feel like miniature films unfolding in real time.
https://haikusalut.bandcamp.com/music
Osgled (Welsh for amplitude ) draws on a rich blend of experimental sounds, combines ethereal, atmospheric layers with poignant, melancholy synths, all woven together with dreamy and evocative vocals. The result is a soundscape that feels both otherworldly and deeply emotional, transporting listeners into a space of reflection and feeling.
https://osgled.bandcamp.com/music
The Matinee will be bookended again by dear friend and Shrewsbury polymath @mattsewell.
https://ctrmusic.bandcamp.com/album/a-crushing-glow-compiled-by-matt-sewell
Dates: Friday, July 03, 2026 - Sunday, July 05, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
For details please visit Festival website;
https://lovesupremefestival.com/
Dates: Friday, July 24, 2026 - Sunday, August 02, 2026
For details please visit Festival website;
http://www.birminghamjazzfestival.com/
Dates: Thursday, July 16, 2026 - Friday, July 17, 2026
Featuring: Stacey Kent
SERIOUS have provided the following information;
Thu 16 & Fri 17 July, Cadogan Hall
Stacey Kent
Due to high demand and limited tickets for 16 July, a second date has been added on Friday 17 July for Stacey Kent at Cadogan Hall. Don’t miss the Grammy-nominated star part of this year’s Summer Jazz Series.
Tickets;
https://serious.org.uk/events/stacey-kent
Cadogan Hall,
5 Sloane Terrace
SW1X 9DQ.
Date: Tuesday, July 07, 2026
SERIOUS have provided the following information regarding this event;
Tuesday 7 July, Union Chapel
Katie Melua + Jed Holland
This July, one of the UK’s best-selling female artists, Katie Melua, brings an intimate show to Union Chapel. With over 11 million albums sold and 56 platinum awards, she continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
Tickets;
https://serious.org.uk/events/katie-melua
Union Chapel,
Compton Terrace,
London,
N1 2UN
Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
Featuring: The Gaz Hughes Trio
5 Belmont,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.
UK
From Mike Wright of Shrewsbury Jazz Network;
Gaz Hughes Trio
June 13 £25/£12 U22
Drummer Gaz Hughes returns to SJN at the Hive with his exciting trio partners Gavin Barras (double bass) & Andrzej Baranek (piano). Rooted in the timeless tradition of the piano trio, they breathe fresh life into standards and mix in a few of their own original compositions for good measure. The result showcases seamless interaction, bold creativity, and an infectious joy. Classic Sound with a Modern Twist.
‘A high level of swing and musicality…Jazz Journal
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2026
From;
https://harboroughjazz.com/
Welcome to Harborough Jazz
Who Are We?
Harborough Jazz Club focuses on promoting modern and mainstream forms of Jazz. We stage a monthly Sunday gig and a local jam session. We have an excellent reputation for providing jazz sessions from national and international names. Join as a club member and enjoy special rates and booking privileges.
Where to Find Us
We look forward to seeing you at our lunchtime sessions on the second Sunday in every month at The Three Swans Hotel, Market Harborough, UK to enjoy a friendly relaxed atmosphere, good food and the best in modern jazz. Our open jam sessions are held on the last Tuesday in the month the Coach and Horses pub in Lubenham (see Local Jazz News). https://harboroughjazz.com/local-jazz-news
Pete Oxley’s Time is of the Essence
The Three Swans , Market Harborough, LE167NJ
Sunday 14th June 2026
Pete Oxley: Time is of the Essence
Inspired by the stunning 1999 album by Michael Brecker, Time is of the Essence is an ‘organ quartet’: sax, guitar, organ and drums. Formed in 2010, the band features original music along with pieces by the likes of Michael Brecker, Steely Dan, Wes Montgomery and Eddie Harris, falling very much into the ‘groove’ category of jazz!
