The Ayoub Sisters at St. Laurence’s Church, Ludlow, Shropshire.

Date: Friday, February 06, 2026

More details

From;
https://ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk/show/the-ayoub-sisters-2026-uk-tour

The Ayoub Sisters: 2026 UK Tour

Scottish-Egyptian instrumentalists and composers The Ayoub Sisters celebrate their 10-year anniversary with an evening of transformative music which blends Western classical, Arabic and Celtic traditions.

Since rising to stardom when their debut album premiered at No.1 in the Official Classical Charts, The Ayoub Sisters have captivated audiences worldwide – from the Royal Albert Hall and Cairo Opera House to Glastonbury, the BBC Proms and beyond. With their onstage chemistry and masterful instrumentation, they are redefining classical crossover for a new generation.

Part of their 2026 UK tour, this milestone show is a breathtaking celebration of their musical journey to date.

Classical, World, Arab, Orchestra
Duration:: 90 mins

06 Feb 2026 - 19:30 @ St Laurence’s Church, Ludlow - (opening time 19:00) The Ayoub Sisters: 2026 UK Tour

Tickets;
https://ludlowassemblyrooms.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873679006/events/129634626

Coltrane Dedication Quintet at Hafan Jazz, Hafan Yr Afon, Newtown, Powys.

Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026

Featuring: Coltrane Dedication

More details

From;
https://www.hafanyrafon.com/event-details/hafan-jazz-coltrane-dedication-quintet

Hafan Jazz: Coltrane Dedication Quintet
Sat 10 Jan |  Newtown

Time & Location
10 Jan 2026, 19:30 – 22:00
Newtown, Hafan Yr Afon, Car Park, Back Ln, Newtown SY16 2NH, UK

About the event

Hafan Jazz: Coltrane Dedication Quintet

Step into an unforgettable night of raw energy, deep emotion, and fearless improvisation as Coltrane Dedication return to Wales with their powerful reimagining of John Coltrane’s music.

This acclaimed Welsh quintet don’t play tributes — they channel the visceral spirit, emotional fire, and forward-driving creativity of Coltrane’s most iconic period (1960–1967), projecting it boldly into the 21st century.

Expect everything from the hard-swinging pulse of “Mr P.C.”, to the meditative intensity of the A Love Supreme suite, to the explosive freedom of later-period Trane.

Praised by renowned jazz critic Ian Mann (thejazzmann.com) for their “skilled and passionate updating of the Coltrane legacy,” Coltrane Dedication are known for nights filled with spirit, fire, and transcendent musical communication.

Join us at Hafan Jazz for a night of pure musical energy as Coltrane Dedication honour and ignite the legacy of a true master!

LINE-UP:
Lyndon Owen - sax
Will Cass - guitar
Dave Jones - piano
Steffan Jones - drums
Bill Fletcher - bass

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01686880777

07535 710 256

https://www.facebook.com/hafanyrafon

https://www.instagram.com/hafanyrafon/#

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/hafanyrafon

https://www.tiktok.com/@hafan.yr.afon

Esther Bennett Quartet at The Verdict Jazz Club, Brighton.

Date: Friday, March 20, 2026

Featuring: Esther Bennett

More details

From;
https://www.estherbennettmusic.com/event/the-verdict-brighton/

THE VERDICT BRIGHTON

Really looking forward to returning to this fabulous jazz venue in Brighton excellently run by drummer Tristan Banks
With
Mark Edwards on piano
Richard Sadler on double bass
Tristan Banks on drums

Date And Time
20-03-2026 , start 08:00 PM

Location
The Verdict 159 Edward Street, Kempton, Brighton and Hove BN2 0JB

Ian Shaw’s Piano Bar with Vanessa Haynes, Polly Gibbons, Esther Bennett, Andy Williamson at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London.

Date: Friday, January 30, 2026

Venue

Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London

Pizza Express Jazz Club,
Dean Street,
Soho,
London,
W1D 3RW.

More details

From;
https://www.estherbennettmusic.com/event/ian-shaws-piano-bar/

IAN SHAW’S PIANO BAR
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/ian-shaws-piano-bar-2
FRIDAY JANUARY 30th 8pm

Ian’s hugely popular ‘Pianobar’ returns to the iconic Soho basement. Creating the atmosphere of the gigs he started out with, Ian is joined by three dynamic singers, the soulful Vanessa Haynes and Polly Gibbons and the adventurous and unique (and very witty) Esther Bennett. Powerful saxophonist, Andy Williamson (Tom Robinson, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas), completes this sparkling guest line-up around the piano. Unmissable and will sell fast.

Jean Guyomarc’h Hot Club Trio at Brecon Jazz Club, The Musr Arts Centre, Brecon.

Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Featuring: Jean Guyomarc’h & Friends

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

Tues 20th January @ 8pm - Muse
Jean Guyomarc’h Trio

Guitarist Jean is joined by brilliant Welsh musician Gareth Evans and lyrical double bassist, Ashley-john Long
Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/breconjazz-jazzlivecymru/t-yzaqxye

Based in Tours, France, and a leading figure in contemporary manouche and jazz guitar, Jean Guyomarc’h is celebrated for his lyrical playing, rhythmic precision, and deep roots in the European jazz tradition. Self-taught before formal study, his career has taken him from festival stages to prestigious French jazz conservatoires, performing alongside and learning from some of the genre’s most respected musicians. Jean’s work spans manouche swing, modern jazz, and cross-cultural collaborations, making his performances both virtuosic and warmly accessible. Our presentation at BJC comprises a very special HOT CLUB set comprising many familiar melodies, brilliantly played:

“dazzling, virtuostic solos” - the jazzmann.com

Have a look at some of the many video clips that Jean has on his channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6AmheaRlKPWkTL_t-gt8Jg

At BJC, we’re trying to keep prices affordable whilst balancing running costs, so cheapest tickets are available up to 3rd Jan:
Tickets: £14 early bird / £16 standard / £17 on the door / PWYC/Youth
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/breconjazz-jazzlivecymru/t-yzaqxye

http://www.breconjazz.org
CONTACT: Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

BRECON JAZZ CLUB
MUSE ARTS CENTRE
Glamorgan St.
Brecon, LD3 7DW

Joe Masterson Trio at The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, Shropshire.

Date: Friday, September 18, 2026

More details

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

Naissance at The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, Shropshire.

Date: Friday, January 30, 2026

More details

From;
https://edgeartscentre.com/?page_id=14

Naissance
in concert

The duo of pianist John Law and saxophonist Jon Lloyd is called Naissance. They play beautiful and emotionally engaging music which blends jazz, classical, minimalist and European folk music into a seamless whole. The European “ECM” record label best represents this genre of music. Their work has been described as “Music of contemplation and renewal”.

“Beautifully conceived and often haunting music… positively ECM.”

Friday 30 January 2026
Doors 18.30 Show 19.30
Tickets: £15
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/edgeartscentre/naissance-in-concert/2026-01-30/19:30/t-pqjdvop

Event Details
Doors Open at 6:30PM
Starts at 7:30PM

Location
The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, TF13 6NB

Robert Shore, Jazzwise, September 2024

Terence Collie at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London.

Date: Sunday, April 19, 2026

Featuring: Terence Collie

More details

From;
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/terence-collie-quartet

Terence Collie Quartet
PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

Join MOBO Amplified Award winner Terence Collie, with support from Help Musicians, for a special evening of dynamic music. At the piano, Collie leads an outstanding quartet featuring Ted Carrasco (drums), Nick Lenner-Webster (double bass) and Cosimo Keita (percussion).

Following two sold-out shows, this performance offers an exclusive first look at brand-new material from Collie’s forthcoming album, recorded at Peter Gabriel’s legendary Real World Studios and set for release in mid-2026. Expect rich interplay, lyrical melodies and deep grooves from one of the UK’s most inventive jazz voices in the intimate surroundings of PizzaExpress Live Soho.

£30.00

19 April 2026 6:30pm 8:00pm PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)
Available
£30.00

Full Biography

Born in Croydon and growing up in Cambridgeshire, Terence Collie knew that making music would be his career path. A self-taught keyboard player with a keen ear for pop tunes, he joined his first professional band in Jersey at 17. Between 1988 and 1995, Collie performed regularly in the Island’s hotels, pubs and nightclubs, and developed a deep passion for jazz at the Blue Note Jazz Bar, learning from experienced musicians and studying jazz piano alongside private classical lessons. During this period, he had the opportunity to support artists such as Teddy Edwards, The Average White Band, Georgie Fame, Andy Sheppard, Jason Rebello and Digby Fairweather.

In the late 1990s, Collie returned to the UK mainland and secured a six-day-a-week residency at PizzaExpress in Cambridge, performing solo and in duos. This intensive schedule enabled him to develop a substantial jazz repertoire and refine his improvisational skills.

In 2011, Collie formed the jazz-fusion group Prison Break, recording two albums of original compositions and gaining experience in self-recording and production. Two years later, he co-founded Mood Indigo Events, curating high-quality jazz concerts, including five TW12 Jazz Festivals. This platform allowed him to perform regularly with leading jazz musicians at events such as Riverside Arts Jazz and Jazz on the Plaza.

Collie has performed at a host of leading jazz clubs and festivals, including Cadogan Hall for the EFG London Jazz Festival, PizzaExpress Live, The 606 Club, Brecon Jazz Festival, and The Stables in Wavendon.

In 2025, Collie was awarded the MOBO Amplified Award with support from Help Musicians.

Band Lineup
Terence Collie (piano)
Ted Carrasco (drums)
Nick Lenner-Webster (bass)
Cosimo Keita (percussion)

Matt Skelton presents The Blackhawk Quintet: Celebrating Shelly Manne at Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire.

Date: Friday, July 03, 2026

More details

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.

Small Blue at Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire.

Date: Friday, March 27, 2026

Featuring: Small Blue

More details

From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/jazz/jazz-at-progress/?future=true

Jazz at Progress | Small Blue
Friday 27 March 2026 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
Martin Pyne drums / composition
David Beebee piano
Marianne Windham double bass
Percussionist, composer and improviser Martin Pyne, when not working with contemporary dance or as a silent film accompanist, performs solo sets, leads bands, and collaborates with a range of musicians and other artists.
Formed in 2023, the jazz trio Small Blue is a result of just such a collaboration, with David Beebee on piano, and Marianne Windham on double bass.
Small Blue is a piano trio in the classic modern jazz tradition, featuring material including straight ahead swinging tunes and beautiful ballads , as well as African inspired grooves – but always with a twist.
Martin says that most of the tunes he composes have a back story, often being inspired by novels or poems he’s read, movies or art he’s seen, or places he’s visited.
The result is music that is intimate but ranges far and wide in tempo and mood – by turns lyrical, atmospheric, groovy, and mischievous – and takes in heartfelt ballads, mysterious grooves, evocative atmospheres and melodic swing along the way.
The trio’s second album, Furrow, has – like their debut album, The Stealthy Moon – been received with enthusiastic critical acclaim…
“Superb contemporary jazz” – Jazz Views
“Small Blue might be led by a drummer but this is one of the best ‘piano trio’ albums that I’ve heard in a long time” – THE JAZZMANN
“… high grade Bill Evans Trio territory … each track has its own picture, each track turns its own curve, put all together and Small Blue have themselves a minor masterpiece.” – Steve Day
“Pyne has written twelve exceptional compositions for the new group that immediately gives the trio an identity and repertoire that marks them out as rather something special … a composer of rare talent” – Jazz Views
“In terms of percussion improvisation, try to imagine something that runs from the Zen sound-painting of Frank Perry to the light swing of Billy Higgins. There’s nothing loud, nothing showy, nothing esoteric. Just a delight in the deft touch of a stick, a mallet, a finger or a wire brush on metal, skin or wood, and in the process of transforming sound into a sense of movement.” – Richard Williams, The Blue Moment
Sample the music here: https://tinyurl.com/ua6p5ndm

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.

Ben Crosland’s All Star Band Play the Ray Davies Song Book at Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire.

Date: Friday, February 20, 2026

Featuring: Ben Crosland

More details

From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/jazz/jazz-at-progress/?future=true

Jazz at Progress | Ben Crosland’s All Star Band Play the Ray Davies Song Book
Friday 20 February 2026 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
Theo Travis reeds | Ben Crosland bass | Steve Lodder keyboards |  | John Etheridge guitar | Buster Birch drums
Those of us who were growing up at the time of the swinging 60s need no introduction to the music of The Kinks. However, for those not acquainted, the band’s website will tell you all you need to know. Not that the band and leader, composer Ray Davies, stopped developing and influencing rock and popular music in the 60s. Far from it.
Whether Ray ever thought that his tunes would one day be performed and rearranged as jazz band material is possibly unknown, but he has approved in writing Ben Crosland’s and his musician’s treatment of his compositions. See here
Ben was commissioned by Marsden jazz festival in 2014 to write arrangements of Ray Davies tunes, which duly done and performed, in 2015, resulted in an album “The Ray Davies Songbook” followed in 2018 by Volume 2.
Reviewers rated the results highly…
“…the album swings consistently…with this sharp, cogent collection, a dedicated follower of Ray Davies has made him a well-respected jazz composer too.” – The Times
“…a lot of affection, a lot of respect for those unforgettable melodies and a whole lotta damn fine playing…these well respected men have done Mr. Davies proud” – Jazzwise
Whilst the line up has changed from the albums, Ben, John Etheridge and Steve Lodder remain, and with the addition of Theo Travis form the since well-honed core of the band. They have performed many times over several years and never fail to hit the spot.
Just read this review of the band in January 2025 at Fleece Jazz.
Theo Travis and John Etheridge play together in Soft Machine. So, although a different genre, they express a close musical wavelength in Ben’s band. John has been described by the great Pat Metheny as “one of the best guitarists”. Theo is fantastically busy musician, composer, arranger-you name musical tasks and he does it. Two wonderful versatile musicians who have both appeared at Progress and it will be good to have them back.
Ben Crosland has been immersed in Jazz since the 1980s and played with anyone who is anyone on in the UK scene. This is apart from running his own bands, doing jazz promotions and of course arranging, composing. For unknown reasons this his first appearance at Progress.
Buster Birch is again a much in demand musician, composer, arranger, author, educator and much more. He was last with us with Steve Waterman.  An unknown fact; he created his own critically acclaimed show which features the Buster Birch jazz quartet playing live to the screening of different classic Buster Keaton silent movies, for which he has arranged and scored over 4hrs of music to sync. In 2023 it won the Audience Award at The Chichester International Film Festival.
Please join us for another fine night of the music we love.

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.

Josephine Davies’ Satori Quartet at Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire.

Date: Friday, January 30, 2026

Featuring: Josephine Davies

More details

From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/jazz/jazz-at-progress/?future=true

Jazz at Progress | Josephine Davies’ Satori Quartet
Friday 30 January 2026 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
Josephine Davies tenor & soprano saxophones
Alcyona Mick piano
Dave Whitford bass
Jay Davies drums
Winner of the 2019 Parliamentary Award ‘Jazz Instrumentalist of the year’, Josephine Davies is a saxophonist, composer and bandleader at the forefront of the UK contemporary music scene. She has four album releases on Whirlwind Recordings with her trio/quartet Satori, and is known for her melodic focus, versatility and unique style as an instrumentalist.
Now becoming equally known as a composer, her unique sound is a blend of jazz, folk and classical music, creating an intensely dynamic sound infused with the Nordic quality of her Shetland roots.
Josephine was resident composer and tenor player for the London Jazz Orchestra from 2012-2018, leaving at that time to form her own 17 piece orchestra, The Enso Ensemble. She was chosen to be one of the South Coast Radar Jazz Composers in 2020 and commissioned at that time by NYJO to write a piece for their album ‘She Said’, featuring music solely by female composers.
Returning to the studio for the much-anticipated 4th album from her band Satori, Josephine Davies has composed an exquisite album of pieces inspired by her Nordic roots in the Shetland Islands. The superb partnership of bassist Dave Whitford and drummer Jay Davies once again creates the perfect bedrock for Josephine’s sinuous saxophone lines. Joining the original trio to become the current quartet is the innovative pianist Alcyona Mick.
The intricate compositions, coupled with the thrilling interplay between these four musicians, evokes the interconnection of Shetland sea, land, sky, and ever-present wind. At times stark and unsettling, and at times light and joyous, their latest album “Weatherwards” is a unique and magical offering from one of the UK’s most dynamic ensembles.
“Satori is among the most engaging young bands on the British scene… Cerebral, nuanced and reflective.” All About Jazz
“Davies weaves a continuous thread of shifting feelings through the set.” London Jazz News
“The powerful combination of fearless free improvisation and melodic empathy from these gifted players creates a powerful and timely statement.” Jazz in Europe
“A terrifying level of proficiency with an insatiable appetite for improvisation.” Rhein Main Magazine

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.

Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita Suba Trio at Union Chapel, Islington, London.

Date: Friday, May 08, 2026

More details

From;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/omar-sosa-seckou-keita-suba-trio/union-chapel/3535169

Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita Suba Trio
Union Chapel, London. Friday 08 May 2026

AGMP Concerts presents

OMAR SOSA & SECKOU KEITA SUBA TRIO with Gustavo Ovalles

The Atlantic Ocean separates Cuba and Senegal, the respective birthplaces of piano virtuoso Omar Sosa and kora maestro Seckou Keita, a distance diminished by their shared ancestral connection to Africa. When the pair met in 2012, Seckou loved Omar for his musical spirituality, whilst Omar saw in Seckou a rare ability to collaborate but not lose his identity. Their debut album Transparent Water (2017) was hailed as “beautiful, rhapsodic… spiritual” (Songlines) and “mesmerising, evocative and sophisticated” (World Music Central).

Omar Sosa has released over 30 albums during an incredible career that has included nominations for seven GRAMMY or Latin GRAMMY awards; Seckou Keita is a multi-award winner, most recently as the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year (2019). Recorded during lockdown and released in 2021, Sosa and Keita’s second album SUBA is a hymn to hope, to a new dawn of compassion and real change in a post-pandemic world, a visceral reiteration of humanity’s perennial prayer for peace and unity. Joining Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita in the studio and for live performances is the inimitable Venezuelan percussionist Gustavo Ovalles.

Union Chapel, London N1 2UN
Friday 08 May 2026 at 19:00.
Performing
Omar Sosa Seckou Keita

Makaya McCraven at Union Chapel, Islington, London.

Date: Wednesday, May 06, 2026

More details

From;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/makaya-mccraven/union-chapel/3556812

Makaya McCraven
Union Chapel, London. Wednesday 06 May 2026

MAKAYA McCRAVEN - in concert

“Balances jazz’s precious tradition and its present and future.” The Guardian

“Makaya McCraven has quietly become one of the best arguments for jazz’s vitality.” The New York Times

Direct from the USA, master drummer and producer Makaya McCraven brings his group to London for an exclusive ocncert in 2026.

Makaya McCraven was raised in a vibrant, creative community in the Northampton, Massachusetts area, where his father often played with artists like saxophonist and ethnomusicologist Marion Brown, multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef, and saxophonist Archie Shepp. After co-founding a jazz-hip hop band called Cold Duck Complex that ultimately opened for The Pharcyde, Digable Planets, and the Wu-Tang Clan, he moved to Chicago in 2006. Within five years he’d established a name for himself, gigging alongside Willie Pickens, Marquis Hill, and Jeff Parker.

Makaya McCraven released his debut LP ‘In The Moment’ in 2015 followed by ‘Highly Rare’ (2017), ‘Where We Come From’ (2018), ‘Universal Beings’ (2018), ‘Deciphering The Message’ (2021), ‘In These Times’ (2022), and ‘Off The Record’ (2025).

Makaya McCraven has recorded or shared the stage with artists such as Gil Scott-Heron, Kamasi Washington, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings, Brandee Younger, Theon Cross, Joel Ross, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and many more.

An AGMP Concerts presentation.

Union Chapel, London N1 2UN
Wednesday 06 May 2026 at 19:00.
Performing
Makaya McCraven

Yttling Jazz at The Jazz Cafe, Camden, London.

Date: Monday, March 02, 2026

More details

Serious have provided the following information regarding this event;

Monday 2 March, Jazz Cafe
Yttling Jazz

Best known as the bassist of Swedish indie trio Peter Bjorn and John and a producer for Lykke Li and Primal Scream, Björn Yttling brings his Yttling Jazz project back to the stage, blending cinematic atmosphere with sharp, swinging modern jazz.