Ollie Weston ~ Saxophones, Pete Oxley ~ Guitars, Martin Pickett ~ Organ, Keith Fairbairn ~ Drums
Tickets;
https://www.ticketsource.com/booking/select/npkpedezpxbg
PLEASE HELP US BY PURCHASING TICKETS IN ADVANCE
The Three Swans Hotel,
21 High Street,
Market Harborough,
Leicestershire,
LE16 7NJ
01858 466644
Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
From;
https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/shows/jazz-in-the-studio/
Tommy Scott Trio
Mon 19th Oct
Tommy’s music takes listeners on a compelling journey, from sensitive and lyrical moods, to passionate and driving virtuosity. Although Tommy is influenced by the mainstream jazz tradition of Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner, his music also has elements of latin grooves and classical composition. For this performance, Tommy makes a rare return to his hometown of Cheltenham, featuring a trio with the amazingly talented Max Luthert on Bass, and Euan Palmer on Drums.
Box Office:
01242 572 573
The Everyman Theatre
Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ.
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys - 40th Anniversary Special
Saturday 11th July 2026 | 7:30pm
King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys will celebrate an incredible 40 years on the road in 2026. Formed in 1986 in Darlaston, the band still features original members King Pleasure and Bullmoose ‘K’ Shirley and has performed more than 7,000 shows across 21 countries, sharing stages with legends including B.B. King and Ray Charles.
With 14 albums, dozens of radio and TV appearances, and a reputation as one of the world’s greatest jump, jive and swing bands, they’ll mark the milestone with special reunion gigs, international tour dates, festival headliners, and a commemorative album reissue throughout 2026.
Don’t miss out. Grab your tickets now and be part of the celebration!
https://www.regaltenbury.co.uk/events/king-pleasure-amp-the-biscuit-boys-40th-anniversary-special
The Regal, Tenbury Wells
47-49 Teme Street,
Tenbury Wells,
Worcestershire,
WR15 8AE.
Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
We have received the following information regarding this event;
Saturday 12 September, Jazz Cafe
China Moses
China Moses blends jazz, soul, blues, and groove with soaring vocals. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Paris by Dee Dee Bridgewater and Gilbert Moses, she’s built a global career spanning seven acclaimed albums and stages from Ronnie Scott’s to the Royal Albert Hall. Her high-energy shows mix playful storytelling with raw emotion, taking audiences somewhere entirely unexpected.
Tickets;
https://serious.org.uk/events/china-moses
Sat 12 September 2026
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Jazz Cafe,
5 Parkway
London
NW1 7PG
Tickets
£30 - £50 + booking fee
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
Featuring: Deborah Rose
Wed 20 September – Belgium | Breda Viva La Vie, Roeselare
Bruanestraat 1, Roeselare, Belgium, 8800
Date: Saturday, June 06, 2026
Featuring: Deborah Rose
Sat 6 June – Traherne Festival, Credenhill Church.
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
From;
https://serious.org.uk/events/al-di-meola
Al Di Meola
Thu 25 June 2026
Stage time / 8:00pm
Doors / 7:30pm
Location
Barbican,
Silk Street
EC2Y 8DS
Tickets
Presale tickets go live this Thursday 29/01/2026, 10am £35 - £65 + booking fee
https://serious.org.uk/events/booktickets/41601
Pre-sale tickets available to Serious subscribers this Thursday from 10am. Sign up to our mailing list receive your presale code
Al Di Meola returns with his acoustic band and the program “The Guitarchitect,” a refined concert experience that unites five decades of music, sweeping multimedia visuals, and the stories that shaped a lifetime of artistry.
This show will be a celebration of legacy, innovation, and the evolution of the Di Meola sound -performed with the unmistakable precision and passion that have defined his world-renowned career.
Join us for an evening that honours the past, embraces the present, and looks toward the future.
Presented in collaboration with Marshall Arts
Dates: Thursday, September 03, 2026 - Sunday, September 06, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
SWANSEA INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2026
Dates for diary…
THURSDAY SEP 3rd - SUNDAY SEP 6th!
Date: Wednesday, July 01, 2026
Dave Jones has forwarded the following information;
Weds 1 July at Drill Hall
A double-header concert with 2 unique bands, in Chepstow …
‘Chube’ and Dave Jones’ ‘Stratospheric’
“A totally cosmic experience … a melange of excellence” (BBC Introducing with Adam Walton re ‘Stratospheric’)
“Jazz, rock and electronics were all promised, and all were brilliantly delivered” (Ian Mann re ‘Chube’)
Further details and tickets are now available from the ‘Buy Tickets’ button below …
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hybrid-jazz-club/chube-dave-jones-stratospheric/2026-07-01/20:00/t-dkayjmz
‘Chube’ / Dave Jones’ ‘Stratospheric’
Drill Hall, Chepstow, NP16 5HJ
Wednesday 1st July 2026 8:00PM
A double-header featuring ‘Chube’ and Dave Jones’ ‘Stratospheric’. Both bands have their own unique type of fusion - ‘Chube’ are an electro acoustic trio utilising an effected harp to produce new ambient and rock sounds alongside bass and drums, while Dave Jones’ ‘Stratospheric’ are a new 5-piece band with a jazz-influenced approach to material that’s in a Prog Rock style.