Tickets;
https://serious.org.uk/events/yttling-jazz

Mon 02 March 2026
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm

Jazz Cafe,
5 Parkway
NW1 7PG

£20 - £30 + booking fee

Björn Yttling brings his Yttling Jazz project back to the stage, blending cinematic atmosphere with sharp, swinging modern jazz.

Best known as the bassist of Swedish indie trio Peter Bjorn and John and a producer for Lykke Li and Primal Scream, Yttling draws on influences from Charles Mingus to Brian Eno on the 2025 album Illegal Hit. The music moves between shadowed textures, bold horn lines, and restless grooves, performed by a heavyweight Swedish ensemble.

At the piano and Hammond organ, Yttling steers the group through tightly composed themes and open improvisation — a rare, immersive jazz set where every player is given room to stretch.

The Herbaliser Band, official album launch at 229, London.

Date: Saturday, May 09, 2026

More details

We have received the following press release regarding this event;

THE HERBALISER BAND - Official Album Launch

Way back In 1995, Ollie Teeba and Jake Wherry AKA The Herbaliser, a sample-based beatmaking duo from Twickenham, South West London, released their debut 12” single ‘The Real Killer’ on UK label Ninja Tune.

They soon followed up with their first LP, ‘Remedies’  Establishing themselves as one of the main features of the Ninja Tune crew, as they expanded their roster of eclectic artists and DJs. The following year, as they were recording their second full length release, ‘Blow Your Headphones’, they extended their output to include an 8 piece live band.

The Herbaliser Band, (which would count among it’s members, the likes of Easy Access, Chris Bowden and Kaidi Tatham) continued on, touring internationally, to great reception, from diverse audiences and would become regulars at a multitude of electronic, dance, dub and jazz festivals, worldwide, for the next 2 decades or so.

Now, after something of a hiatus, The Herbaliser Band have reformed with a lineup that currently includes Easy Access AKA Ralph Lamb (trumpet/flugelhorn) & Andrew Ross (tenor/baritone sax-flute), James Morton (alto sax), Micah Moody (drums), Patrick Dawes (percussion) & Ollie Teeba on the turntables.

Tickets;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/the-herbaliser-band/229/3432592

229 London
229 Great Portland St, London W1W 5PN

Germa Adan and Xhosa Cole at Oscar’s, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Ludlow, Shropshire.

Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026

More details

From;
https://ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk/show/germa-adan-and-xhosa-cole/

17 Jan 2026 - 19:30 @ 2025 Oscars Germa Adan and Xhosa Cole

Germa Adan and Xhosa Cole

Germa Adan
Germa Adan is a composer, vocalist, and string musician whose music traverses Haitian, American, and British folk traditions, the rich sonic languages of the Afro-diaspora, and the improvisational spirit of jazz. Born in Les Cayes, Haiti, and raised between the US and the UK, Germa’s transatlantic journey informs a sound that is both rooted and exploratory. Her performances blend layered string and vocal harmonies with poetic storytelling and social consciousness — inviting audiences into immersive musical experiences that speak to ancestry, memory, and connection. She has performed at major UK venues and festivals including Birmingham Symphony Hall, Cecil Sharp House, Migration Matters Festival, Moseley Folk Festival, Sidmouth Folk Festival, and Manchester Folk Festival. Whether performing solo or in collaboration, Germa’s work centres on musical dialogue, community, and deep listening. Her second album, Borderlines & Bloodlines, draws on Haitian heritage, literature, and oral history. Featuring collaborations with British jazz artist Xhosa Cole and Senegalese kora player Kadialy Kouyate, the album was named one of Folk Alley’s Best Trad Albums of 2023 and praised for its emotional depth and genre-defying spirit. ‘It sounds unlike anything else out there‘ – Songlines Magazine Germa Adan is a singular voice in contemporary folk — resonating across borders, cultures, and time.

Xhosa Cole
Winner of the 2018 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the year, Xhosa Cole is an embodiment of the success of numerous community arts programmes in Birmingham including the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, Jazzlines Ensemble and Birmingham Music Service. Having grown up in Handsworth and first played the Tenor at Andy Hamilton’s Ladywood Community Music School, he’s now among a long legacy of Birmingham Saxophonists including Soweto Kinch and Shabaka Hutchings. Xhosa has performed twice at the BBC Proms, Composed music for the Ripieno Players, a Birmingham Based String Orchestra, recorded saxophone for Mahalia’s debut album ‘Love and Compromise’, completed a 22 date UK tour, all along side his studies as a scholar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire. Xhosa Also received the Parliamentary Jazz Award for ‘Best Newcomer’ in 2019 and Jazz FM ‘Breakthrough act of the year’. Xhosa’s earliest memories of the arts are with ACE Youth Dance group. However, since playing in Holyhead School’s Jazz band with Ray Prince and Sid Peacock he decided to pursue music and joined the Jazzlines Ensemble, Birmingham Schools Symphony Orchestra, Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra among others. Xhosa attended courses with the National Youth Jazz Collective and National Youth Wind Orchestra. He is now finishing his degree in Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London alongside a wide spectrum of work writing and performing across the UK. in 2019 Xhosa received the Parliamentary Jazz award for ‘Best Newcomer”.

Anne-Marie Sanderson has had to withdraw from this event due to ill health

Steve Lodder Trios ‘2 Sorts Of 3’ album launch at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London.

Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026

Featuring: Steve Lodder

Venue

Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London

Pizza Express Jazz Club,
Dean Street,
Soho,
London,
W1D 3RW.

More details

From;
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/steve-lodder-trios

Steve Lodder Trios
2 Sorts of 3 Album Launch
PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

Renowned pianist, composer and arranger Steve Lodder returns with 2 sorts of 3, a new double-trio album featuring contrasting ‘plugged’ and ‘unplugged’ line-ups. Bringing together acoustic warmth and electronic colour, the twelve original pieces draw on lyrical jazz, samba and fusion influences. With long-time collaborators Dudley Phillips and Nic France, and Freddie Jensen and Marius Rodrigues,(replaced by Rod Youngs at this gig) the album reflects Lodder’s love of the acoustic piano but also the Rhodes Mk8 electric piano.
£20.00

17 January 2026 12:00pm 1:00pm PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)
Available
£20.00

Full Biography

Steve studied at Gonville and Caius College Cambridge, where he held an organ scholarship. He taught music before developing an interest in jazz and improvised styles, which led to working with the elite of the UK’s jazz musicians including: Andy Sheppard, John Etheridge, Annie Whitehead, Harry Beckett and Sarah Jane Morris.

Internationally, Steve has been a member of George Russell’s ‘Living Time Orchestra’ since the early ‘90’s and has toured with Carla Bley, Steve Swallow and Ernestine Anderson. He met with John Harle also in the early ‘90’s and recorded the ‘Shadow of the Duke’, and ‘Terror and Magnificence’, alongside Elvis Costello. Other projects with John have followed, including working with Paul McCartney on his ‘Standing Stone’ and ‘Ecce cor Meum’ pieces.

In the last few years Steve has collaborated with Robert Wyatt in a songwriting team for Brazilian singer Monica Vasconcelos, worked with Israeli drummer Asaf Sirkis in his group ‘Inner Noise’, and recorded his own album ‘Bout time 2’.

A founding member of the ‘Zappatistas’, an outfit led by John Etheridge that reworks the catalogue of Frank Zappa, with arrangements mostly by Steve. Other notable projects include ‘Above the Clouds’ with Mark Ramsden, ‘Threeway’, a trio with trumpeter Steve Waterman and bassist Ben Crosland, touring and recording with the Sardinian singer Filomena Campus, drummer Dylan Howe’s Subterraneans, and Alison Rayner’s 5tet.

Band Lineup
Steve Lodder (piano, keyboard)
Dudley Phillips (bass)
Nic France (drums)
Freddie Jensen (double bass)
Rod Youngs (drums)

Eastside Jazz Festival at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC), Birmingham.

Dates: Thursday, February 12, 2026 - Friday, February 13, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

We have received the following press release;

Brand new jazz festival for Birmingham announced
EASTSIDE JAZZ FESTIVAL
12 & 13 February 2026

Brings together international musicians, leading innovators, grassroots promoters TDE Promotions and Digbeth Jazz, and RBC’s graduates and students.

Takes place across Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s concert halls and purpose-built Eastside Jazz Club with wall-to-wall music in the foyers.

Roaming ticket gives access to all the events.

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) is to host a brand new jazz festival for Birmingham taking place over two days, 12-13 February 2026, across the multi-venue building.

Eastside Jazz Festival will bring together internationally-renowned musicians with some of today’s most interesting and innovative talent, alongside grassroots promoters and exciting local and student musicians showcasing Birmingham’s thriving and creative jazz scene.

Among headline artists are the internationally-acclaimed US saxophonist Chris Potter with the Pablo Held Trio, a significant force on the contemporary European jazz scene, giving the first gig of their extensive 20th anniversary tour.  Pianist Rebecca Nash, whose career has soared in recent years, makes a prestige trio with Henrick Jensen and Dave Smith.  BBC Big Band, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading jazz orchestras, are given free rein for an evening which includes collaborations with RBC vocalists Julie Claire and Poppy Baker.  And the Olie Brice Quartet – masters of original music and free improvisation – includes Rachel Musson, current recipient of the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Composer award, on tenor sax.

Headliners include Chris Potter, Pablo Held Trio, Rebecca Nash, BBC Big Band, Olie Brice with Rachel Musson.

Programming for Eastside Jazz Festival is being led by Jeremy Price (Head of Jazz at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire), along with Tony Dudley-Evans (TDE Promotions) and RBC’s Ed Puddick, Shanti Jayasinha, Nicholas Gebhardt and Libby Surplice.

Jeremy Price, Head of Jazz, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, said:
“The brand new Eastside Jazz Festival aims to celebrate Birmingham’s ever-growing and diverse jazz scene and strengthen the city’s position as a European centre for contemporary jazz.  It’s a two-day focus on year-round programming: alongside musicians of the highest calibre, and leading innovators in contemporary jazz, we’re also working with grassroots promoters Digbeth Jazz (named 2025 Parliamentary Awards’ Venue of the Year) and showcasing RBC’s own graduates and students.  Our courses at RBC are predicated on students sharing professional platforms with world class leading artists and this jazz festival embraces that exact same spirit. In this multi-venue event, we’ll be making full use of RBC’s Bradshaw and Recital Halls, purpose-built Eastside Jazz Club, and populating the foyers with wall-to-wall music.  And we’re introducing a roaming ticket so audiences can dip into the many and varied sessions to ensure an immersive festival experience.”

Graduates and current students of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire are a cornerstone of the Eastside Jazz Festival, cementing the legacy of the Jazz Department.  Trombonist and alumni Dave Sear – now a visiting tutor at RBC – plays with his quartet, while the Tony Levin Drum Prize, which commemorates the celebrated Midlands drummer, seeks out an exceptional student with US saxophonist Jean Toussaint and UK bassist Arnie Somogyi.  Big bands including Banda Brasiliera and RBC Jazz Orchestra are also involved.

Other highlights include pianist Ben Shankland (BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician winner), RBC bassist Macy Wright & Indo Jazz, with more to be confirmed.

Eastside Jazz Festival is at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on 12-13 February 2026.  Tickets and details at http://www.bcu.ac.uk/concerts

Artists confirmed to date [as of December 2025]:

Thu 12 Feb
Chris Potter with Pablo Held Trio
Banda Brasiliera
RBC Jazz Orchestra play Miles Davis/Gil Evans Porgy and Bess Suite
Digbeth Jazz Presents
Ben Shankland & Poppy Baker

Fri 13 Feb
BBC Big Band
Rebecca Nash Trio with Henrick Jensen and Dave Smith
Olie Brice Quartet with Rachel Musson
Macy Wright & Indo Jazz
Birmingham Jazz Orchestra
Digbeth Jam

Tickets:
Two-day Festival Ticket: £40 advance (£45 on the door) | £25 students / over 60s
Day Ticket: £30 advance (£35 on the door) | £20 students /over 60s

Box Office http://www.bcu.ac.uk/concerts | 0121 331 5909

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 200 Jennens Road, Birmingham, B4 7XR.

Jonny Nash + C.Haddow + M.Sewell matinee performanceat Sy ; Gigs, The Darwin Room, Shrewsbury Library, Shrewsbury.

Date: Sunday, February 01, 2026

More details

Chris Taylor of Sy ; Gigs writes;

Season 4.0 - Event 1.0
Feb 1 @ The Darwin Room, Jonny Nash + C.Haddow + M.Sewell
There are still tickets available for this intimate venue, but numbers are limited due to its size. All Adult Early Bird tickets have now sold out.

Ticket prices for Season 4.0 have increased by £2.

Physical tickets will still be available at Glou Glou (Castle Gates and The Market Hall), which remains the most cost-effective way to purchase without incurring booking fees.

Jonny Nash is the perfect artist to open Season 4.0 at Shrewsbury Library’s Darwin Room. His music is spacious, comforting, and profoundly human, holding listeners close while gently inviting inward reflection. He will be joined by his close friend Tomo Katsurada, and together you can expect drifting, swelling, transportive soundscapes that pull you into subtle, immersive worlds.

Jonny has spent a lifetime travelling the globe in search of new experiences and inspiration. His musical journey has been equally winding and nomadic, from early explorations in cosmic disco to deeper atmospheric excursions inspired by his love of enveloping soundscapes, acoustic music, and the sonic possibilities of the humble guitar. Today, he is recognized as one of the most distinctive voices on the ambient and new age scene.

Support comes from Glasgow-born guitarist and composer Christopher Haddow, who experiments with guitar, field recordings, and tape loops. His minimal, layered approach embraces the serendipity of sound-on-sound looping, creating evolving atmospheres that feel alive, unpredictable, and compelling.

The matinee will be bookended by our dear friend, supporter, and local polymath Matt Sewell, whose unique DJ sonic palette will complete what promises to be a truly memorable afternoon.

Shirley Smart Sextet at The Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston, London.

Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026

Featuring: Shirley Smart

Venue

The Vortex Jazz Club

11 Gillett Square,
London N16 8AZ

More details

From;
https://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/events/2026-01-15/

Events for Thu 15 January 2026

7:45 pm
Shirley Smart Sextet
Shirley Smart’s Sextet draws on a background of 10 years living in Jerusalem and working with the overlapping worlds of jazz, Arabic, Turkish and North African music. Her music draws upon this rich tapestry of influences to create an evening of vibrant melodies, grooves, swing and lively improvisation.
Time: 7.45 - 10.30PM
Standard £15 / Vortex Members £7.5 / Students & UC beneficiaries £6.25
https://www.universe.com/events/shirley-smart-sextet-tickets-HR6KWM

Mark Lockheart Shapeshifter Trio at Shrewsbury Jazz Network, The Hive Music & Media Centre, Shrewsbury.

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026

Featuring: Mark Lockheart

Venue

The Hive, Shrewsbury

5 Belmont,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.
UK

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

Mark Lockheart Shapeshifter Trio
Mar 14 £25/£12 U22
* Saturdays at 7pm. Performance area opens 6:30pm.

Shapeshifter is a new trio featuring three very special creative voices of the UK jazz scene: Mark Lockheart (saxes, bass clarinet & electronics), Huw V Williams (bass) &
Jay Davis (drums & percussion). The star- studded musical CV of these musicians is far too extensive to list here. Creating a unique sonic experience, the trio shifts moment to moment, gracefully and spontaneously stitching together sound landscapes and grooves. The three members share the writing credits alongside a few carefully chosen works by Bill Frisell, Joe Henderson and Paul Motian.

Alicia Gardener-Trejo Quartet at Shrewsbury Jazz Network, The Hive Music & Media Centre, Shrewsbury.

Date: Saturday, February 07, 2026

Venue

The Hive, Shrewsbury

5 Belmont,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.
UK

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

Alicia Gardener-Trejo Quartet
Feb 7 £25/£12 U22

As part of a tour showcasing her debut album ‘Home/Lands’ Alicia Gardner-Trejo (baritone sax, flute, bass flute) brings her exciting quartet to SJN at the Hive. Featuring the individual voices of Andrew Woodhead (piano), Brodie Laird-Jarvie (double bass) and Jonathan Silk (drums) their music plays with the sonic possibilities of low woodwinds & double bass, experimenting with fresh ideas of melody & bassline responsibilities. With strong influences from the world of jazz and folk, ‘Home/Lands’
features intricately crafted melodies and strong improvisations.

‘A very engaging piece with attractive melodies and strong solos.’ Tony Dudley Evans

* Please note that this gig will be presented as a single set performance starting at 8.00 and ending around 9.30.

Alex Hitchcock Quartet at Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire.

Date: Friday, January 02, 2026

Featuring: Alex Hitchcock Quartet

More details

From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/

Jazz at Progress | The Alex Hitchcock Quartet | Buy tickets ttps://www.ticketsource.co.uk/progresstheatre/t-zogpddl
Friday 2 January 2026 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.

Alex Hitchcock tenor sax
Will Barry piano
Joe Downard bass
Luke McCarthy drums

‘Ridiculous technique and harmonic proficiency combined with progressive creativity that sees him leading the charge in terms of new jazz music being created in the UK’ – Linley Hamilton, BBC Jazz World

Since his first gig as leader for us at Progress in 2017, Alex Hitchcock is now regarded as one of the UK’s most virtuosic jazz musicians. This will be his third appearance for us, last in 2022. Every gig has been a roaring success. Over the past year or so, Alex has been resident in New York honing his already impressive skills as composer, leader and playing a wide spectrum of jazz. He is also touring extensively in Europe, UK and the USA at major venues and festivals. A busy man!

Will Barry is a regular in the quartet appearing with Alex at Progress in 2017 and also in 2022 with saxophonist Tom Smith and Empirical last February 2025. Once a “young gun” Will is now a much in demand pianist for many fine bands.

Joe Downard is the bedrock of the quartet with perfect accompaniment and solo skills to match. Now a composer and band leader in his own right, Joe has appeared at every gig at Progress with Alex.

Luke McCarthy is new to us, still studying at the Royal Academy of Music and rapidly building a reputation as a drummer going places.

So, bring in the New Year with your first jazz gig of 2026. We guarantee it’ll be a corker.

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.

Abacus at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/abacus/

Abacus
February 26, 2026 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
£15

Four-horn fronted sextet of familiar faces on the Birmingham scene combining concepts from small group to big band jazz.

ABACUS is a project run by Birmingham based Saxophonist, Composer and Improvisor Liam Brennan. Formed in 2022, the project concept was heavily influenced by Omer Avital’s Asking No Permission which featured a 4-horn frontline. The music aims to combine concepts from both the Jazz small group tradition as well as the Big Band lineage. It features some of the most exciting improvisors from Birmingham and London.

The band fuses influences from composers such as John Hollenbeck, John Taylor and Oliver Nelson, also incorporating techniques from Scandinavian folk music and contemporary classical composition. Liam is currently studying a masters in composition and improvisation, and is currently based in Oslo, Norway. Their debut album will be released in early 2026, which is a live recording from a performance in Birmingham in 2023.

The sextet are Liam Brennan and James Romaine (alto sax), James Borland (trumpet), Simeon May (tenor sax/bass clarinet), Josh Vadiveloo (bass) and Kai Chareunsy (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 .

Brass Band Bychan at Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny.

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026

More details

From;
https://www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk/event-details/brass-band-bychan

Brass Band Bychan
Sun 29 Mar |  The Melville Theatre

Time & Location
29 Mar 2026, 20:00 – 23:00
The Melville Theatre, 4 Pen-Y-Pound, Abergavenny NP7 5UD, UK

About the event

Black Mountain Jazz Club welcomes Brass Band Bychan to Abergavenny this March for an unforgettable night of bold brass, deep groove and high-energy creativity.

Hailing from Wales’ vibrant jazz scene, Brass Band Bychan brings together four outstanding musicians all familiar to us here at BMJ:

Gareth Roberts (trombone),
Gethin Liddington (trumpet),
Alistair Stewart (sousaphone) 
and Mark O’Connor (drums).

Led by award-winning composer Gareth Roberts, the band is renowned for its powerful blend of jazz, funk and street-band swagger - delivering a sound that is both rhythmically infectious and richly melodic.

Their live performances are full of personality - tight horn lines, driving sousaphone bass and irresistible drum grooves combine to create a small ensemble with a truly big presence.

Join us at Black Mountain Jazz Club for a night that promises joyous original music, fearless improvisation and the unique energy only a powerhouse brass group can deliver.

Tickets
Ticket type
General Admission
Price
From £9.50 to £19.00

Standard
£19.00

Friends of BMJ’s
£17.00

Under 18’s
£9.50

Dave Holland and Lionel Loueke Duo at Union Chapel, Islington, London.

Date: Monday, March 23, 2026

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

Monday 23 March, Union Chapel
Dave Holland and Lionel Loueke

Don’t miss these two musical giants, guitarist Lionel Loueke and bassist Dave Holland, unite their individual talents into one harmonious show, igniting creativity, honouring cultural roots, and showcasing music’s powerful role in fostering unity amidst societal division.

Tickets;
https://serious.org.uk/events/dave-holland-and-lionel-loueke

Two musical giants, guitarist Lionel Loueke and bassist Dave Holland, unite their individual talents into one harmonious recording, igniting creativity, honoring cultural roots, and showcasing music’s powerful role in fostering unity amidst societal division.

United is an inspiring testament to the power of collaboration, blending Loueke’s masterful guitar work with Holland’s deep, resonant bass. Both musicians have profoundly impacted the global jazz scene—Loueke, known for his innovative fusion of West African traditions Rider im Archiv!with modern jazz, has played with a who’s who of virtuosic and celebrated artists, most notably serving as Herbie Hancock’s guitarist for over 15 years, and collaborating with legends like Wayne Shorter, Sting, Terence Blanchard, Marcus Miller, and Esperanza Spalding.

Holland, one of the most influential bassists and composers in jazz, has shaped contemporary jazz since the late 1960s, performing with icons like Miles Davis, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Sam Rivers, and Jack DeJohnette. Though Loueke and Holland have worked together many times in various groups, this album marks their first collaboration as a duo. The result is nothing short of extraordinary.

Line Up
Dave Holland, bass
Lionel Loueke, guitar

Mon 23 March 2026
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 6:30pm

Location
Union Chapel,
Compton Terrace
N1 2UN
https://unionchapel.org.uk/

Tickets
£35 + booking fee

Branco Stoysin: Recital for Nikola Tesla at The Stables, Wavendon, Milton Keynes, Bucks.

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026

Featuring: Branco Stoysin

More details

From;
https://stables.org/event/branco-stoysin-recital-for-nikola-tesla#event-handling-fee-text

Branco Stoysin: Recital for Nikola Tesla
Thursday 14 May 2026 8:45pm

Guitarist/composer Branco Stoysin, life-long aficionado of Nikola Tesla, will be performing his epic new music/video project Aurora Tesla, that in the most lyrical, illuminating and concise way tells the story about Nikola Tesla, Serbian born genius of electricity. It’s a poignant tribute, marking 170 years since the birth of Nikola Tesla and 130 years since the birth of modern civilisation with the implementation of Tesla’s Polyphase Alternating Current System on The Niagara Falls in 1896. Every pylon, everywhere around the world, carries Tesla’s blood, The Electricity, to lighten your existence.

Branco will also play tunes from his previous eight CD albums and from his recent, triple anniversary, the ninth CD album, Whispers From The Sun, which marked 40 years of art-music making, of those 30 years in London. As an avid photographer and naturalist, for the finale of recital, Branco will perform special three music/video projects depicting the beautiful natural world right on our doorsteps. A recital for an audio and visual delight.

“A musical journey to warm the soul.” Sarah Ward, Jazz FM.

“Music of great delicacy and charm.” Chris Parker.

“The sound of a master craftsman at work.” Ian Mann.

http://www.brancostoysin.co.uk 

Tickets;
https://stables.org/boxoffice/ticket/507801

box office 01908 280800

The Stables, Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, Milton Keynes, MK17 8LU.

https://www.brancostoysin.co.uk

Branco Stoysin, ‘Recital for Nikola Tesla’ at Goldsmiths, University of London, London.

Date: Friday, March 06, 2026

Featuring: Branco Stoysin

More details

Recital for Nikola Tesla
By Branco Stoysin
Sun Recordings

Goldsmiths, University of London, London, England
Friday, Mar 6, 2026 from 7:30 pm to 9 pm GMT
Tickets;
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/recital-for-nikola-tesla-tickets-1977494647724

Overview

A poignant tribute to Nikola Tesla > Aurora Tesla, the epic new music/video project, marking 170 years since birth of Nikola Tesla.

RECITAL for NIKOLA TESLA, London Premiere at Goldsmith’s University of London, Richard Hoggart Building - The Cinema Room

Guitarist/composer Branco Stoysin, life-long aficionado of Nikola Tesla, will be performing his epic new music/video project Aurora Tesla, that in the most lyrical, illuminating and concise way tells the story about Nikola Tesla, Serbian born genius of electricity. It’s a poignant tribute, marking 170 years since the birth of Nikola Tesla and 130 years since the birth of modern civilisation with the implementation of Tesla’s Polyphase Alternating Current System on The Niagara Falls in 1896. Every pylon, everywhere around the world, carries Tesla’s blood, The Electricity, to lighten your existence.

Branco will also play the tunes from his previous eight CD albums and from his recent, triple anniversary, the ninth CD album, Whispers From The Sun, which marked 40 years of art-music making, of those 30 years in London. As an avid photographer and naturalist, for the finale of recital, Branco will perform special three music/video projects depicting the beautiful natural world right on our doorsteps. A recital for an audio and visual delight.

“A musical journey to warm the soul” Sarah Ward, Jazz FM.

“Music of great delicacy and charm” Chris Parker.

“The sound of a master craftsman at work” Ian Mann.

https://www.brancostoysin.co.uk

Andy Abbott at Weirdshire, Upstairs at The Jam Factory, Hereford.

Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026

More details

Weirdshire have forwarded the following information regarding this event;

At the end of January, we have Andy Abbott, who I saw in Sheffield recently, weaving his mesmerising music into field recordings of his nature Yorkshire. Andy is a great story teller and will draw you in…

Tuesday 27th January, Jam Factory, 7.30pm

A bit more about Andy: Andy Abbott is an artist, musician and writer who lives in West Yorkshire, UK. We love him for his music, his philosophy, and his community arts activism. His acoustic compositions were described last year in the Quietus as “spectral and woozy soundscapes inspired by the “derelict hinterlands” of Bradford where he lives, and with more than a nod to the American primitivism of John Fahey… hypnotic undulations”

In 2024 and 2025 he released an album of recordings influenced by his time as a musician in residence in acute psychiatric wards across Yorkshire under the alias ADRA. His current set is a long-form fluid composition for 12-string and baritone acoustic guitars layered over field recordings that aims to reflect the light and shade of the Calder valley.

“A minor 21st century folk masterpiece … Abbott ignores the comfort of pure folk structures and bluesy scales, twisting his lush folk guitar into something brimming with potent pangs of a serrated kind of poetic discontent.” - The Quietus

“This is another gorgeous release from Andy who has taken an imaginary place as a theme but has clearly used the inspiration on his doorstep in real life and added a little musical fairy dust to transport the listener and the landscape to another place. The everyday, everywhere becomes somewhere special and memorable in Andy’s hands.“  - The Terrascope

“a beautifully structured hour of ambient music; reflective and calm with endlessly unravelling layers.”
- Uncut, 2024

Tickets
https://wegottickets.com/event/682928

Again, this one is upstairs at the Jam Factory - best to buy in advance, and when it has sold out, that’s it…

Here’s a bit of Andy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3STd_lwEHbg

HEREFORD: The Jam Factory
40 Widemarsh St
Hereford
Herefordshire
HR4 9EP

Charlie Beresford and Peter Marsh Duo at Weirdshire, Upstairs at The Jam Factory, Hereford.

Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Featuring: Charlie Beresford

More details

We have received the following press release regarding this event;

To kick off the New Year, we have a lovely guitar and bass duo, this time with shades of blues, exotic drones and pastoral folk. Charlie Beresford and Peter Marsh.

Tuesday 13th January, at the Jam Factory - 7.30pm

Charlie Beresford is a visual artist, guitarist, singer, instrument designer, engineer and filmmaker. His work as a musician has traced a singular path, blending elements of folk, modern classical and jazz and earning him much critical acclaim in the UK and Europe.

Peter Marsh spent decades as a bass player working across a baffling range of genres from straight jazz to free improv to folk to electronica, before taking up the lap steel guitar during the lockdowns of 2020. He has played with or for artists such as Lol Coxhill, Alan Wilkinson, Alex Paterson (The Orb), Julie Kjaer, and Spring Heel Jack.

In the depths of the Welsh winter of 2024/2025, these two old friends met up, put the kettle on, settled down in front of an open fire and played some music. The results defy easy categorisation - English/Welsh Primitive, perhaps, or traditional music from an as yet undiscovered planet.

This one will be upstairs at the Jam - so get your tickets in advance, and once we’ve sold out, we’ve sold out.

Tickets
https://wegottickets.com/event/675942

… a little taster of Charlie’s work here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQXcoTxqpwI

HEREFORD: The Jam Factory
40 Widemarsh St
Hereford
Herefordshire
HR4 9EP

Dorian Ford - Köln Concert 51 — 51st Anniversary Concert at The Hex Hall For All, Acland Burghley School, London NW5.

Date: Sunday, January 25, 2026

Featuring: Dorian Ford

More details

We have received the following press release regarding this event;

Köln Concert 51 — 51st Anniversary Concert
Sunday 25 January 2026 at 6.30pm
The Hex Hall For All, Acland Burghley School, London NW5

On Sunday 25 January 2026, internationally acclaimed British pianist Dorian Ford will present Köln Concert 51, a live tribute and reimagining of Keith Jarrett’s landmark 1975 Köln Concert — the original event became the bestselling solo piano album in history and one of the most influential works of improvised music.

This performance follows the triumph of Köln Concert 50, which Ford performed in Cologne in January 2025 on the exact anniversary of the original concert; the event sold out, drew audience members from the 1975 performance itself, and received major acclaim in the press. In the months that followed, this important and exciting tribute was staged at the Liverpool International Jazz Festival and the Aberdeen Jazz Festival, building on its earlier success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024, where critics hailed it as “one of the true glories of the Festival.”

Köln Concert 51 continues this artistic journey — not as a recreation, but as a living improvisational response to a piece that has shaped half a century of musical history.

Back to Where It Began — Acland Burghley Alumnus Supporting Hall for All

Dorian Ford’s passion for supporting music-making in Camden stems back to his studies at both Acland Burghley School and WAC (now Collage Voices).

Acland Burghley is now the London home of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, a partnership that has transformed the school into one of the capital’s most vibrant musical hubs. Presenting Köln Concert 51 here — as Ford’s first UK performance since the anniversary concert in Germany — highlights the school’s growing cultural significance and the role it plays in nurturing musical creativity.

This performance will support the local community and young musicians across Camden, with a number of free tickets reserved for local music students and a generous donation to Hall for All at Acland Burghley.

A Living Tribute — Not a Re-enactment

Ford’s approach is rooted in the spirit of the original Köln Concert: spontaneous invention shaped by melody, time and touch. Rather than reproduce Jarrett’s performance note for note, he blends recognisable passages with his own improvisations, allowing the music to evolve anew:

“From the first note, it was clear that Ford was not merely playing the piano; he was telling a story, channelling the spirit of Jarrett while infusing his own unique flair.” — Performance China, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

This creative philosophy echoes Ford’s comments in a recent Deutsche Welle interview:
“In a way, I’m advocating for this piece to be part of the concert repertoire of the solo piano world — like a Beethoven sonata.”

The result is a performance that honours the original while looking firmly forward — improvisation as dialogue rather than imitation.

The Enduring Story of the 1975 Köln Concert

The story behind Jarrett’s Köln Concert remains one of the most extraordinary in modern musical history. Scheduled for 24 January 1975 at the Cologne Opera House at 11:30pm, the performance was beset with disasters: Jarrett arrived after a 430-mile overnight drive from Switzerland, exhausted, hungry and suffering from severe back pain. The wrong piano had been placed on stage — a rehearsal Bösendorfer with limited volume and faulty pedals — and Jarrett initially refused to play.

Only the pleading of the 18-year-old promoter, Vera Brandes, convinced him to perform. What followed was a completely improvised, hour-long outpouring that blended jazz, gospel, classical and folk influences into a cohesive and transcendent whole.

The recording released later that year went on to sell more than four million copies, becoming the bestselling solo piano album of all time and influencing generations of musicians across genres.

Today, with Jarrett no longer performing after his 2018 strokes and two forthcoming feature films revisiting the origins of the concert, the Köln Concert continues to inspire reinterpretation and reflection.

Critical Acclaim for Dorian Ford

Ford’s Köln Concert project has earned exceptional praise from audiences and critics alike:

“Never before has a concert and its aftermath moved me as much… my head just won’t let go.”
— Klaus Erich Haun, audience member at both the 1975 concert and Köln Concert 50

“Dorian Ford’s reinterpretation was quite stunning in its execution and intensity… I was totally engrossed from start to finish.” — Liverpool International Jazz Festival

Beyond this project, Ford has enjoyed a long-established and widely respected career:

“It is gratifying to see a pianist of Dorian’s calibre present the heart and soul of the music so eloquently and so authentically.” — Ronnie Scott, after Ford’s performance at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club

“An incandescent piano trio.” — John Fordham

“Some kind of genius… an intelligent improviser.” — Hugh Wood, composer

Dorian Ford
Dorian Ford studied with jazz innovator Ian Carr at WAC in Camden, and later at Berklee College of Music, where he twice won the Chick Corea Jazz Masters Award. His career spans performances at Ronnie Scott’s, Wigmore Hall, the Edinburgh Festival, and major venues across Europe, Australia and Japan. His music has appeared in film, television and radio.
Ford first encountered the Köln Concert more than 40 years ago and has since explored it through transcription, performance, and now, creative reinvention. His 50th anniversary performance in Cologne — described in the press as deeply atmospheric and emotionally powerful — marked a significant milestone in this lifelong engagement.
Köln Concert 51 represents the next step in that journey.

Date and Time: Sunday 25 January 2026 at 6.30pm
Running Time: 75 minutes
Location: The Hex Hall For All, Acland Burghley School,
93 Burghley Road, London NW5 1UJ        
Tickets from: http://www.dorianford.co.uk
Performed by: Dorian Ford (piano)
Original performance: Keith Jarrett, Cologne Opera House, 24 January 1975

For further information, please contact:
Graham & Townley Productions Ltd

Stephen Graham
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07768 497658

Hilary Townley
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
07941 698214

Buxton International Jazz Festival, various venues, Buxton, Derbyshire.

Dates: Thursday, July 09, 2026 - Sunday, July 26, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

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

The Hans Koller ‘Monk’ Quartet at Cheltenham Jazz Club, The Victory Club Ballroom, Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham, Glos.

Date: Monday, March 23, 2026

Featuring: Hans Koller

More details

From;
https://www.cheltenhamjazz.co.uk/

THE HANS KOLLER “MONK”  QUARTET
WHEN: 8.00 pm, Monday 23rd March 2026
WHERE: The Victory Club Ballroom, Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham.
Tickets: CJ Members £19.00, non members £22.00
Hans Koller – Piano, Tony Kofi – Saxophones, Calum Gourlay – Bass, Noah Ojumu – Drums
Well-established pianist/composer Hans Koller is a highly respected musician on the UK jazz scene. With over 16 critically acclaimed albums his sparkling cv includes work with a host of high-profile international artists, including the likes of Bill Frisell, Steve Swallow, Bob Brookmeyer, Mike Gibbs and Kenny Wheeler. Tonight Hans joins forces with the multiple Award-winning saxophonist Tony Kofi (World Saxophone Quartet, The Jazz Warriors, Gary Cosby’s Nu Troop) to perform music celebrating the great US pianist/composer Thelonious Monk. Along with these two master musicians, the bassist/composer/arranger Calum Gourlay, widely considered to be one of the leading bass players of his generation, and the amazing young drummer Noah Ojumu will complete this superb quartet.  The band will explore some of the lesser known Monk tunes, and will offer their fresh take on this iconic music.
Tickets available on the door or online at http://www.ticketsource.co.uk

Alex Hitchcock Quartet at Cheltenham Jazz Club,  The Irving Studio, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Glos.

Date: Monday, February 23, 2026

Featuring: Alex Hitchcock Quartet

More details

From;
https://www.cheltenhamjazz.co.uk/

THE ALEX HITCHCOCK QUARTET
WHEN: 8.00 pm, Monday 23 February 2026
WHERE: The Irving Studio, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
Tickets: £20.00
Alex Hitchcock – Saxophone, Will Barry – Piano, Joe Downard - Bass, Luke McCarthy – Drums
London-born Alex Hitchcock is an instantly recognisable improviser and a leading international voice on the saxophone. An Ivor Novello-nominated composer, his innovative collaborations highlight his reputation as a catalyst for boundary-pushing musical encounters. He lives in London, UK and regularly performs at jazz clubs, concert halls and festivals in the and throughout Europe, leading groups at Umbria Jazz Festival, Love Supreme Festival, and Ronnie Scott’s also performing at North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne and Glastonbury Festival amongst many others.
“Already a big presence on the British scene as an astonishingly quick thinking virtuoso.” - Jazzwise
Click here for the Alex Hitchcock website https://www.alexhitchcock.co.uk/
Tickets available from the Everyman Theatre Box Office 01242 572573 or http://www.everymantheatre.org.uk

Sam Braysher Quartet at Cheltenham Jazz Club, The Irving Studio, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Glos.

Date: Monday, January 19, 2026

More details

From;
https://www.cheltenhamjazz.co.uk/

THE SAM BRAYSHER QUARTET
WHEN: 8.00 pm, Monday 19 January 2026
WHERE: The Irving Studio, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
Tickets: £20.00
Sam Braysher – Alto Saxophone, Matyas Gayer – Piano,Tom Farmer – Bass, Steve Brown - Drums
Sam Braysher, is a London-based alto saxophonist, who has received widespread critical acclaim for his three albums to date. His warm tone and consonant and inquisitive approach to harmony is attracting growing attention on the British jazz scene.Accompanying is an all-star rhythm section, comprising Hungarian pianist Matyas Gayer (Eddie Henderson, Jim Rotondi), MOBO award-winning bassist Tom Farmer (EMPIRICAL, Joe Stilgoe) and ultra swinging drummer Steve Brown (Barry Harris, Scott Hamilton).Sam’s latest album explores the work of Kurt Weill, a fascinating composer who lies at the intersection of European classical music, jazz, opera and American musical theatre. Expect to hear classic songs and hidden gems from the Weill catalogue, as well as music by adjacent American Broadway composers like Rodgers & Hammerstein, Gershwin and Harold Arlen.
“I can’t think of another alto saxophonist with a sound quite like Sam Braysher’s” **** Dave Gelly, The Observer
Click here for the Sam Braysher Website https://sambraysher.com/
Tickets available from the Everyman Theatre Box Office 01242 572573 or http://www.everymantheatre.org.uk

Monmouth Big Band with William Byrne & Laura Hayward, @Down Lover’s Lane’ Valentines’s concert at Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.

Date: Friday, February 13, 2026

Featuring: Monmouth Big Band

More details

From;
https://monmouth-savoy.co.uk/whats-on/live/

Down Lovers’ Lane: Monmouth Big Band
Show Dates: Friday February 13th at 8:0pm
Tickets: £16 and £12 Concessions (over 65 and under 16)

A Valentine’s concert featuring the honey-toned vocals of the incredible William Byrne, and his soon-to-be-wife Laura Hayward. William has several West End and Dublin credits to his name, including Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ Superstar) Arbiter (Chess) Joseph (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat) Emcee (Cabaret) Danny (Grease). He also has several TV credits, and has appeared as a soloist with the National Concert Orchestra for the RTE proms.

Monmouth Big Band is pleased to present a program of luscious love songs from the era that epitomises romance, with these two lovers only days from their upcoming wedding.

Love is in the air…

The Savoy Theatre,
Church Street,
Monmouth,
Monmouthshire,
NP25 3BU

01600 772467

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Ana Popovic at The Jazz Cafe, Camden, London.

Date: Monday, March 30, 2026

More details

We have received the following press release regarding this event;

Direct from the USA, ANA POPOVIC announces exclusive London concert.

“One Helluva a Guitar-Player”
Bruce Springsteen

Ana Popovic blends smoking electric funk and slide guitar, jazzy instrumentals and a tight blues groove with soulful, feminine vocals.