‘Chube’ are …
Ben Creighton Griffiths (harp)
Ashley John Long (bass)
Jon Bradford-Jones (drums)
“Jazz, rock and electronics were all promised, and all were brilliantly delivered.” (Ian Mann)
Dave Jones’ ‘Stratospheric’ are …
Ben Waghorn (saxes, flute)
Tim Rose (guitar)
Dave Jones (keyboards)
Ashley John Long (bass)
Scott Hammond (drums)
“A totally cosmic experience … a melange of excellence” (Adam Walton, BBC Introducing).
Event Details
Doors Open at 7:30PM
From 8:00PM to 10:00PM
Location
Drill Hall, Chepstow, NP16 5HJ
Dates: Saturday, July 18, 2026 - Sunday, July 19, 2026
Featuring: Pat Metheny
Silk Street,
London.
EC2Y 8DS
We have received the following press release;
Pat Metheny takes over the Barbican on 18 & 19 July with three special concerts
Tickets on-sale Friday, 9 January
Buy Tickets Here
https://serious.org.uk/summer-jazz-series-2026
Part of the Summer Jazz Series 2026, a celebration of world-class music across London this summer from the producers of the EFG London Jazz Festival, Serious
Twenty-time Grammy Award–winner Pat Metheny, one of the most influential and celebrated musicians of his generation, returns to the Barbican for a special weekend takeover in July with three shows across two days on 18 and 19 July 2026. In a career spanning more than five decades, Metheny has continually redefined the possibilities of jazz, blending lyricism, innovation and genre-crossing ambition to create a body of work that has inspired generations of artists and audiences alike. A tireless and prolific performer, he has sold out major London venues in recent years, including the Barbican and Hammersmith Apollo, affirming his enduring connection with UK audiences and his reputation as one of the most compelling live performers in contemporary music.
This Barbican residency places Metheny centre stage, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience his music in depth across a concentrated series of performances. Renowned for his restless creativity and openness to collaboration, Metheny continues to balance landmark solo projects with bold ensemble work, championing both emerging talent and long-established voices while pushing his own artistry forward.
As part of this weekend, Metheny presents the latest evolution of his ongoing SIDE EYE project. SIDE EYE III sees him joined by Chris Fishman (piano and keyboards), Jermaine Paul (bass) and Joe Dyson (drums), a dynamic lineup that reflects Metheny’s long-standing commitment to mentoring the next generation of jazz innovators. Featuring new music alongside reimagined classics, the project embodies Metheny’s fearless approach to exploration, tradition and collaboration.
A bandleader since the 1970s and an artist who has often performed more than 100 concerts a year, Pat Metheny remains a vital creative force, continually evolving, questioning and redefining what modern jazz can be.
Date: Friday, September 18, 2026
From;
https://edgeartscentre.com/?page_id=14
Friday 18 September 2026
The Joe Masterson Trio
Described by many as a rising star of the UK Jazz scene, Joe Masterson, a 2020 graduate from Leeds Conservatoire is a Birmingham based pianist making his mark on the Birmingham and Midlands Jazz scene. After playing to sell-out crowds across the midlands, and performing at the likes of Cheltenham and Birmingham Jazz Festival, Joe is also known for Jazz at Fletchers – a monthly jazz club in Kings Heath, Birmingham running for over the past 3 years. Here, along with his trio of Miles Levin and Simon Smith, he has collaborated with the likes of Simon Spillet, Chris Bowden, Suzi Woods, Steve Ajao, Alex Clarke, Ade Wakelin and many more.
Influenced by the likes of Monty Alexander, Oscar Peterson and Eddie Higgins, the trio play a variety of music, always looking to groove.