Nominated for seven Blues Music Awards, Ana was added as the only female guitar-player to the 2014 -2018 all star Experience Hendrix lineup; a tour celebrating the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix with Buddy Guy, Eric Johnson, Jonny Lang, & Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Aside from that tour Ana Popovic has also shared the stage with B.B. King, Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Beck, & Gary Clark Jr.

https://www.seetickets.com/event/ana-popovic/jazz-cafe/3564533

Jazz Cafe, London NW1 7PG
Monday 30 March 2026 at 19:00.
Performing
Ana Popovic

Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio at Guildford Jazz, The Stoke Hotel, Guildford, Surrey.

Date: Friday, January 30, 2026

Featuring: Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio

More details

Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;

Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio
Fri 30 Jan from 20.00 to 22.15 (doors open 19.00) at The Stoke Hotel, 103 Stoke Rd, Guildford GU1 4JN
Join multi-award-winning trombonist Dennis Rollins for an evening with his simmering jazz funk trio, featuring Hammond organ virtuoso Ross Stanley and Joel Barford on drums, playing a brilliant marriage of refined contemporary jazz arrangements and smokin’ grooves or, as the BBC Music Magazine has expressed it: “This group produces genuine fireworks”. Dennis is a previous winner of the BBC Jazz Best Band Award, the Parliamentary Jazz Education Award, and the Ronnie Scott’s Best Trombone
Award.
For more details of the event and to book tickets visit https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Art Themen Organ Trio at Guildford Jazz, The Guildford Pavilion, Guildford, Surrey.

Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026

More details

Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz writes;

Art Themen Organ Trio
Thurs 15 Jan from 20.00 to 22.15 (doors open 19.00) at the Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Rd, Guildford GU1 4RP
A previous winner of the tenor sax category in the British Jazz Awards, recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians, saxophonist Art Themen is a true living legend of the British jazz scene. Described by THE OBSERVER as “One of the tiny handful of undeniably perfect jazz musicians”, he remains as brilliant and inimitable as ever. For this first Pavilion concert of 2026 Art’s trio, which features organist Pete Whittaker and drummer George Double, will be joined by Marianne Windham on bass.
For more details of the event and to book tickets visit https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Leon Greening Trio, afternoon performance at The Guildford Institute, Guildford, Surrey.

Date: Monday, January 12, 2026

More details

From Mick Thomas of Guildford Jazz;

Leon Greening Trio
Mon 12 Jan from 2.00pm to 3.00pm (lunch available from 12 to 2pm) at The Guildford Institute, Ward St, Guildford GU1 4LH
For this first performance of the Guildford Jazz New Year programme, we are delighted to welcome pianist Leon Greening, an exciting and hugely popular performer at jazz clubs around the UK. With his hard swinging style, inspired by the likes of Bud Powell, Wynton Kelly and Bobby Timmons, Leon epitomises the very best on the UK Jazz scene today. Joining Leon will be the UK’s premier jazz drummer Steve Brown, and Guildford Jazz anchor Marianne Windham on bass.
For more details of the event and to book tickets visit https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Ankora at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/ankora/

February 12, 2026 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Ankora
The Marr’s Bar 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester, Worcestershire, United Kingdom

8-piece ensemble featuring the future stars of British jazz

Eight ambitious young musicians that met through Tomorrow’s Warriors – a London-based artist development organisation – were selected to perform as the Tomorrow’s Warriors Frontline ensemble, under the direction and tutelage of drummer, composer and educator Romarna Campbell.

Ankora is the exciting new step the ensemble are taking to launch into the London jazz scene. The name is derived from the Latin word for ‘anchor’ (anchora): a symbol of groundedness, hope and a connection to roots. These connotations are expressed through their repertoire of both originals and covers of powerful jazz tunes. The name links to an alternative meaning in Italian, ‘again’, marking the momentum of their rebirth as they continue their musical and artistic journey.

The band, whose average age is just 20, features 2024 BBC Young Jazz Musician finalist Klara Devlin on trumpet and drummer Miranda Radford, who both appeared on our stage when Miranda brought her quartet up in February 2025. Mali Sheard (sax), Keira Chakraborty (flute), Hannah Clifton (trumpet), Tami Adebanjo (guitar) Kezia Abouma (piano) and Holly Reinhardt (bass) complete the line-up of exceptional young players at the start of promising careers in the British jazz scene.

The band’s influences include the legacies of Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson and Wayne Shorter, while branching out to the more contemporary mastery of Esperanza Spalding, Geri Allen, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts and Kenny Kirkland. The ensemble takes inspiration from the spark and power of these jazz legends, compositionally and in their playing.

Collectively, the members of ‘Ankora’ have already made their mark on the jazz scene through performances at venues such as Love Supreme Jazz Festival, We Out Here, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Dizzy’s Jazz Club (NYC), The Vortex, Brick Lane Jazz Festival and The Jazz Café. Ready for more, the unique, powerful voice of the ensemble is excited to embrace the wonder and diversity of today’s jazz scene.

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/

Detroitwich Funk Machine at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, January 22, 2026

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/detroitwich-funk-machine/

January 22, 2026 @ 7:30 am - 10:00 pm
Detroitwich Funk Machine
The Marr’s Bar 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester, Worcestershire, United Kingdom

The music of James Brown, Tower of Power, Herbie Hancock, The Brecker Brothers, Blood Sweat and Tears, Kenny Garrett and more brought to life by an amazing 9-piece local band.

Co-led by Droitwich-based Californian bassist Tom Clarke-Hill and saxophonist Andy Shillingford from Stourbridge, Detroitwich Funk Machine have raided the archives of 70s and 80s funk, jazz-funk and fusion to deliver an outstanding and entertaining show featuring the music of James Brown, Tower of Power, Herbie Hancock, The Brecker Brothers, Blood Sweat and Tears, Kenny Garrett, Mike Stern and many more.

Tom Clarke-Hill features on vocals, bass and entertaining banter while Andy Shillingford heads up the top-shelf West Midlands horn section that sees the return of saxophonist Chris Bowden and trombonist Dave Sear who both appeared in April 2025 (Chris with his Hypnos Files band and Dave with The Boom Yeh), along with saxophonist Pelham Wood and trumpeter Alex Astbury (of the Digbeth Jazz team). On the polyphonics are Tom Morgan (guitar) and Arran Shanghavi (keys), with Andy Brotherton completing the lineup on drums.

If you enjoyed Hoop (Nov 2023), FNUK (Jan 2024), Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew (May 2024), Impossible Conversations (Feb 2025) or The Boom Yeh (Apr 2025), you are going to love Detroitwich Funk Machine!

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/

Davide Giovannini’s Minas Project at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, January 08, 2026

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/davide-giovanninis-minas-project/

January 8, 2026 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Davide Giovannini’s Minas Project
The Marr’s Bar 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester, Worcestershire, United Kingdom

High energy, original Brazilian jazz in a tribute to Minas Gerais, the home of Toninho Horta, Milton Nascimento, Beto Guedes and Lo Borges
We are really excited to be kicking off 2026 with this delightful musical journey to the south-east Brazilian state of Minas Gerais from drummer, vocalist and composer Davide Giovannini, returning to The Marr’s Bar with his own band after performing to a full house with TRYPL in January 2025.

Giovannini has worked with artists including Steve Winwood, Lisa Stansfield, Paul McCartney, Björk and Roy Ayers, but it was his time in Brazil with guitarist Toninho Horta that inspired the Minas Project – a collection of original compositions that reflect the spirit of Minas’ music, with beautiful melodies that float on a rich harmonic bed, spiced up by dynamic solos that enrich the tunes with fire and emotions.

The all-star lineup also sees the return to the Music Spoken Here stage for saxophonist Paul Booth (appeared with TRYPL in 2025 and HOOP in 2024), pianist Neil Angilley (Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew, 2024) and bassist Davide Mantovani (Tristan Banks Quartet, 2023). Completing the lineup and appearing for the first time with us is guitarist Guille Hill.

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/

Yetii ’ Inner World’s ’ Album Tour at Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny.

Date: Sunday, February 22, 2026

Featuring: Yetii

More details

From;
https://www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk/event-details/yetii-inner-worlds-album-tour

Yetii: ’ Inner World’s ’ Album Tour
Sun 22 Feb |  The Melville Theatre

Time & Location
22 Feb 2026, 20:00 – 22:30
The Melville Theatre, 5 Pen-Y-Pound, Abergavenny NP7 5UD, UK

About the event

We welcome Yetii to Black Mountain Jazz for this very special one-off gig as part of their UK ‘Inner Worlds’ Album Tour.

Yetii released their debut album ‘Live at The Greenbank’ to widespread critical acclaim and have since played at jazz clubs, festivals and arts centres across the UK, as well as supporting ‘The Bad Plus’ on their recent UK Tour.

The trio play original compositions combining flowing melodies with expansive group improvisations, interlocking grooves and evolving soundscapes.

The band have built their following with a sold-out monthly residency in Bristol, including collaborations with Iain Ballamy, Ant Law and Arun Ghosh.

Alex Veitch – piano
Ashley John Long - double bass
Alex Goodyear - drums

“a performance that both enthralled and delighted the audience ★★★★★”- Ian Mann,  TheJazzMann

“Impossible to ignore”  - Jazzwise

“a trio of fluent and wildly inventive improvisers” UK Jazz News

Video Link -  https://youtu.be/rSRrT5kb8ZM

Tickets
Ticket type
General Admission
Price
From £9.75 to £19.50

Standard
£19.50

Friends of BMJ
£17.50

Under 18’s
£9.75

Elijah Jeffery & Eddie Gripper at Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny.

Date: Sunday, January 25, 2026

Featuring: Elijah Jeffery & Eddie Gripper

More details

From;
https://www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk/event-details/elijah-jeffery-eddie-gripper

Elijah Jeffery & Eddie Gripper
Sun 25 Jan |  The Melville Theatre

Time & Location
25 Jan 2026, 20:00 – 22:30
The Melville Theatre, 4 Pen-Y-Pound, Abergavenny NP7 5UD, UK

About the event

Black Mountain Jazz Club is delighted to welcome back two Cardiff-based musicians well known to BMJ audiences.

Vocalist–songwriter Elijah Jeffery and award-winning pianist Eddie Gripper join forces to present their acclaimed new CD (self-entitled, ‘Elijah Jeffery & Eddie Gripper’ ) currently on a UK wide tour, with a striking blend of original songs and a bold reimagining of Purcell’s 17th-century aria, praised for its imaginative, genre-defying approach.

Their live performance weaves together progressive pop, indie folk, and alternative jazz, taking audiences on a captivating musical journey. From the folk-inspired ‘Shifting Seasons’ to the introspective jazz ballad ‘Because of You’, the art-pop energy of ‘Close Your Eyes’ and a fresh take on ‘Dido’s Lament’, Elijah and Eddie showcase their flair for storytelling and innovative composition.

With a shared passion for pushing musical boundaries, their performance promises an intimate yet adventurous experience that resonates across genres, making this a must-see evening for lovers of inventive, genre-defying music.

Hampshire-born vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Elijah Jeffery brings influences ranging from the Great American Songbook to contemporary folk, whilst English pianist Eddie Gripper - hailed for his melodic charm and already compared with the greats - adds a distinctive blend of jazz, folk and modern classical colour.

“These are songs that convince both musically and lyrically, there is real musical and emotional intelligence at work here” - Ian Mann,  TheJazzMann

“Both halves of the duo excel on this recording, both in their quality and restraint, but it is their joint passion for song writing that shines brightest.”  - Neil Duggan,  All About Jazz

Tickets
Ticket type
General Admission
Price
From £9.00 to £18.00

Standard
£18.00

Friends of BMJ
£16.00

Under 18’s
£9.00

2026 Gilmore International Piano Festival, various venues, Southwest Michigan, USA.

Dates: Thursday, April 30, 2026 - Sunday, May 10, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

THE 2026 IRVING S. GILMORE INTERNATIONAL PIANO FESTIVAL—NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST GATHERING OF KEYBOARD ARTISTS—BRIDGES CLASSICAL AND JAZZ WORLDS IN A GROUNDBREAKING CELEBRATION OF PIANO ARTISTRY,
APRIL 30-MAY 10

Sullivan Fortner, winner of The Gilmore’s 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award, opens and closes the Festival

A Homecoming Moment: Joshua Bell and Shai Wosner Celebrate the Stulberg Competition’s 50th Anniversary in a Special Pre-Festival Recital

2024 Gilmore Artist Alexandre Kantorow’s first Festival appearance

Duo collaboration by Brad Mehldau and 2010 Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein

World premieres of Gilmore commissions include American Sputnik,  a monodrama co-commissioned by The Gilmore and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, as well as a new work for Eighth Blackbird by Clarice Assad

U.S. premiere of The Kalamazoo Flow by Anders Hillborg performed by Alexandre Kantorow

2010 Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein Plays and Conducts Three of Beethoven’s Piano Concertos

Gilmore Festival Fellows Return for a 10-Day Immersive Residency Fostering the Next Generation of Pianists

KALAMAZOO, MI — The Gilmore has announced details of the 2026 Irving S. Gilmore International Piano Festival taking place Thursday, April 30 to Sunday, May 10, 2026, across multiple venues in Southwest Michigan. Drawing thousands of fans to the Kalamazoo region, this year’s Festival showcases the world’s preeminent classical and jazz pianists and artists in 75+ events including a world premiere monodrama, exclusive artist collaborations, Gilmore commissioned works, and family-friendly performances as well as master classes, film screenings, and more. Scroll down for a complete schedule of festival events.

“The Gilmore Piano Festival has established itself as a highlight for music fans. Over 11 days, thousands of patrons from around the world will transform Kalamazoo into a vibrant hub of creativity, culture and connection. For over 30 years, our Festival has brought together incredible artists, emerging talents, and enthusiastic audiences. Building on this success, as well as the Gilmore Artist Awards and this year’s inaugural Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Awards, we’re excited to begin this exciting chapter shifting from a biennial Festival to an annual one that presents the top pianists of both classical and jazz music.”
- Pierre van der Westhuizen, Executive & Artistic Director

The 2026 Gilmore International Piano Festival bridges classical tradition, contemporary innovation, and the evolving landscape of jazz. Anchored by world premieres, interdisciplinary collaborations, and the inaugural Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Awards, the Festival celebrates the piano as a catalyst for creative exchange across genres, generations, and cultures. Its programming highlights both legacy and discovery—pairing iconic artists such as Joshua Bell, Brad Mehldau, Kirill Gerstein, and Alexandre Kantorow with rising classical and jazz talents, while commissioning new works that reflect the piano’s vibrant role in today’s musical ecosystem. With performances spanning historic concert halls, intimate clubs, family offerings, and community spaces across Southwest Michigan, the 2026 Festival envisions the piano not merely as an instrument, but as a unifying force that transforms the region into a dynamic hub of artistic exploration, storytelling, and shared human experience.

The 2026 Festival coincides with the naming of The Gilmore’s first-ever Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Awardee, Sullivan Fortner, as well as the Bell Young Jazz Artist Award recipients Esteban Castro and Tyler Bullock — all scheduled to perform at the 2026 Gilmore Piano Festival. Mirroring the Gilmore Artist Award for classical pianists, the Jazz Artist Awards were bestowed on jazz pianists selected by an anonymous committee. Since its founding in 1989, the Festival has taken place at venues in Kalamazoo and across West Michigan, a region characterized by rolling countryside—filled with orchards, wineries, art galleries, and farmers markets—and the natural beauty of nearby Lake Michigan. Building on the success of its 30-year history, the biennial Festival shifts to an annual one for the first time in 2026. The Gilmore is allowing more space for creativity, more audience goers and a plethora of multi-genre artists.

2026 GILMORE PIANO FESTIVAL ARTISTS
Aaron Diehl · Aaron Goldberg · Alexandre Kantorow · Ali Jackson · Allison Miller · Ambrose Akinmusire · Andrew Rathburn · Armando Gola · ARTEMIS · Bill Charlap · Bob Mervak · Brad Mehldau · Cameron Carpenter · CeciléMcLorin Salvant · Charlotte Hu · Christian Sands · Chuco Valdés · Cyrus Chestnut · Daniela Liebman · Eighth Blackbird · Elliott Wuu · Esteban Castro · Horacio El Negro Hernandez · Ingrid Jensen · Inon Barnatan · Jackson Symphony Orchestra · Janice Carissa · Joseph Lattanzi · Joshua Bell · Julian Kuerti · Justin Snyder · Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra · Kandace Springs · Kayvon Gordon · Keith Hall · Kent Philharmonic Orchestra · Kirill Gerstein · Lara Downes · Libor Ondras · Lisa Kaplan · Lori Sims · Marc-André Hamelin · Matthew Aubin · Matthew Natalie Tenenbaum · Nicole Glover · Nicole Zuraitis · Noriko Ueda · Omer Avital · Raquel González · Renee Rosnes · Richard Goode · Roberto Vizcaino Jr. · Sara Davis Buechner · Sean Hickey · Shai Wosner · Southwest Michigan Symphony · Stanislav Khristenko · Stewart Goodyear · Sullivan Fortner · Timo Andres · Tyler Bullock · Tyrone Allen · Vicki Chow · Yes! Trio

THE GILMORE’S LEGACY OF COMMISSIONING NEW WORKS

The Gilmore has a distinguished history of commissioning new works, continuing its mission to support the creation and performance of new music for the piano. Over the years, the Gilmore Piano Festival has become known for its commitment to expanding the repertoire through significant commissions from renowned composers. The Gilmore has commissioned, on its own and via Gilmore Artists and Gilmore Young Artists Award funds, more than 40 new works from composers including Matthew Aucoin, Michael Brown, Elliott Carter, Christopher Cerrone, Michael Gordon, Stephen Hough, Oliver Knussen, Brad Mehldau, Nico Muhly, Frederick Rzewski, and Tyshawn Sorey, among many others.

The commissioned works of the 2026 Gilmore Piano Festival include the U.S. premiere of The Kalamazoo Flow, a new work by leading Swedish composer Anders Hillborg, which Alexandre Kantorow commissioned through his 2024 Gilmore Artist Award (world premiere scheduled for January 2026 at Le Piano Symphonique Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland). The contemporary music ensemble Eighth Blackbird premieres a new work written by Clarice Assad whose music is deeply rooted in the early, folkloric rhythms of Brazil.

Co-commissioned with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, The Gilmore is thrilled to present the world premiere of American Sputnik, a one-act monodrama for baritone, piano and an orchestral ensemble by composer Evan Mack and Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Mark Campbell. American pianist Van Cliburn instantly shot to superstardom after winning the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow at the height of the Cold War. Exploring the impact of Cliburn’s historic win on his own life and on global culture, American Sputnik features baritone Joseph Lattanzi and Cleveland International Piano Competition-winning pianist Stanislav Khristenko dually portraying the role of Cliburn, joined by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra under Music Director Julian Kuerti.

THE GILMORE FESTIVAL FELLOWS PROGRAM

The Gilmore Festival Fellows program, a career-advancement initiative for both classical and jazz pianists aged 18 or older, continues during this year’s festival. The immersive program blends the festival experience with a curriculum designed to develop the diverse skills—artistic, business, and personal—needed to build a successful career as a pianist. The 12 Festival Fellows take part in workshops and career coaching sessions focused on the business side of an artistic career and the personal and interpersonal challenges of life as a concert pianist.

This year’s Fellowship is a 10-day residency from May 1-10, 2026, including a May 8th public performance by select Classical Fellows. Jazz Fellows will perform on May 1-2 and 7-8 at the Crawlspace Theater. This season’s residency is overseen by Artist Teachers: Sara Davis Buechner, Bill Charlap, Stewart Goodyear, Marc-André Hamelin, Charlotte Hu, Renee Rosnes, and Lori Sims.

Festival artists share their talents and wisdom with Festival Fellows, who perform and learn from their teachers at Gilmore Festival master classes. The general public is invited to witness the creative process in action and gain insight into the dedication required to become an exceptional pianist. All master classes are free and open to the public. Scroll down for a complete schedule of classes. Visit Gilmore.org/education to learn more.

The Gilmore Festival Fellows program is made possible through the generous support of the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne.

2026 GILMORE PIANO FESTIVAL LINE-UP

When: April 30 – May 10, 2026

Where: The 2026 Gilmore Piano Festival will unfold across more than a dozen venues throughout Southwest Michigan, from historic theaters and concert halls to intimate clubs, churches, and community spaces. This wide variety of locations activates the region as a network of stages, offering audiences exceptional musical experiences in settings of every scale and underscoring the Festival’s commitment to bringing world-class music to the broader community.
Tickets: Donor presale access begins November 20 at 10:00 a.m. ET for supporters who contribute $100 or more, with all tickets going on sale to everyone on January 29, 2026. To purchase tickets, visit http://www.thegilmore.org.

PRE-FESTIVAL EVENTS

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL | SPECIAL EVENT
SAT 4.18 at 7:30 p.m. | Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor
Presented in collaboration with the University Musical Society
THE COMPLETE PHILIP GLASS PIANO ETUDES
Timo Andres | Inon Barnatan | Janice Carissa, 2022 Gilmore Young Artist | Vicky Chow | Aaron Diehl | Lara Downes | Lisa Kaplan | Daniela Liebman | Christian Sands | Justin Snyder
This distinctive concert offering of all 20 of Glass’s etudes features 10 pianists onstage, each offering a unique musical tribute to this masterful composer.

CLASSICAL | CHAMBER MUSIC | SPECIAL EVENT
FRI 4.24 at 7:30 p.m. | Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo
JOSHUA BELL
Joshua Bell, violin | Shai Wosner, piano
F. SCHUBERT             Violin Sonata in A Major, D. 574 (“Grand Duo”)
E. GRIEG                 Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 45
S. PROKOFIEV           Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94

CLASSICAL | CONCERTO
SAT 4.25 at 7:30 p.m. | Harold Sheffer Music Hall, Potter Center, Jackson
JACKSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WITH 2022 GILMORE YOUNG ARTIST JANICE CARRISA
Matthew Aubin, conductor | Janice Carissa, 2022 Gilmore Young Artist, piano
J. BRAHMS /arr. V. LEIDIG.          Academic Festival Overture
R. SCHUMANN                       Concerto for Piano in A Minor, Op.54
W.A MOZART                         Requiem, K.626 (Süssmayr)
OPENING NIGHT
THU 4.30 at 6:00 p.m. | Kalamazoo Institute of Arts & Parish Theater, Kalamazoo

SULLIVAN FORTNER SOLO GAME
The 2026 Gilmore International Piano Festival opens on April 30, 2025, aka International Jazz Day, with a rare solo performance by 2026 Larry J. Bell Artist Award Recipient Sullivan Fortner. Fresh off receiving the inaugural Bell Artist Award, Fortner revisits the spirit of his GRAMMY®-nominated album Solo Game — a kaleidoscopic journey across acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, and other keyboards. Blending jazz, gospel, and modern improvisation, Fortner moves fluidly between soulful lyricism and bold harmonic exploration, revealing why he’s regarded as one of today’s most imaginative and expressive voices in jazz.

CLASSICAL | MONODRAMA | CONCERTO | includes WORLD PREMIERE
FRI 5.01 at 7:00 p.m. | Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo
FROM CLIBURN TO KANTOROW: A CELEBRATION OF TCHAIKOVSKY
Julian Kuerti, conductor | Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Joseph Lattanzi, baritone | Stanislav Khristenko, piano
Alexandre Kantorow, 2024 Gilmore Artist, piano
The concert will feature the World Premiere of a new one-act monodrama by American composer Evan Mack and Pulitzer-prize winning librettist Mark Campbell, exploring the impact of Van Cliburn’s historic win on his own life and on global culture. Co-commissioned by The Gilmore and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, American Sputnikfeatures baritone Joseph Lattanzi and Cleveland International Piano Competition-winning pianist Stanislav Khristenko dually portraying the role of Cliburn, joined by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra under Music Director Julian Kuerti. Also on the program is 2024 Gilmore Artist Alexandre Kantorow — who followed in Cliburn’s footsteps as a winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition — joining the KSO to perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2, one of the concertos that helped Kantorow earn his victory at the competition.
EVAN MACK /libst. MARK CAMPBELL   American Sputnik, WORLD PREMIERE
P. TCHAIKOVSKY                         Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major, Op. 44

FAMILY CONCERT/FILM
SAT 5.02 at 2:00 p.m. | Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo
RIGHT IN THE EYE
Right in the Eye combines 12 short silent films by pioneering French filmmaker Georges Méliès — containing many special effects — with musical virtuosity, lighting design, and more. Three musicians perform on over 50 different instruments, including rare and unique ones, live onstage alongside the films, in a one-of-a-kind production ideal for children ages five and up.

JAZZ
SAT 5.02 at 4:00 + 7:00 p.m. | Bell’s Eccentric Café, Kalamazoo
CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIO
A gifted and innovative jazz pianist, Cyrus Chestnut possesses a soulful style that fuses gospel, classical music, and straight-ahead jazz. With two musical parents who were involved in the church, it was only natural that gospel music would become a major influence on Chestnut’s musical development, showing him not only how to be a better player but also how to connect with audiences. His original compositions are the heart of his latest album, Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony, on which he demonstrates his signature blend of rhythmic precision, emotive expression, and improvisational mastery.

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL | includes U.S. PREMIERE
SAT 5.02 at 8:00 p.m. | Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo
ALEXANDRE KANTOROW, 2024 GILMORE ARTIST
The day after performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 2024 Gilmore Artist Alexandre Kantorow returns to give a solo recital. Kantorow will present the U.S. premiere of a new work by leading Swedish composer Anders Hillborg, which Kantorow commissioned through his Gilmore Artist Award; he will premiere the work at the Le Piano Symphonique Festival in Lucerne in January 2026.
J.S. BACH /arr. LISZT       Variations on Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen S. 180.
N. MEDTNER                 Sonata in F Minor, Op. 5
F. CHOPIN                   Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 45
A. SCRIABIN                 Sonata No. 10, Op. 70
L.v. BEETHOVEN             Sonata No. 32 in C Minor Op. 111
ANDERS HILLBORG         The Kalamazoo Flow, U.S. PREMIERE, commissioned by The Gilmore

FAMILY CONCERT
SUN 5.03 at 12:30 p.m., First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo
BABY GRANDS WITH HEITZIG AND JONES
This Baby Grands will feature The Gilmore’s very own Kory Heitzig on organ, with Dr. Garrett Jones narrating, presenting Rex: The King of Instruments written by Daniel Burton. This lively piece introduces the pipe organ through an energetic blend of organ music and narration. This will be followed by the OrgelKids workshop, an engaging, hands-on experience where kids collaborate to assemble a real working organ. This event is a family-friendly, interactive way to introduce kids to the organ.
Free and open to children of all ages.

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL
SUN 5.03 at 2:00 p.m. | First United Methodist of Kalamazoo
CAMERON CARPENTER
In a rare organ performance for The Gilmore, Cameron Carpenter demonstrates the versatility and dramatic power of his chosen instrument. Committed to expanding the repertoire for the organ, Carpenter composes original music and also creates his own virtuosic arrangements of iconic works of classical music, including J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Carpenter is the first-ever organist to be nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for a solo album (for his debut album Revolutionary), and has transfixed audiences worldwide with his dazzling technique and larger-than-life style.
J.S. BACH/arr. CAMERON CARPENTER Goldberg Variations BWV 988
J.S. BACH Prelude and Fugue in E-flat Major, BWV 552 (“St. Anne”)
M. MUSSORGSKY/arr. CAMERON CARPENTER Pictures At An Exhibition

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL
SUN 5.03 at 7:30 p.m. | Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo
RICHARD GOODE
Pianist Richard Goode is internationally renowned for his interpretations of Classical and Romantic music. His 10-disc recording of Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas remains a benchmark in the industry. Goode returns to The Gilmore to perform two cornerstones of the repertoire: Beethoven’s monumental Diabelli Variations and Schubert’s heartrending Sonata in B-flat Major, his final composition for solo piano.
L.v. BEETHOVEN           Thirty-Three Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120
F. SCHUBERT               Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL
MON 5.04 at 2:00 p.m. | Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo
STEWART GOODYEAR
Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear is renowned for his large, dramatic sound, elegant technique, and omnivorous approach to keyboard music. Goodyear has attracted particular attention for his Beethoven “Sonatathons,” a term he coined to describe his epic performances of Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas in one day.
L.v. BEETHOVEN             Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2 (“Tempest”)
STEWART GOODYEAR     Rhapsody
L.v. BEETHOVEN             Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (“Moonlight”)
STEWART GOODYEAR       Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
L.v. BEETHOVEN             Andante favori, WoO 57
                                Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 (“Appassionata”)

Jazz + Classical | DUO PIANO RECITAL
MON 5.04 at 7:30 p.m. | Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo
BRAD MEHLDAU & KIRILL GERSTEIN IN DIALOGUE
Grammy Award–winning pianist and composer Brad Mehldau has long bridged musical worlds, shaping modern jazz with performances that blend intellect, emotion, and structure. 2010 Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein, equally at home in classical and jazz traditions, is celebrated for his dynamic artistry and curiosity, connecting diverse musical voices with insight and imagination. Their collaboration grew from a shared fascination with the space between composition and improvisation.

JAZZ
TUE 5.05 at 12:00 p.m. | Kalamazoo Civic Theater
ESTEBAN CASTRO TRIO | 2026 BELL YOUNG JAZZ ARTIST
Esteban Castro began playing piano at age four and at 13, became the youngest-ever First Prize Winner at the Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition. Now 20, Castro is already an in-demand bandleader and sideman. At The Gilmore, Castro and their trio will perform a mix of standards and Castro’s own award-winning compositions.

JAZZ
TUE 5.05 at 12:00 p.m. | Kool Family Community Center, Battle Creek
TYLER BULLOCK TRIO | 2026 BELL YOUNG JAZZ ARTIST
The regular pianist for the Roy Hargrove Big Band, and with collaborations with Samara Joy, Sean Jones, and Dee Dee Bridgewater already under his belt, Tyler Bullock is one of the most promising pianists of his generation. His original compositions for his trio and other configurations combine the lineage of jazz with his own fresh perspective.

CLASSICAL | CHAMBER MUSIC | includes WORLD PREMIERE
TUE 5.05 at 2:00 p.m. | Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU
EIGHTH BLACKBIRD
Four-time GRAMMY® Award-winning contemporary music sextet Eighth Blackbird is, according to The Chicago Tribune, “one of the smartest, most dynamic ensembles on the planet.” They perform Four Organs and Piano Phase, two seminal 20th-century works by pioneering American minimalist composer Steve Reich in his 90th birthday year, as well as the World Premiere of a new work written for them by Clarice Assad, commissioned by The Gilmore. A composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, Assad creatively fuses elements of classical, jazz, and Brazilian music for a sound that’s completely her own.
ARI SUSSMAN               to no end
CLARICE ASSAD             WORLD PREMIERE, commissioned by The Gilmore
STEVE REICH               Piano Phase
                                Four Organs
NICO MUHLY                 Doublespeak

JAZZ
TUE 5.05 at 5:00 + 8:00 p.m. | D. Terry Williams Theatre, WMU
KANDACE SPRINGS
Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, jazz pianist and singer Kandace Springs’s natural gifts for lyricism and soulfulness have propelled her to some of the world’s biggest stages. She has performed alongside Prince, Sting and Jack White, Norah Jones, Roy Hargrove, and more, and has released acclaimed albums of acoustic-based jazz. Her Gilmore set will include arrangements from her latest recording, Lady in Satin, a loving tribute to Billie Holiday and her 1958 record of the same name, with Springs on both keys and vocals, joined by her all-female trio.

JAZZ
WED 5.06 at 12:00 p.m. | Kool Family Community Center, Battle Creek
ESTEBAN CASTRO TRIO | 2026 BELL YOUNG JAZZ ARTIST
See May 5 for event description.

JAZZ
WED 5.06 at 12:00 p.m. | Kalamazoo Civic Theater
TYLER BULLOCK TRIO | 2026 BELL YOUNG JAZZ ARTIST
See May 5 for event description.

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL
WED 5.06 at 2:00 p.m.  | Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo
LORI SIMS
A pillar of the Kalamazoo musical community, Lori Sims returns to The Gilmore for a recital on piano and harpsichord, demonstrating how the harpsichord and Baroque musical forms can be updated and reworked in a modern context. Opening with J.S. Bach’s Partita for keyboard No. 6, Sims then jumps to works by two of the 20th century’s most important composers, György Ligeti and Sofia Gubaidulina, who both fused traditional Baroque forms—the Passacaglia and the Chaconne—with their distinctly modern musical languages.
J.S. BACH                 Partita No. 6 in D Minor BWV 830
G. LIGETI                 Passacaglia Ungherese
                            Hungarian Rock
                            Etudes, Book I, No. 5 “Arc-en-Ciel”
S. GUBAIDULINA         Chaconne
CLASSICAL | CONCERTO

WED 5.06 at 7:30 p.m. | Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo
KIRILL GERSTEIN & KALAMAZOO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WITH BEETHOVEN’S PIANO CONCERTOS
Already respected for his solo piano interpretations, 2010 Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein unveils another facet of his musical life for Festival audiences: his role as conductor. In one evening with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Gerstein both plays and conducts three of Beethoven’s beloved Piano Concertos. Beethoven himself frequently performed his own concertos while conducting from the keyboard, and Gerstein will offer Gilmore festival attendeesthe opportunity to experience these masterworks in much the same way that audiences would have in Beethoven’s day.
L.v. BEETHOVEN       Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
                          Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
                          Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58

JAZZ
THU 5.07 at 12:00 p.m. | Kalamazoo Civic Theatre
NICOLE ZURAITIS
A vocalist, pianist, songwriter, and arranger who originally trained in classical voice and opera, Nicole Zuraitis offers powerful interpretations of jazz, pop, and anything else she sets her mind to. How Love Begins, her album co-produced with Christian McBride, won Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 2024 GRAMMY® Awards, making her the first artist to win this award for an album entirely made up of original compositions and arrangements. Zuraitis leads a band of powerhouse artists, using her arrangements to showcase their considerable talents in the best possible light.

CLASSICAL | VOICE AND PIANO
THU 5.07 at 2:00 p.m. | Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo
CHOPIN AND VIARDOT: A DIALOGUE
Charlotte Hu, piano
Raquel González, soprano
Pauline Viardot was an accomplished pianist who studied with Franz Liszt, a world-renowned mezzo-soprano, and a talented composer, yet her name is largely unknown today. In their collaborative recital, pianist Charlotte Hu and soprano Raquel González re-introduce Viardot to her rightful place alongside the greatest of Romantic composers, notably her friend and colleague Frédéric Chopin. Their program spans solo piano works by both Chopin and Viardot, Viardot’s piano-and-voice arrangements of Chopin’s mazurkas — which Chopin himself advised on and was pleased with — and some of Viardot’s own original songs for soprano and piano.
F. CHOPIN               Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61                            
                            Mazurka in E Major, Op. 63, No. 3
                            Mazurka in F-sharp Minor, Op. 59, No. 3
                            Mazurka in C Major, Op. 33, No. 3
P. VIARDOT/F. CHOPIN Mazurka Op. 50, No. 2 “Seize ans!”
                            Mazurka Op. 33, No. 2 “Aime-moir”
                            Mazurka Op. 6, No. 1 “Plainte d’amour”
                            Mazurka Op. 7, No. 1 “Coquette”
                            Mazurka Op. 68, No. 2 “L’Oiselet”
                            Mazurkas Op. 7, No. 3 and Op. 7, No. 2 “Faible cœur!”
P. VIARDOT               Mazurka
                            Deux airs de ballet
                            Serenade
F. CHOPIN               Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60
P. VIARDOT               Original Songs for Soprano and Piano

JAZZ | DUO PIANO
THU 5.07 at 5:00 + 8:00 p.m. | D. Terry Williams Theatre, WMU, Kalamazoo
BILL CHARLAP & RENEE ROSNES
Two of today’s preeminent jazz pianists, Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes have played together in a two-piano setting since the release of their 2010 Blue Note album Double Portrait, a set of duets that traverse their shared musical touchstones. Downbeat declared that “the counterpoint and compatibility are so perfectly balanced, the selections and arrangements so handsome, that Double Portrait is a prize.” On stage, the husband-and-wife duo share their interpretations of jazz standards, Great American Songbook and Broadway tunes, and their own original compositions, inspired by their work together.

JAZZ
THU 5.07 at 7:30 p.m. | Kool Family Community Center, Battle Creek
YES! TRIO featuring ALI JACKSON, AARON GOLDBERG, AND OMER AVITAL
United by three decades of friendship and a reverence for straight-ahead jazz and swing, the members of Yes! Trio are all superstar musicians in their own right. Ali Jackson has played with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra since 2005. Omer Avital synthesizes American jazz, Israeli, and other Arab styles into something new and vital. And Aaron Goldberg leads his own trio and tours with the Joshua Redman Quartet.

JAZZ
FRI 5.08 at 12:00 p.m. | Kalamazoo Civic Theatre
YES! TRIO featuring ALI JACKSON, AARON GOLDBERG, AND OMER AVITAL
See May 7 for event description.

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL
FRI 5.08 at 2:00 p.m. | Cori Terry Theatre, Epic Center, Kalamazoo
GILMORE FESTIVAL FELLOWS SHOWCASE RECITAL
The Gilmore presents top-notch talents of some of this year’s class of Gilmore Festival Fellows, hand selected by The Gilmore’s artistic leadership. Today’s successful artists need to know much more than the music. The Festival Fellows program helps young artists better navigate the industry through mentorships, master classes, Festival performances, workshops, and networking with their peers.

JAZZ
FRI 5.08 at 7:30 p.m. | Kool Family Community Center, Battle Creek
NICOLE ZURAITIS
See May 7 for event description.

JAZZ
FRI 5.08 at 7:30 p.m. | Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo
ARTEMIS
Equally beloved by audiences and critics alike, ARTEMIS conjures a powerful collective voice from its five members. Originally assembled by pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes, the all-female group is distinguished not only by the star power of its individual members, but also by its multi-national and intergenerational lineup. ARTEMIS features Renee Rosnes (piano/Fender Rhodes), Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Nicole Glover (tenor saxophone), Noriko Ueda (bass), and Allison Miller (drums). At The Gilmore, ARTEMIS will perform tunes from their three acclaimed Blue Note albums, featuring a vibrant mix of original compositions by all five band members as well as Rosnes’s arrangements of pieces by Wayne Shorter, Burt Bacharach, and more.

CLASSICAL | CONCERTO
FRI 5.08 at 7:30 p.m. | St. Cecilia Music Center, Grand Rapids
KENT PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Pianist Elliott Wuu, 2018 Gilmore Young Artist, returns to Michigan to perform Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Kent Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Ondras conducting.
B. SMETANA                 Dance of Comedians
E. GRIEG                     Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
A. DVOŘÁK                 Slavonic Dances, Op. 46

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL | THEATRICAL
SAT 5.09 at 1:00 p.m. | Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo
SARA DAVIS BUECHNER “OF PIGS AND PIANOS”
When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, a young Sara Davis Buechner declared: “A piano player and a pig farmer.” Decades later, the first of those has decidedly come true. Of Pigs and Pianos is Buechner’s one-woman show, recounting Sara Davis Buechner’s life story through dramatic narration, musical performances, and projected visuals. As one of the first transgender women in the industry to transition mid-career, Buechner encountered overwhelming obstacles, and faced them with courage and integrity. The New York Times gave the premiere performance a rave review; Buechner herself calls it “one of the most significant artistic works of my life.” [CONTENT WARNING: Of Pigs and Pianos contains strong adult content and language. Recommended for audiences 16 and older.]

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL
SAT 5.09 at 4:00 p.m. | Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College
MARC ANDRÉ-HAMELIN
Marc-André Hamelin, “a performer of near-superhuman technical prowess” according to The New York Times, is revered worldwide for his thoughtful interpretations and utter mastery of the most challenging works in the piano repertoire. His Gilmore recital opens with Haydn’s Piano Sonata in D Major, followed by Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 3, an early work dedicated to Haydn. The second half is devoted to Russian piano works, with short pieces by Nikolai Medtner, a younger contemporary of Scriabin and Rachmaninoff, as well as Rachmaninoff’s moody and intense Piano Sonata No. 2.
F. HAYDN                     Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:37
Lv. BEETHOVEN             Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2
N. MEDTNER                 Improvisation in B-flat Minor, Op. 31, No. 1
                              Danza festiva, Op. 38, No. 3
S. RACHMANINOFF         Étude-Tableau in E-flat Minor, Op. 39, No. 5
                              Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 36 (1931 version)

CLASSICAL | SOLO RECITAL
SAT 5.09 at 7:00 p.m. | Peace Lutheran Church, South Haven
ELLIOTT WUU, 2010 GILMORE YOUNG ARTIST
As part of the South Haven Performance Series, Elliott Wuu gives a solo recital for audiences in South Haven, featuring piano sonatas by Beethoven and Liszt, Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque, and Liszt’s Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude.
C. DEBUSSY                 Suite Bergamasque, L. 75
L.v. BEETHOVEN           Sonata Op. 31, No. 3 (“The Hunt”)
F. LISZT                     Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude
                              from Harmonies poétiques et religieuses. S. 173/3
S. RACHMANINOFF         Sonata No. 2, Op. 36

JAZZ
SAT 5.09 at 7:30 p.m. | Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo
CHUCHO VALDÉS ROYAL QUARTET
For over six decades, NEA Jazz Master Chucho Valdés has defined Afro-Cuban jazz through his work as a pianist, composer, and bandleader. A winner of multiple GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® Awards, Valdés also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and has been inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. His Royal Quartet features virtuosos from the next generation of Afro-Cuban jazz: Horacio El Negro Hernandez (drums), Armando Gola (bass), and Roberto Vizcaino Jr. (congas). They will pay homage to Chick Corea, Mozart, American blues, Cuban folksongs, and more, all with their signature sense of joy and creativity.