Simon Smith is one of the UK’s most in demand bassists. He has worked extensively as a freelance musician throughout the UK, Europe and the US, including a five year stint based in Los Angeles. Simon’s recording credits include Stevie Nicks, Sarah McLachlan, Wilson Phillips, Glen Ballard and Dave Stewart. He has worked in the live touring bands of artists as diverse as Idina Menzel, Linda Perry, Carl Barât and Carina Round performing at venues and events including Lincoln Center (New York), Ambassadors Theatre, Glastonbury Festival, South by Southwest and La Bâtie Festival (Geneva) amongst many others.
Miles Levin is simply one of the finest jazz drummers in the whole of the UK, respected and admired nationally. He has performed all over the UK and internationally with many of the UK’s leading artists.
Doors 18.30 Show 19.30
Tickets: £15
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/edgeartscentre/the-joe-masterson-trio/2026-09-18/19:30/t-oejvanp
Date: Friday, July 03, 2026
From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/jazz/jazz-at-progress/?future=true
Jazz at Progress | Matt Skelton presents The Blackhawk Quintet: Celebrating Shelly Manne | Tickets on sale soon
Friday 3 July 2026| Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
James Davison trumpet
Mark Crooks tenor saxophone
Leon Greening piano
Conor Chaplin bass
Matt Skelton drums
This will be a night of ‘cool jazz’ and a tribute to multi-poll winning drummer, Shelley Manne, one of the greats of the West Coast scene of the 1950s An extraordinary and selfless artist, Shelley (1920-1984) – band leader, Contemporary Jazz record label house musician, studio orchestra drummer for countless films and television and owner of ‘Shelley’s Manne Hole’ jazz club – has left an immense legacy of collaborations and recordings, which have enriched the lexicon of jazz percussion with virtuosic alacrity.
This project, masterminded by Matt Skelton, celebrates Shelley’s Quintet – Joe Gordon, trumpet; Richie Kamuca, tenor sax; Victor Felman, piano; Monty Budwig, bass and Shelley Manne, drums – and their particular contribution to the Manne canon, inspired by a clutch of golden performances, captured live at the Blackhawk Jazz club in San Francisco between September 22-24,1959.
Tonight’s ‘stellar’ line-up has been hand-picked for the way they connect with, and are inspired by their corresponding original artists. They will aim to express the band’s own originality and collective inspiration with the Manne Blackhawk quintet as their DNA framework.
Matt Skelton’s Blackhawk Quintet has taken the UK jazz club scene by storm and by the time they make their Progress appearance will have completed a lengthy tour of Scandinavia.
You can expect the fireworks to be flying tonight!
‘An evening of pure jazz joy. Thank you Matt for giving us the opportunity to hear and be part of this important and uplifting music. Jazz night’s don’t come any better than this. We are still smiling.’ – Watermill Jazz Club – Dorking
Progress Theatre
progress theatre - jazz in reading
http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk | The Mount, Off Christchurch Road, Reading RG1 5HL
Bar at all gigs from 7:00pm. Drinks may be taken into the auditorium during performances.
Progress Theatre is a self-governing, self-funding theatre group founded in 1947, maintained by volunteers. The Theatre itself is an intimate 95-seat venue. It is the oldest operating theatre in Reading and has a fully licensed bar. There is wheelchair access to the Theatre with a space for disabled patrons. In 2011 Sir Kenneth Branagh became the Patron to Progress Theatre.
Dates: Thursday, July 09, 2026 - Sunday, July 26, 2026
Featuring: Various Artists
Multi-disciplinary arts festival that includes the twelve gigs of the Jazz Weekender event from 9th to12th July.
For full programme please visit ;
http://www.buxtonfestival.co.uk
Jazz Weekender programme: View here.
https://buxtonfestival.co.uk/whats-on/jazz-weekender
Mid Wales Rhythm & Blues Club celebrates its 12th anniversary with five different performances from Paul Keddle & Friends, Elsie Franklin, Jo & Tim Carley, Terraplane Blues Duo and the Jon Amor Trio
Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here, Worcester celebrates the first anniversary of the Club's acquisition of a Nord Stage 4 keyboard, purchased with the generous financial assistance of Sumir Karayi.
Ian Mann enjoys the final day of the Festival and performances by Alice Zawadzki / James Kitchman, Roberto Fonseca, 10 c.c. and Kim Cypher with guest Fayyaz Virji.