CLASSICAL | CONCERTO
SAT 5.09 at 7:30 p.m. | Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY
Matthew Aubin, conductor
Winner of the 2016 Cleveland International Piano Competition and featured at The Gilmore’s premiere of American Sputnik, Ukrainian pianist Stanislav Khristenko performs Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor with the Southwest Michigan Symphony.
P. TCHAIKOVSKY           Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23

JAZZ | FESTIVAL FINALE
TUE 5.10 at 4:00 p.m. | Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo
FINALE: SULLIVAN FORTNER TRIO featuring CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT & AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE
The 2026 Gilmore International Piano Festival concludes with an exclusive performance created especially for this occasion, uniting three of today’s most visionary artists. Sullivan Fortner, recent recipient of The Gilmore’s inaugural Larry J. Bell Artist Award, leads his trio alongside GRAMMY® Award–winning vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant and acclaimed trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, whose distinctive sound and compositional depth have earned him international recognition. Joined by Tyrone Allen (bass) and Kayvon Gordon (drums), they will explore new musical terrain where improvisation, storytelling, and collective imagination meet in a singular finale that promises to be both intimate and transcendent.

SPECIAL EVENTS

FILM +
TUE 4.28: MURRAY PERAHIA: NOT OF THIS WORLD
WED 4.29: PIANOFORTE
THU 4.30: OSCAR PETERSON: BLACK + WHITE
FRI 5.01: VAN CLIBURN: CONCERT PIANIST. FILM BY PETER ROSEN.
All showtimes at 12:00 p.m., Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Stryker Theatre

CONNECT WITH FILM SERIES
During this year’s Festival, the music comes to the silver screen with afternoon film screenings at the Stryker Theatre. Movies are free to the public. Tickets are made available at 10:00 a.m. on the day of each screening at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum or its website http://www.kalamazoomuseum.org.

JAZZ +
WED 4.29 + FRI-SAT 5.01-2 + FRI-SAT 5.07-8 | Crawlspace Comedy Theatre, Kalamazoo
GILMORE AFTER DARK
Throughout this year’s Festival, the music continues long into the night with Gilmore After Dark events at venues around Kalamazoo. Grab a drink or a bite to eat and enjoy performances by exciting jazz and classical artists, including this year’s talented class of Gilmore Jazz Fellows. It kickstarts April 29 with pianist, vocalist and songwriter Bob Mervak. On May 1-2, saxophonist Andrew Rathbun will host the Jazz Festival Fellows, followed by drummer Keith Hall on May 7-8.

FESTIVAL FELLOWS EVENTS +
FRI 5.01 at 2:00 p.m. A CONVERSATION WITH SEAN HICKEY, Kalamazoo Public Library, Central Library
SUN 5.03 at 10:00 a.m. STEWART GOODYEAR, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU
TUE 5.05 at 10:00 a.m. LORI SIMS, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU
WED 5.06 at 10:00 a.m. CHARLOTTE HU, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU
WED 5.06 at 4:00 p.m. BILL CHARLAP + RENEE ROSNES, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU
FRI 5.08 at 10:00 a.m. SARA DAVIS BUECHNER, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU
SUN 5.10 at 10:00 a.m. MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

MASTER CLASSES
Festival artists share their talents and wisdom with Festival Fellows, who perform and learn from their teachers at Gilmore Festival master classes. Audiences may witness the creative process in action and gain insight into the dedication required to become an exceptional pianist. All master classes are free and open to the public.

CLASSICAL
WED 5.20 at 6:00 p.m. MEIJER GARDENS X GILMORE, Utopia Room at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids
NATALIE TENENBAUM, piano
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and The Gilmore Piano Festival are collaborating on a special evening of entertainment amidst the beauty of the CHIHULY exhibition at Meijer Gardens.

All performances, programs, and performance dates and times are subject to change.

ABOUT THE GILMORE    
Created in 1989 to honor the legacy of businessman and philanthropist Irving S. Gilmore, The Gilmore is the premier institution in the United States dedicated exclusively to commissioning, presenting and awarding extraordinary piano artistry. The Gilmore has presented 16 piano festivals, commissioned over 40 new works for piano, and awarded over $3 million as part of its internationally renowned Gilmore Artists Award for both classical and jazz pianists.
Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, The Gilmore hosts its annual (previously biennial) Gilmore Piano Festival April 30-May 10, 2026, and continues to impact the lives of thousands of area children and adults through its year-round community engagement and music education programs including summer camps, music therapy, and much more.

Burghausen International Jazz Week, Burghausen, Germany.

Dates: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - Sunday, March 22, 2026

More details

We have received the following press release;

Press release: 55th International Jazz Week Burghausen, March 17-22, 2026, Advance ticket sales start: November 26, 2025

The excitement is spreading: The program for the 55th Burghausen International Jazz Week from March 17 to 22, 2026, has been finalized and promises musical highlights! To mark this small anniversary edition, IG Jazz Burghausen is presenting a week full of diverse concert experiences, from international stars to promising new discoveries.

Following the traditional winners’ concert of the 16th European Young Artists’ Jazz Award, the Mike Stern Band feat. Leni Stern, Gabor Bolla, Noam Tanzer & Juan Chiavassa will open the main concerts in the Wackerhalle. Another highlight is the renowned German drummer Wolfgang Haffner. With his All Star Celebration, he celebrates his 50th stage anniversary and invites not only his long-time musical companions Simon Oslender (keys) and Thomas Stieger (bass), but also singer Viktoria Tolstoy, trombonist Nils Landgren, and DJ Shantel.

Also part of the line-up is trumpeter Theo Croker, who will be presenting his Miles Davis Centennial Blue Moods: Miles in the Golden Hour project. Multiple Grammy winner Cory Henry and his band The Funk Apostles will be providing a heavy dose of musical energy, as will the experimental collective Sonic Interventions, which was awarded this year’s German Jazz Prize for Newcomer of the Year. Lovers of avant-garde sounds will get their money’s worth with the duo Stian Westerhus & Maja S. K. Ratkje in the historic Ankersaal in the center of Burghausen’s old town.

The traditional Blues Saturday returns to its authentic roots and brings two outstanding masters of the genre to Burghausen with Paul Lamb & The King Snakes and Ronnie Baker Brooks.

The festival program is complemented by other impressive acts. These include Turkish saxophonist Korhan Futacı, the New York jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements, and London-based bassist, singer, and composer Amy Gadiaga.

Promoting young talent remains a key concern. In addition to the closing Sunday, which is traditionally reserved for newcomers and will be performed by Ayé, INUI, and the Jakob Bänsch Quintet in 2026, the Shuteen Erdenebaatar Trio will take over the nightly jazz cellar concerts. And, of course, the Burghausen Old Town will once again be transformed into an atmospheric musical promenade on Saturday after the main concerts with the Jazznight during the 55th International Jazz Week.

The complete program can be found here;
https://www.b-jazz.com/jazzwoche-burghausen-2026/

Advance ticket sales begin on November 26, 2025, and if you want to stay up to date on everything related to Jazz Week, the newsletter offers all the information and news first hand. You can register directly here.
https://www.b-jazz.com/newsletter/

MILES at Southwark Playhouse, Borough, London.

Dates: Wednesday, February 04, 2026 - Saturday, March 07, 2026

More details

We have received the following;

Following an acclaimed sell-out run at Summerhall Arts this year at Edinburgh Fringe, MILES. transfers to Southwark Playhouse Borough from 4 February – 7 March 2026.

Written and directed by Oliver Kaderbhai, MILES. is a fusion of live jazz and theatre exploring the life, legend and legacy of Miles Davis. Performed by Jay Phelps—the acclaimed trumpeter and DJ known for his work with Wynton Marsalis, Shabaka Hutchings, Amy Winehouse and Wizkid—and Benjamin Akintuyosi, the production delves into the creative chaos behind Kind of Blue, the best-selling jazz album of all time. The dynamic two-hander moves through time and influence to examine Davis’s artistic evolution and impact, inspired by Davis’ autobiography, extensive research, and archival recordings.

PRESS RELEASE

:DELIRIUM: and Lauren Reed Productions presents:
MILES.
A fusion of live jazz and theatre explores the life, legend, and legacy of Miles Davis  
Written and directed by Oliver Kaderbhai 

Southwark Playhouse Borough, 4 February – 7 March 2026
PRESS NIGHT: Monday 9th February, 7.30pm

“This hypnotic play…works superbly”
★★★★
The Times
(on MILES. at Summerhall Arts 2025)

http://www.milesdavisplay.com

http://www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/miles/

Delving into the creative chaos behind Kind of Blue, the best-selling jazz album of all time, MILES. is a dynamic two-hander blending live jazz and multi-rolling performance to explore the life and legacy of Miles Davis. Led by acclaimed trumpeter Jay Phelps (Wynton Marsalis, Shabaka Hutchings, Amy Winehouse, Wizkid) with Benjamin Akintuyosi, the duo embodies a shifting cast of characters—including Davis himself—as the production moves fluidly through time, memory, and influence. Inspired by Davis’ autobiography, extensive research, and archival recordings, MILES. captures the sound, pressure, and innovation of an artist who redefined modern music. The result is a hypnotic, smoke-laced fever dream: an exploration of addiction, reinvention, and the explosive cost of genius. The London transfer follows an acclaimed sell-out run at Summerhall Arts at Edinburgh Fringe 2025.

Writer and director Oliver Kaderbhai said,
“Bringing Miles’ story to Southwark Playhouse Borough 100 years after his birth feels like the perfect place to explore the legacy of a complex man whose music transcends time, place and race whilst being rooted in all of those things. The Playhouse sits neatly between the beating heart of London’s contemporary jazz scene in Peckham and the storied history of haunts like Ronnie Scotts in Soho and the 606 in Chelsea. Miles’s album, ‘Kind of Blue’ resonates with a contemporary audience as much, if not more than it did when it was released in 1959. He created something extraordinary in a time of deep civil division and personal turmoil, and, somehow, that felt hopeful to me.”

Oliver Kaderbhai is a writer, director, producer, and the founder of theatre company :DELIRIUM:. Directing credits include
MILES. (Edinburgh Fringe 2025), Clybourne Park (Park Theatre), Striking 12 (Union Theatre), Songs of Abdulkarim (59 Productions, Kuwait), One Minute (The Vaults),
Peter Pan (co-directed, Chichester Festival Theatre), and Go To Your God Like A Soldier (Old Vic Tunnels). He has also worked as Associate, Resident or Assistant Director on major productions including Hamilton (UK tour), Jesus Christ Superstar and Running Wild (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).

Jay Phelps
is a London based trumpeter and DJ who has performed with some of the world’s top artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Shabaka Hutchings, Amy Winehouse and Wizkid. With an instantly recognisable warm and projecting trumpet tone, Phelps is a household name on the international Jazz scene with worldwide streams exceeding 500k. Canadian born Phelps has had a career spanning over 20 years and his charismatic energy has lead him to radio presenting for Jazz FM and Worldwide FM, as well as creating the Youtube documentary series Ear to the Ground. Jay has also created SoulEndvr, his own music casting agency for TV, Film and advertising (featured on Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO and BBC). This summer Phelps released The Now, his seventh album as a leader with Apple Music subsidiary label Platoon. Jay made his acting debut at Edinburgh Fringe this year with the world premiere of MILES. at Summerhall Arts.

Southwark Playhouse is a registered charity that delivers a year-round programme of entertaining and enriching work. Southwark Playhouse operates two separate venues ‘Southwark Playhouse Borough’ and its newest theatre ‘Southwark Playhouse Elephant’ which opened in January 2023. Southwark Playhouse has always prided itself in telling stories and inspiring the next generation of storytellers and theatre makers, where support for the community has been rooted at the core of the organisation.

Running Time: 90 mins | Suitable for ages 14+

Company information 

Director and writer
Oliver Kaderbhai

Original concept
Jay Phelps 

Set and costume designer
Ellie Wintour

Lighting designer
Alex Lewer

Sound designer
Will Tonna

Projection designer Colin J Smith
 

Cast 

Miles, Elwood Buchanan -Benjamin Akintuyosi  

Jay, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Miles’s Father - Jay Phelps 

Listings information
4 February – 7 March 2026
Southwark Playhouse Borough, The Little
77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD
Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Tues & Sat 3pm | £28 Standard | £22.50 Concession
  4 - 7 February | £16 Previews

http://www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/miles
| 020 7407 0234

How To Get To Borough Venue: The nearest stations are Elephant & Castle and Borough

Sparks & Visions Jazz Festival at Theater Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Dates: Friday, January 23, 2026 - Sunday, January 25, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

We have received the following press release;

International Jazz Festival Sparks & Visions (23–25 January 2026) – a young festival with impact

The International Jazz Festival Sparks & Visions has quickly become a fixture in the European festival landscape. Founded three years ago by Anastasia Wolkenstein, the festival in Regensburg combines a programme of exceptional artistic quality with a unique atmosphere in the classical three-tier theatre of the UNESCO World Heritage city.

What began as a bold experiment has evolved into a platform that attracts renowned artists as well as exciting new voices in jazz. Sparks & Visions stands for discoveries beyond the mainstream and a curatorial signature that inspires and surprises. The programme spans from poetic chamber music and folkloric colours to energetic avant-garde sounds, broadening the perspective on the diversity of music we call jazz.

The very first edition was nominated for the German Jazz Prize in the category Festival of the Year—an early sign of the festival’s radiance. Since the premiere, Bayerischer Rundfunk has accompanied the festival and will also record all concerts in 2026 for later broadcast on BR-Klassik.

A key element of Sparks & Visions is its venue: the historic Theater Regensburg, with its horseshoe architecture and excellent acoustics, creates an intimacy between performers and audience that turns each concert into an intense experience.

The stage design by artist Karl Iaro, with its suspended glass mobiles, has become the visual signature of the festival. It highlights the aesthetic dimension of Sparks & Visions and reinforces the core idea of presenting jazz in a coherent, inspiring setting—as an open, vibrant and accessible art form.

In this spirit, the festival creates a space that invites both dedicated jazz listeners and curious first-timers to engage with sound and encounter.

From 23 to 25 January 2026, curator Anastasia Wolkenstein—once again in collaboration with Theater Regensburg—presents eight concerts featuring outstanding musicians from twelve countries. Carefully considered dramaturgy and balance shape a weekend that offers stylistic and instrumental breadth within a cohesive whole. This year, the festival also looks across the Atlantic for the first time—with a performance by three-time GRAMMY-nominated American harpist Brandee Younger and her trio.

Thus, Sparks & Visions confirms its place in Regensburg’s cultural calendar and beyond—inviting shared discoveries and letting musical visions shine.

Friday, 23 January 2026

Leïla Martial & Valentin Ceccaldi (FR)
With their duo Fil, vocalist Leïla Martial and cellist Valentin Ceccaldi open the festival with a radically poetic journey between improvisation, chanson and contemporary expression. Their programme Le Jardin des Délices fuses fragile quietness and expressive energy into an intense dialogue between voice and instrument—dissolving boundaries and turning attentive listening into an adventure.

Nitai Hershkovits (IL)
Israeli pianist Nitai Hershkovits, known for his work with Avishai Cohen and Oded Tzur, presents his ECM solo programme Call On The Old Wise—a quiet masterpiece between jazz and classical lyricism. With refined harmony and touching calm, he turns the piano into a resonant space for intuition and depth—music that sets silence in motion.

Marius Neset Quintet (NO/SE/UK/IR)
Norwegian saxophonist Marius Neset stands for breathtaking energy, technical brilliance and compositional scope. With his European all-star quintet he brings Cabaret to the stage—a theatrical sound spectacle balancing precision and wildness, uniting virtuosity and emotion.

Saturday, 24 January 2026

Zsófia Boros & Björn Meyer (HU/SE)
A night of quiet tones: guitarist Zsófia Boros and bassist Björn Meyer—both on ECM—meet in a finely woven dialogue of folk, minimal music and jazz. Two solo sets and a shared improvisation merge into a meditative conversation on resonance, proximity and the art of listening.

Makiko Hirabayashi “Weavers” (JP/DK)
With her ensemble Weavers, Japanese-Danish pianist Makiko Hirabayashi interlaces baroque motifs by George Frideric Handel with contemporary jazz. The result is a transparent fabric of sound and emotion—poetic, structured and deeply moving, a quiet glow between past and present.

Reuben James (UK)
Singer, pianist and songwriter Reuben James brings funk, jazz and soul to the stage with disarming joie de vivre. A former musical partner of Sam Smith and a leading figure of the new UK soul generation, he stands for groove, charisma and musical intelligence—an energised finale to the festival’s Saturday.

Sunday, 25 January 2026

Velvet Revolution & Jelena Kuljić (DE/UK/RS)
For the festival matinee, Daniel Erdmann’s Velvet Revolution and Jelena Kuljić join forces for an intimate project between jazz, chamber music and song. Their re-readings of The Velvet Underground unfold a quiet intensity where melancholy, beauty and poetic rebellion meet.

Brandee Younger Trio (US)
With Brandee Younger, a three-time GRAMMY-nominated harpist and composer, a US artist appears on the Sparks & Visions stage for the first time. She brings the harp into a modern, groove-driven context between jazz, soul and spirit—powerful, elegant and luminous.

The International Jazz Festival Sparks & Visions is presented by a non-profit limited company (gUG) with Anastasia Wolkenstein as managing director and festival curator, supported by the City of Regensburg and several sponsors. Wolkenstein has worked in the music industry for 17 years as an agent for acclaimed, award-winning artists in contemporary jazz, has served twice on the main jury of the German Jazz Prize, and was artistic director of the international festival Jazz&TheCity in Salzburg in 2023 and 2024.

Tickets
Day tickets and festival passes in five categories are available from Monday, 10 November 2025 from Theater Regensburg (box office and online).
Programme information: http://www.sparks-and-visions.com

6th Annual Bath Jazz Weekend at Widcombe Social Club, Bath.

Dates: Friday, January 09, 2026 - Sunday, January 11, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

We have received the following information;

IT’S HERE - Bath Jazz Weekend

YES - IT’S HERE!
The Bath Jazz Weekend 2026 website is now live - with full details about the programme - also see below -
and tickets for the whole Weekend, individual days or individual sessions are now on sale through Tickets Candy and also from Bath Box Office (online, in person or by phone) or online from Eventbrite.
https://ticketscandy.com/e/bath-jazz-weekend-2026-12901
https://bathboxoffice.org.uk/whats-on
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bath-jazz-weekend-2026-tickets

The unmistakable, long awaited, uniquely co-operative and utterly diverse three days and ten sessions of jazz (plus another fascinating jazz-related film) are the perfect New Year gift.  At just the right time of year (after all the fuss of Xmas and Hogmanay is over but before work and life start again in earnest) and in the intimate setting of Widcombe Social Club (with bar and grub available throughout) the 6th annual Bath Jazz Weekend has tickets available for the whole weekend, individual days or individual sessions - and discounts for WSC members and Under 25s.
Check programme and prices HERE.
https://www.bathjazzweekend.com/

Details, updates and contact the Weekend via
http://www.bathjazzweekend.com
http://www.facebook.com/AllOfTheAboveMusic
http://www.widcombesocialclub.co.uk

Weekend, single day and single session tickets available online from
Tickets Candy
or from https://alloftheabovemusic.eventbrite.com
Or in person, by phone 01225 463362 or online

Bath Jazz Weekend is simply unique, maybe in the whole UK, as an event that presents three days of the highest quality music -  on the earliest weekend of the New Year!
The 6th Bath Jazz Weekend (Friday 9 to Sunday 11 January 2026) features a remarkable line up of bands of international standing.
See the entire line up in detail below.
Tickets are available now from
Tickets Candy
Eventbrite online
Bath Box Office online
or by phone on 01225 463362 & in-person at Bath Box Office
  Get tickets for the whole Weekend, single days or single sessions
+ discounts for WSC members
+ Under 11s go free…
or visit the Bath Jazz Weekend 2026 website

From;
https://www.bathjazzweekend.com/programme

Friday 09/01/26
Doors Open 5pm - Programme Begins 6:15pm

Film: ALL NIGHT LONG (1962, DIR. Basil Dearden)
Featuring Patrick McGoohan, Richard Attenborough, Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, Tubby Hayes & Johnny Dankworth
Shakespeare’s Othello is transposed to the 1960s world of the Soho jazz scene in a daring yet sensitive and socially conscious staging of an inter-racial marriage, unusually augmented with performances by jazz legends like Dave Brubeck and Charles Mingus, and a superb cast including Richard Attenborough and an unforgettable Patrick McGoohan as the scheming drummer.

JON LLOYD QUARTET
Jon Lloyd/John Law/Nick Pini/Alex Goodyear
Saxophonist and composer Jon Lloyd is a long-time member of the UK’s first division of contemporary jazz and improvisation, with a current quartet whose recent recordings and ECM-style aesthetic have gathered increasingly appreciative attention from audiences and critics alike.

RAPH CLARKSON’S EQUAL SPIRITS
Xolani Mbatha/Raph Clarkson/Chris Batchelor/Phil Merriman/Riaan Vosloo/Yuval Wetzler
Equal Spirits playing.jpg
Led by composer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist Raph Clarkson, Equal Spirits is a joyous a collaboration between South African and British artists, featuring music from their debut album ‘Wise and Waiting’ which celebrates the profound and beautiful contribution made by South African musicians to jazz and improvised music in their long European exile.

Saturday Afternoon 10/01/26
Doors Open 12 Midday - Programme Begins 1:30pm

OLIE BRICE QUARTET: ALL IT WAS
Olie Brice/ Rachel Musson/Alexander Hawkins/Will Glaser
Featuring three of bassist Brice’s closest (and most notably in-demand) colleagues the quartet play music from their debut album ‘All It Was’ combining powerful freedom and exploration with memorable melodies, driving swing and emotional intensity, all heralded by critic Richard Williams as ’The work of a truly extraordinary quartet….one of the records of the year’.

ALISON RAYNER QUINTET: ARQ
Alison Rayner/ Buster Birch/Deirdre Cartwright/Diane McLoughlin/Steve Lodder
The much-lauded, award-winning, eclectic quintet ARQ, led by bassist and composer Alison Rayner with her pioneering colleagues guitarist Deidre Cartwright and saxophonist Diane McLouglin, celebrate more than a decade of their uniquely crafted sound drawing on jazz, folk, pop and Latin influences.

Saturday Evening 10/01/26
Programme Begins 6:45pm

ROBERT MITCHELL
Solo piano
Robert MItchell piano playing from the back.jpg
Polymath Mitchell – composer, pianist, band leader, professor and poet – whose quintet True Think has electrified previous Bath Jazz Weekend programmes on a record three annual occasions – synthesises his remarkable breadth of experience into the ultimate musical crucible of a solo performance for the 2026 Weekend.

LOUIS SCLAVIS & BRUNO DUCRET
Duo
Maestro amongst maestri, giant of French and European jazz, ECM alumnus and incomparable genius of clarinet, bass clarinet and soprano saxophone Louis Sclavis honours a long-standing Bath friendship in this unique visit together with cellist Ducret whose musical lineage aligns perfectly with Sclavis and the finest European traditions.  Incroyable - un privilège unique pour le Bath Jazz Weekend.

NICK MALCOLM & OUT FRONT
Nick Malcolm/Jason Yarde/Jake McMurchie/Olie Brice/Dave Smith
Trumpeter and composer Nick Malcolm presents music from Buried Webs, the 2025 debut album from his quintet Out Front, a collection of original compositions in a musical world rich in interplay, abstraction, and deep emotion captured by some of our most distinctive improvisers.

Sunday Afternoon 11/01/26
Doors Open 12 Midday - Programme Begins 1:00pm

REBECCA NASH & ALEX MERRITT
Duo
Pianist Rebecca Nash and saxophonist Alex Merrit weave influences from the ethereal harmonies of John Taylor, the vivid colours of Messiaen, and the shimmering textures of Debussy, exploring the interplay of light and shadow, tension and release, a love of the spontaneous, alongside an appreciation for composition, silence and space.

ELLIOT GALVIN: THE RUIN
Elliot Galvin/Mandhira de Saram/Ruth Goller/Corrie Dick
The Ruin marks a new departure for trailblazing pianist and composer Elliot Galvin, focussing on music from his eponymous album inspired by personal memories, flowing freely between serpentine piano and modular synth lines, ephemeral vocalisations, groove-heavy percussion and intricate improvisations from a quartet of inimitable British jazz alumni.

EMILY TRAN QUINTET
Emily Tran/Mali Sheard/Holly Reinhardt/Joe Steyn/Christ-Stéphane Boizi
The London scene fostered by Tomorrow’s Warriors provides this year’s programme with yet another inspirational next generation band led by pianist and composer Emily Tran and including saxophonist Mali Sheard who made a lasting impact on our audience in 2024.  The 2026 Bath Jazz Weekend ends once again with an enticing view of future jazz horizons!

Widcombe Social Club
Widcombe Hill
Bath, BA2 6AA

Abel Selaocoe’s Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend at Barbican Centre / Milton Court Concert Hall, London.

Dates: Thursday, April 23, 2026 - Sunday, April 26, 2026

More details

We have received the following press release;

Barbican announces Abel Selaocoe’s Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend: a celebration of South African music, ancestry and connection.

South African cellist, vocalist and composer Abel Selaocoe returns to his roots for a specially curated Barbican weekend in April 2026. The Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend brings together artists from his homeland of South Africa in a powerful act of remembrance and celebration of shared history through music and will be a highlight of the Barbican’s Spring 2026 season.

Running from Thursday 23 April to Sunday 26 April 2026, and joined by Mbuso Khosa, Nduduzo Makhathini, Gontse Makhene, BCUC, Toya Delazy, Mthuthuzeli November and DJ SNO, Selaocoe traces the journeys of the Bantu people – exploring collective histories of community, resilience and resistance. Through music, movement and storytelling, the weekend reflects on the sonic legacies of the Anglo-Zulu War at Isandlwana, songs of rain, love and rebellion from the apartheid era, and the ancestral rhythms that continue to offer healing and hope today.

Showcasing the depth and diversity of South Africa’s musical landscape, the weekend-long event spans traditional Zulu music, Afro-psychedelic future pop, Afrorave, amapiano and contemporary jazz. Across the weekend, audiences are invited to experience exclusive performances, new collaborations and premieres that honour both heritage and innovation in South African music. In addition, rhythm workshops linked to the music that audiences will hear throughout the weekend will be announced at a later date.

Music is the ceremony of remembering.
To be a musician is to make peace with your own shapeshifting,
to fraternize with your fluidity, and in so doing, trace echoes of the self back through time.
Improvisation is not merely play, it is pilgrimage. A surrender.
A sacred getting-lost so that something ancient might be found.
                                          – Anonymous

Mohopolo/ Ancestral Memory Weekend events:

Tracing the Echoes (Thu 23 Apr, Milton Court, 7.30pm)
BCUC / Toya Delazy / DJ SNO (Sat 25 Apr, Barbican Hall, 7.30pm)
Simunye (We Are One) ClubStage with DJ SNO (Sat 25 Apr, Level G, 9.45pm)
Sithunyiwe / We Have Been Sent (Sun 26 Apr, Barbican Hall, 7pm)

More details about each of the events in the Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory weekend can be found below:

Tracing the Echoes 
Abel Selaocoe & Friends 
Thursday 23 April 2026, 7.30pm
Milton Court Concert Hall
Tickets from £25 plus booking fee
In the opening concert of his Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend, South African cellist, composer and vocalist Abel Selaocoe brings together a remarkable group of collaborators for an intimate evening exploring ancestral connection through music.
Tracing the Echoes unites Selaocoe with legendary Zulu musician Mbuso Khosa, celebrated pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and percussionist Gontse Makhene to share songs and stories drawn from their respective tribal traditions. Together, they trace musical lineages that move between the sacred and the spontaneous, where improvisation, ritual and memory intertwine.
Part of Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend, curated by Abel Selaocoe
Produced by the Barbican

BCUC / Toya Delazy / DJ SNO
Saturday 25 April 2026, 7.30pm
Barbican Hall
Tickets from £20 plus booking fee
South African artists BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) and Toya Delazy join forces for a powerful collaboration as part of Abel Selaocoe’s Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend. Blending heavy electronic and traditional beats, their performance channels ancestral energy through a fusion of punk-rock, psychedelia, hip-hop and African rhythms.
In this special event, they create a sound that is both contemporary and deeply rooted in history – a reflection on the lives, struggles and spiritual resilience of communities whose stories are often unheard. Drawing inspiration from the spirit world of their ancestors, the performance celebrates Africa not as a continent defined by scarcity, but one rich in tradition, ritual and belief.
Part of Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory weekend, curated by Abel Selaocoe 
Produced by the Barbican

Simunye (We are one)
Saturday 25 April 2026, 9.45pm
Barbican ClubStage, Level -1
Free
“Jiva kuze kuse / Dance till the sun comes up!”
Following the concert, audiences are invited to continue the celebration with Simunye (We Are One) – a late-night ClubStage led by South African DJ SNO. Expect an exhilarating journey through South African jams across time and space, driven by SNO’s unshakable spirit of joy and movement. Nothing stands still on her dance floor.
Hailing from the township of Bophelong, SNO (Selina Nongaliphe Oliphant) sees music as a beacon of strength and hope for the marginalised — a vision rooted in her formative years growing up under apartheid. A genuine innovator in musical curation, she brings together the rhythms of jazz, funk, and Amapiano to create a space of togetherness, energy and freedom.
Part of Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory weekend, curated by Abel Selaocoe 
Produced by the Barbican

Sithunyiwe / We Have Been Sent
Abel Selaocoe & Friends 
Sunday 26 April 2026, 7pm
Barbican Hall
Tickets from £25 plus booking fee
A brand-new multidisciplinary performance commissioned by the Barbican closes Abel Selaocoe’s Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend, bringing together music, dance and storytelling in an expression of ancestral connection and collective spirit.
Sithunyiwe – “we have been sent” – means we have been sent by our ancestors to invigorate the spirit of those that are around us. Selaocoe describes this new project as following ‘a child-like surrender to the instincts of our bodies and how we hear’. Created by acclaimed choreographer and dancer Mthuthuzeli November (Ballet Black, Royal Ballet, Stormzy, The Chemical Brothers), this new dance work channels the deep spirituality of South African traditions through the body.
Music is created and performed by Mbuso Khosa, Abel Selaocoe and Nduduzo Makhathini, joined by the Bantu Ensemble, led by Rakhi Singh, and joined by Gontse Makhene, Sidiki Dembélé and friends.
Together they craft a spontaneous, immersive performance that seeks to heal, educate and unite – a celebration of togetherness and renewal.
Part of Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory weekend, curated by Abel Selaocoe
Commissioned and produced by the Barbican

About the Barbican
The Barbican is a catalyst for creativity, sparking possibilities for artists, audiences, and communities. We showcase the most exciting art from around the world, pushing traditional artistic boundaries to entertain and inspire millions of people, create connections, provoke debate, and reflect the world we live in.
We are an international arts and events centre rooted firmly in our own neighbourhood, collaborating with local communities and putting the City of London on the map as a destination for everybody. Central to our purpose is supporting emerging talent and shaping opportunities that will accelerate the next generation of creatives.
As a not-for-profit, we rely on the generosity of individuals and organisations, including our principal funder the City of London Corporation. Every ticket purchased, donation made, and pound earned supports our arts and learning programme and enables the widest possible range of people to experience the joy of the arts.
Opened in 1982, the Barbican is a unique and audacious building, recognised globally as an architectural icon. As well as our theatres, galleries, concert halls and cinemas, we have a large conservatory with over 1,500 species of plants and trees, a library, conference facilities, public and community spaces, restaurants, bars, and a picturesque lakeside oasis.
We’re proud to be the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, our Resident Orchestra, and a London base for the Royal Shakespeare Company. We regularly co-commission, produce and showcase the work of our Artistic Associates the Academy of Ancient Music, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Boy Blue, Darbar Arts, Culture and Heritage Trust, and Serious, who produce the EFG London Jazz Festival, alongside other associates and partners including Doc’n Roll Film Festival, London Palestine Film Festival, and Trafalgar Theatre Productions.
For more information, visit our website or connect with us on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify | LinkedIn

The Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, Greater London, EC2Y 8DS

https://www.barbican.org.uk/

Yetii at Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose Parish Centre, Kidderminster, Worcs.

Date: Friday, May 01, 2026

Featuring: Yetii

More details

From;
https://www.kidderminsterjazzclub.co.uk/2025-2026-season-shows;

Kidderminster Jazz Club
Fri, May 1, 2026 @ 7:00PM
£15.00

We welcome “Yetii” to Kidderminster Jazz Club for this very special one-off gig as part of their UK “Inner Worlds” Album Tour. Yetii released their debut album “Live at The Greenbank” to widespread critical acclaim and have since played at jazz clubs, festivals and arts centres across the UK as well as supporting “The Bad Plus” on their recent UK Tour.

The trio play original compositions combining flowing melodies with expansive group improvisations, interlocking grooves and evolving soundscapes. The band have built their following with a sold-out monthly residency in Bristol including collaborations with Iain Ballamy, Ant Law, and Arun Ghosh, and look forward to their biggest tour to date in support of this release! For fans of EST, The Bad Plus, and Fergus McCreadie.

“a performance that both enthralled and delighted the audience ★★★★★” The Jazz Mann

The Band
Alex Veitch - piano
Ashley John Long - double bass
Alex Goodyear - drums

St Ambrose’s Parish Centre
Leswell St,
Kidderminster DY10 1RP

Bring Your Own Bottle/Drinks

Zoe Gilby Trio at Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose Parish Centre, Kidderminster, Worcs.

Date: Friday, March 06, 2026

Featuring: Zoe Gilby

More details

From;
https://www.kidderminsterjazzclub.co.uk/2025-2026-season-shows

Kidderminster Jazz Club
Fri, Mar 6, 2026 @ 7:00PM
£15.00

Zoë Gilby is a vocalist and songwriter, making a stunning impression on the music scene today. Her compelling original compositions are written with double bassist husband Andy Champion. A powerful collection of songs with a strong narrative. Supported by guitarist Mark Williams they deliver a commanding mix of musical sophistication and dramatic edge. An engaging repertoire of story telling and atmosphere, her stockpile of music also includes an adventurous blend of contemporary composers from Kate Bush to Pink Floyd and the sensitive treatment of jazz standards, completes this particular “story-book” Touring the UK and internationally, she continues to perform at prominent jazz festivals and venues.

“A mix of intelligent original songs and innovative arrangements of tunes by both jazz and pop composers. It’s the quality of the original songs that make this jazz vocal album stand out from the pack.” - Ian Mann, The Jazzmann

Band
Vocals – Zoe Gilby
Guitar – Mark Williams
Double Bass – Andy Champion

St Ambrose’s Parish Centre
Leswell St,
Kidderminster DY10 1RP

Bring Your Own Bottle/Drinks

The Inscape Jazz Quartet at Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose Parish Centre, Kidderminster, Worcs.

Date: Friday, February 06, 2026

More details

From;
https://www.kidderminsterjazzclub.co.uk/2025-2026-season-shows

Kidderminster Jazz Club
Fri, Feb 6, 2026 @ 7:00PM
£15.00
“The Inscape Jazz Quartet”

Performance description:

“The Inscape Jazz Quartet is a newly formed jazz combo that presents a captivating set of original music inspired by the poetry of Gerard Manly Hopkins and his concept of “Inscape” (the unique essence of things). Lyrical, thoughtful and poetic is the order of the day, they also include well loved standards to lend some familiar sounds for the listener. This Quartet brings together some of the UKs most exciting talent to create an ensemble that offers both soulful and fresh sounds.”

Band Members
Nathan Hayward - Piano
Nick Wilshire - Saxophone
Marcus Penrose - Double Bass
Simon Whiting - Drums

St Ambrose’s Parish Centre
Leswell St,
Kidderminster DY10 1RP

Bring Your Own Bottle/Drinks

Liverpool International Jazz Festival 2026 at The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool.

Dates: Thursday, February 26, 2026 - Sunday, March 01, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

From;
https://capstone.hope.ac.uk/jazzfestival/

Liverpool International Jazz Festival (LIJF) was established in 2013 by Liverpool Hope University, and in previous years has included performances from some of Jazz music’s leading lights.

The emphasis of the Festival is on contemporary instrumental jazz in a variety of styles with a focus on presenting work from an international selection of world class artists, taking audience members on a musical journey that traverses numerous genres and cross-genres.

The next incarnation of the Festival will take place from Friday 26th Feb 2026 to Sun 1st March 2026 inclusive. The Festival will comprise concerts from a stellar line up of artists including Tim Garland and Geoffrey Keezer, David Helbock and Julia Hofer, Zoe Rahman and Arun Ghosh, Robert Mitchell’s Little Black Book, Martin Taylor and Marius Neset Quartet. Tickets for individual events along with Festival All Performances Bundle tickets to cover the six main festival concerts , will go on sale on Friday 17th October 2025 at 10am.

Festival All Performances Bundle Tickets, priced £60 +bf until 31st Dec 2025 and £72 + bf from 1st Jan 2026, cover all the main six Festival concerts and can be purchased via TicketQuarter
https://ticketquarter.co.uk/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=lijf-2026&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

Event Name Event Date and Time Venue

LIJF 2026: Tim Garland and Geoffrey Keezer Thurs 26th Feb 2026, 7.30pm The Capstone Theatre

LIJF 2026: David Helbock & Julia Hofer Fri 27th Feb 2026, 7.30pm The Capstone Theatre

LIJF 2026 and Milap Presents Zoe Rahman and Arun Ghosh Sat 28th Feb 2026, 1pm The Capstone Theatre

LIJF 2026: Robert Mitchell’s Little Black Book Sat 28th Feb 2026, 7.30pm The Capstone Theatre

LIJF 2026: Martin Taylor Sun 1st March 2026, 1pm The Capstone Theatre

LIJF 2026; Marius Neset Quartet Sun 1st March 2026, 7.30pm The Capstone Theatre

The Capstone Theatre
Liverpool Hope University
Creative Campus
17 Shaw Street
Liverpool
L6 1HP

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

NYC WINTER JAZZFEST, various venues, Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York City, USA.

Dates: Thursday, January 08, 2026 - Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

We have received the following press release;

2026 NYC WINTER JAZZFEST, (Jan. 8-13) Announces Individual Shows and Marathon Dates.

 STILL WE RISE: NYC WINTER JAZZFEST ANNOUNCES SHOWS, VENUES AND LINEUPS

NYC Winter Jazzfest 2026 — January 8-13, 2026
In Manhattan and Brooklyn

Psychic Hotline Records Showcase, Meshell Ndegeocello at Pioneer Works, Giant Step 35.5 Anniversary at Elsewhere, My Country Tis of Thee at LPR, Gilles Peterson at Roulette, Dave Harrington’s Prankster’s East Reimagine Bitches Brew

Full Festival and Marathon Passes on sale now at http://www.winterjazzfest.com

22nd season celebrates Black American Music, Community, and Joy amidst forces of Erasure

A rallying cry echoes across the season:
STILL WE RISE • STILL WE GATHER • STILL WE DANCE • STILL WE PLAY •  STILL WE SING.

For its 22nd edition, NYC Winter Jazzfest (January 8-13 2026) reaffirms its commitment to nurturing community and free expression through live music. This year’s theme centers on the joy and beauty of gathering together while celebrating the tradition and future of Black American music—especially urgent during a time when external forces threaten to erase Black culture and history.

“Winter Jazzfest has always been more than a music festival—it’s a nurturing community gathering, a platform for diverse voices, a space of joy and resilience,” said the festival team. “In 2026, we double down on the power of music to resist erasure and amplify the voices at the heart of Black American music traditions.”

The 2026 festival once again brings together a kaleidoscope of voices spanning jazz, experimental, soul, electronic, and global traditions. Today, the festival is announcing the initial individual shows, venues and dates for the Manhattan and Brooklyn Marathons. The initial line-up includes:

Adam O’Farrill’s ELEPHANT
Adegoke Steve Colson
Alden Hellmuth
Alfredo Colón Quintet
Amir ElSaffar w/ Tomas Fujiwara, Ole Mathisen, and Tania Giannouli
Amirtha Kidambi Elder Ones
Amy Gadiaga
Annie & The Caldwells
Arturo O’Farrill
Arun Ramamurthy Trio
Bex Burch
Black Earth Sway w/ Nicole Mitchell, Alexis Lombre, Coco Elysses, JoVia Armstrong
Brandon Ross Phantom Menace w/ Graham Haynes, David Virelles, JT Lewis, Hardedge
Brandon Woody’s Upendo
Brittany Davis
Carmen Staaf & Sounding Line
Civil Disobedience w/ David Ambrosio, Donny McCaslin, Ingrid Jensen, Bruce Barth & Johnathan Blake
Cory Henry
Dave Harrington’s Pranksters East Reimagine Bitches Brew
David Binney Action Trio w/ Pera Krstajic and Louis Cole
David Murray Quartet
Dawn of Midi
DoYeon Kim Quintet
Ekep Nkwelle
Elena & Samora Pinderhughes
Endea Owens & The Cookout
Freedom Riders
Gabrielle Cavassa
Gilles Peterson
Hanging Hearts
Instant Alter w/ Emilio Modeste, Natasha Agrama, Brandon Rose, Miguel Russell
James Brandon Lewis Quartet
James Carter Quintet - Trane: A Centennial Supreme
Joe Westerlund
Joel Ross
John Roseboro
Joy Guidry
Julius Hemphill Stringtet
Kahil ElZabar & Isaiah Collier
Kassa Overall
Lady Blackbird
Lakecia Benjamin
Laura Anglade
Lex Korten & Canopy
LOJO Watts w/ Logan Richarson, Joe Sanders, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts
Louis Cato
Luke Stewart’s Silt Trio
Luke Titus
Mádé Kuti & The Movement
Marcus Gilmore’s Journey to the New
Mei Semones
Merope w/ Shahzad Ismaily
Meshell Ndegeocello
Mingus Dynasty
Nate Mercereau
Nels Cline: songs from Lovers conducted by Michael Leonhart
Obed Calvaire
Ohad Talmor’s Back to the Land w/ David Virelles, Joel Ross, Chris Tordini and Eric McPherson
Patricia Brennan Tentet
Pedrito Martinez
Quantum Blues Quartet w/ Tisziji Muñoz, Will Calhoun, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and Paul Shaffer
Ron Trent
Sam Gendel
Sarah Elizabeth Charles
Sasha Berliner
Shahzad Ismaily, Maria Chavez, Greg Saunier
Sylvan Esso (DJ Set)
Takuya Kuroda
The Either/Orchestra plays éthiopiques
Tia Fuller & Shamie Fuller-Royston
Tomas Fujiwara Dream Up
Tomeka Reid Quartet
Tyreek McDole
Veronica Swift
William Tyler & Yasmin Williams
Xenia Rubinos
+ More TBA

Additional artists, individual shows, keynote speakers, and panel programming will be announced in the coming weeks.

January 8, 2026 - Psychic Hotline at NYC Winter Jazzfest
Mei Semones & John Roseboro, Amy Gadiaga, Sam Gendel, Joe Westerlund, William Tyler & Yasmin Williams, Sylvan Esso (DJ set)
Venue: LPR
Time: 7:00 PM Doors
Winter Jazzfest partners with Durham-based record label Psychic Hotline for a label showcase that expands the conversation around jazz and its many intersections. Founded by Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn with Martin Anderson, Psychic Hotline is an artist-run company built on radically artist-forward values: transparent deals, creative freedom, and an ever-growing community of voices. This showcase brings together adventurous music-makers across jazz, folk, and experimental traditions—Mei Semones & John Roseboro, Amy Gadiaga, Sam Gendel, Joe Westerlund, William Tyler & Yasmin Williams—plus a DJ set from Sylvan Esso. Winter Jazzfest has previously presented Psychic Hotline artists including Amaro Freitas, Sam Wilkes, and Gendel. This year’s showcase extends a warm genre-agnostic welcome to a label that celebrates our core values.

Manhattan Marathon
January 9, 2026 - Winter Jazzfest Manhattan Marathon
Venues: LPR, City Winery, City Winery Loft, Nublu, Drom, Bitter End, Zinc Bar
Time: 5:00 PM - 3:00 AM
On January 9, 2026, Winter Jazzfest’s legendary Manhattan Marathon once again transforms Lower Manhattan into a living map of sound, with music coursing through LPR, City Winery, City Winery Loft, Nublu, DROM, The Bitter End, and Zinc Bar. Audiences will be able to wander between venues and encounter strikingly different musical worlds that nevertheless speak to one another in surprising ways.
At LPR, experience lush, orchestrated textures alongside vibraphone and trumpet-driven ensembles exploring the percussive and electronic edges of contemporary improvisation. At City Winery, hear socially conscious bandleaders embodying jazz’s activist spirit, alongside a fiery tribute to John Coltrane. At Nublu, genre-benders join forces, creating exchanges where so-called “jazz” collides with ambient and electronic textures. At DROM, experience global currents flowing into contemporary jazz and the avant-garde.  Late-night settings like Zinc Bar and The Bitter End keep the energy alive with cross-genre sparks originating from NYC to Paris, the Middle East and beyond. Our marathons are a kaleidoscope of rhythm, harmony, and expression—an open invitation to journey across the many shades of jazz in 2026 and beyond.

Brooklyn Marathon
January 10, 2026 - Winter Jazzfest Brooklyn Marathon
Venues: Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Superior Ingredients, National Sawdust, Baby’s All Right, Union Pool, Loove Annex
Time: 5:00 PM - 3:00 AM
For the fourth year in a row, on January 10, Winter Jazzfest’s signature Marathon heads to Brooklyn for its second night; a night of expansive sounds spread across Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn Bowl, Superior Ingredients, Loove Labs Annex, Baby’s All Right, National Sawdust, and Union Pool. Like our Manhattan Marathon, our Brooklyn Marathon highlights artists who blur genre lines while staying rooted in jazz’s spirit of invention. At Music Hall of Williamsburg, rising stars of jazz vibraphone dovetail with folk-rooted fingerstyle guitarists and singer-songwriters whose instrumental and vocal storytelling intersect folk traditions with jazz. Brooklyn Bowl offers a global pulse, summoning trance-inducing diasporic traditions from Ethiopian jazz to Gnawa to Afrobeat and contemporary Afro-Cuban music. At Loove Labs Annex, we present a Fully Altered Artists showcase connecting multiple generations of forward-thinking jazz with radical reimaginings of improvised music. The avant-garde thrives at Baby’s All Right, with a cornucopia of cutting-edge improvisers lik. National Sawdust features exploratory voices in the Black Music continuum, while Union Pool’s Dada Strain showcase, now in its third year, offers genre-agnostic and boundary-breaking collaborations. The Brooklyn Marathon is a meeting ground for tradition, experimentation, and the global resonance of jazz today.

January 11, 2026 - Meshell Ndegeocello, Cory Henry, Annie & The Caldwells
Venue: Pioneer Works
Time: 7:00 PM Doors
Meshell Ndegeocello is the quintessential Winter Jazzfest artist—restlessly collaborative, multi-disciplinary, and fiercely dedicated to chronicling the experiences of Black Americans through song. Across projects that braid soul, jazz, and spoken word, her work radiates the creative impulse to bring joy, pain, birth, death and all life’s events in words and music—always unflinching, and deeply grooving. Opening, GRAMMY-winning keyboard visionary Cory Henry brings the church with him—melding gospel, jazz-funk, and R&B uplift. His recent project Church draws on his musical heritage and family, a testament to an artist whose work moves feet and hearts alike.
Mississippi’s Annie & The Caldwells testify with disco-tinged gospel soul straight from West Point, MS. As Annie says, “My family is my band,” and their multigenerational harmonies and sibling rhythm section turn lived experience into praise, perseverance, and party.

January 11, 2026 - Giant Step 35.5 Years Celebration at WInter Jazzfest
Gilles Peterson, Ron Trent, Kassa Overall, plus guests TBA
Venue: Elsewhere
Time: 6:00 PM
Giant Step and Winter Jazz present an unforgettable night celebrating 35.5 years of Giant Step, featuring exclusive New York DJ sets from Gilles Peterson, Ron Trent, and a live performance from Kassa Overall. Both Gilles and Ron have deep roots in Giant Step’s history; from Gilles’ many iconic DJ sets over the years to Nuyorican Soul, and Ron’s influential DJ residency and production work during Giant Step Records golden era in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Expect a special musical journey only these legends can deliver, plus a live set from Kassa Overall and special guests. Kassa’s new album Cream is earning rave reviews for its bold fusion of jazz and hip-hop. This one will sell out so grab your ticket early.

January 12, 2026 — LPR - My Country ’Tis of Thee: Freedom Riders & Guests Arturo O’Farrill, Samora Pinderhughes, Mádé Kuti, Adegoke Steve Colson + more
Doors: 7:00 PM
Winter Jazzfest presents My Country ’Tis of Thee—a powerful night of music, resistance, and hope. At the heart of the evening are the Freedom Riders, an all-star ensemble of youngish voices in creative music, dedicated to amplifying messages of social justice through sound including Tomoki Sanders, Alfredo Colón, Milena Casado, Sasha Berliner, Carmen Staaf, Joe Dyson and co-leaders Luke Stewart and Ben Williams (both bassists with deep roots in our nation’s capital).
This one-of-a-kind performance takes the shape of a truly improvised round robin, interweaving spontaneous creation with standard repertoire linked to the civil rights movement. Alongside these echoes of history, the Freedom Riders and their invited guests—visionary artists Arturo O’Farrill, Adegoke Steve Colson, Samora Pinderhughes, and Mádé Kuti plus additional guests to be announced—will share current songs born from their own activist practice, underscoring the ongoing struggle for equality and freedom.

January 13, 2026 - Gilles Peterson Presents: Liner Notes
An Evening of Music, Stories and More presented by NYC Winter Jazzfest & Giant Step
Venue: Roulette
Internationally renowned broadcaster, DJ label owner, festival curator and record collector, Gilles Peterson has played a pivotal role in supporting and promoting underground music globally over the past four decades. Please join us for a unique evening where Gilles enters into a conversation with his records. Accompanied by a series of special guests, he will join the musical dots, playing and chatting about his favorite sounds past, present and future - think of it as a live radio show you can see.

Take Two: Dave Harrington’s Pranksters East Reimagine “Bitches Brew”
January 13, 2026 - Take Two: Dave Harrington’s Pranksters East Reimagine “Bitches Brew”
Venue: LPR
co-presented with Pique-nique
Pique-nique and Winter Jazzfest present guitarist and producer Dave Harrington and his Pranksters East, reinterpreting Miles Davis’ groundbreaking album “Bitches Brew” in his centennial year.
Part of the Take Two deep-listening series, the evening pairs an uninterrupted playback of the 1970 classic followed by a live reimagining by Harrington and his ensemble.  Known for his work with Darkside, Taper’s Choice and exploratory solo projects, Harrington has assembled all-star Pranksters in cities across the country. Always a “behemoth grooving machine”, they drew inspiration from many substrates of free improvisation, asking what lies between “Bitches Brew” and “Blues for Allah”.
For this special performance, Harrington leads an ensemble of longtime friends and new collaborators, taking cues from Miles’ legendary 1970 Fillmore shows when he opened for the Dead. Honoring both the energy of those live sets and Teo Macero’s groundbreaking studio craft, the group will explore the space between composition, improvisation and production.

Visuals & Messaging: STILL WE RISE
The festival’s 2026 creative direction, led by Creative Director Maryam Shines, takes inspiration from Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise.” The artwork created for this year’s festival is a visual anthem of resilience, power, and joy, drawing on the bold lines of political poster art, the brilliance of Afrofuturist visionaries, and the lush imagination of artists like Kerry James Marshall and Mati Klarwein.
At its center, two hands rise—cupped open, both offering and receiving—embodying the spirit of jazz itself: the magic of cross-cultural and socio-economic exchange occurring across time, the embrace of tradition and the human urge to innovate new musical forms of expression. Flowers, especially roses, bloom throughout the imagery: as sound bursting from instruments, as threads binding musicians together, as offerings of joy in defiance of silence. (“Still I Rise” by Dr. Maya Angelou is officially used here with permission of Caged Bird Legacy, LLC)
The rallying cry echoes across the festival:
STILL WE RISE. STILL WE GATHER. STILL WE DANCE. STILL WE PLAY. STILL WE SING.

From Then Until Now
NYC Winter Jazzfest began in 2005 at the Knitting Factory on Leonard St., with the inaugural mission of highlighting music that deserved wider attention while the APAP conference was in town. To a large degree, that mission remains. But over the years it has grown to focus on artists with meaningful messages—serving as a beacon for racial and gender justice, climate action, immigration, mass incarceration, and other urgent issues that affect so many of us.
The overarching goal is clear: to grow the audience for jazz through a broad programming vision that reflects the diversity of New York’s scene, presenting the widest spectrum of what jazz can be. That mission continues in January 2026, as Winter Jazzfest once again supports a host of fearless and creative musicians while pushing boundaries and imagining new possibilities for our music scene and our world.

About NYC Winter Jazzfest
Praised by The New York Times, The New Yorker, NPR and countless other outlets, NYC Winter Jazzfest has become a creative home for pathbreaking artists from New York and around the world, and a pivotal destination for arts leaders, hardcore fans, and new listeners alike. The festival has grown from its humble beginnings into a citywide event featuring as many as 150 groups and 600+ artists across 20 stages in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Founded by New York concert impresario Brice Rosenbloom, Winter Jazzfest is the definitive all-inclusive jazz gathering, offering a “state of the union” of the music in all its forms—from avant-garde to post-bop, party bands to ambient electronics, jazz-funk to global fusions. Attendees regularly travel from across the U.S. and abroad, making it one of the most anticipated destination festivals on the international calendar—often referred to as jazz’s answer to SXSW.

2026 Partners: Boom Collective, Langham Hotels, Yamaha, Venue Pilot, Nublu, Giant Step, Paris Jazz Club, TSF Jazz, Psychic Hotline, Reservoir, Dada Strain, Pique-nique, KMDH, WRTI, Fusicology, DoNYC

 
http://www.winterjazzfest.com

Will Barnes Quartet at Corn Exchange Jazz Club, The corn Exchange, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.

Date: Friday, January 09, 2026

Featuring: Will Barnes Quartet

More details

From;
https://www.rosscornexchange.co.uk/events-one

Jazz Club Will Barnes Quartet
Friday, January 9, 2026
7:30 PM 9:30 PM

Following the success of their debut album Source of the Severn, the Will Barnes Quartet returns with Outside the Light, a bold new collection of original jazz compositions. Drawing inspiration from local folklore and Celtic mythology, the album explores themes of light, seasons and changing landscapes.  Featuring pianist Jack Gonsalez, bassist Aidan Thorne, and drummer James Batten, the quartet is known for their tight interplay and dynamic live performances. With acclaim from MOJO and The Jazz Mann, this tour offers an evening of contemporary jazz that’s both heartfelt and compelling. 

★★★★★
“I’m thrilled to say I’m left hungry for more”
HiFi Choice ‘Hot Pick’

​★★★★
“Springy deftness… Cool precision… Serious chops…”
Andy Cowan, Mojo

“They are superlative musicians!”
Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales

​★★★★
“Evocative, intelligent… contemporary”
Ian Mann, JazzMann

“Immaculately conceived and performed”
Nick Lea, Jazz Views

Tickets;
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vidlerhospitalityltd/1897000

Corn Exchange
8 High St, Ross-on-Wye HR9 5HL

Brick Lane Jazz Festival, various venues, London.

Dates: Friday, April 24, 2026 - Sunday, April 26, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

27/09/2025.
We have received the following press release;

Brick Lane Jazz Festival announces the first wave of artists for their fifth birthday edition, including first headliner Brian Jackson

24th – 26th April 2026 | Early bird tickets start from just £29.95

Alexander Flood, Alici , Amanda Whiting, Arjuna Oakes, Brian Jackson, Charlie Stacey, Daoud, Footshooter (live), Gabriele Poso (Live), IAMNOBODI, Knats, Kwame Yeboah, Leif Kaner-Lidström, Levitation Orchestra, Meron T, Ruby Rushton, Saiming, SHOLTO & Finn Rees, TABLE, Tia Gordon, Wilfy D

Today, Brick Lane Jazz Festival announces the first wave of artists for their fifth birthday edition, which will take place from 24th – 25th April 2026.

Growing from its modest debut across four venues in 2022 to a 12-stage extravaganza spanning Brick Lane and Shoreditch in just three years, the festival was named #1 Best London Festival by The London Standard in 2024, and has earned plaudits from the likes of The Guardian, Metro, NOTION, Clash, The Line Of Best Fit, Jazzwise, All About Jazz, UK Jazz News, Elle, Wonderland, TimeOut, Jazz FM, Rinse FM, One Jazz, Worldwide FM, and many more. Since 2024, the festival has also amplified its impact with the launch of BLJF Presents - a year-round series of events showcasing the UK’s most exciting artists, record labels, and parties. After sell-out shows in Manchester, Brighton, London and more, BLJF Presents is heading to new heights in 2025/26 with more regional stops in the likes of Bristol and Glasgow, as well as two international shows in Brussels in November.

Having firmly established itself as a cornerstone of East London’s musical landscape, Brick Lane Jazz Festival has earned a reputation for spotlighting local artists and emerging trailblazers from the city’s thriving underground scenes, whilst honouring the jazz legends that have come before them. 2026’s edition sees them continue to hold down this tradition, bringing together an eclectic range of genre-defying artists to play against the backdrop of some of the capital’s most renowned cultural hotspots. All the festival venues are within a short walk from the central hub at the iconic Truman Brewery space on Brick Lane, transforming the site and surrounding area into a vibrant hive of gig-hopping excitement for three days every April.

Reflecting on this fifth birthday edition, the festival’s Founder, Juliet Kennedy says, “From day one, Brick Lane Jazz Festival has been about shining a light on the incredible talent in London’s jazz scene. Five years on, Brick Lane Jazz Festival has grown into a landmark celebration of the UK’s underground music community. It’s been incredible to see the festival become a space where artists and audiences connect so powerfully – and this is only the beginning. Our ambition is to keep pushing boundaries and championing the next wave of talent for many years to come. We’re only just getting started!”

The first wave of 2026’s stellar line-up sees them bringing together a borderless array of artists that span jazz, alt-rap, neo-soul, R&B, neo-classical, electronic music, and more. It also sees the announcement of the festivals first headliner, jazz-funk legend and Gil Scott-Heron collaborator, Brian Jackson. It also brings together the likes of Australian beat-master Alexander Flood, recent Geordie Greep (ex-black midi) and Eddie Chacon touring band Knats, spiritual jazz collective Levitation Orchestra, Tenderlonious-led South London jazz outfit Ruby Rushton, Ghanian multi-instrumentalist Kwame Yeboah, and many more.

The full line-up so far is as follows:
Brian Jackson
Alexander Flood, Alici , Amanda Whiting, Arjuna Oakes, Charlie Stacey, Daoud, Footshooter (live), Gabriele Poso (Live), IAMNOBODI, Knats, Kwame Yeboah, Leif Kaner-Lidström, Levitation Orchestra, Meron T, Ruby Rushton, Saiming, SHOLTO & Finn Rees, TABLE, Tia Gordon, Wilfy D

2026 will mark the first year that the Greentea-Peng-approved venue Mad Cats will feature as one of the festival’s stages alongside Village Underground, Ninety One Living Room (hosted by Jazz re:freshed), Rough Trade East, 93 Feet East, Rich Mix, Juju’s Bar & Stage, The Brick Lane Tap Room (hosted by Tomorrow’s Warriors), and many more.

2026 will once again see the festival partner with Jazz re:freshed and Tomorrow’s Warriors, both vital community organizations that nurture emerging talent in UK jazz. As always, those without tickets can also enjoy free-entry spaces throughout the site, including The Brick Lane Tap Room, The Big Chill, 93 Feet East, and Cafe 1001.

Early bird tickets for the festival are now on sale with day passes starting from just £29.95, and weekend passes from £89.95. Tickets and more info are available HERE
https://bookings.kaboodle.com/tickets?t=kaboodle-9y4i4&c=202&p=24960&k=878a15279e5367e1334b6a2dbf51879bedb52c5d

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Leela James at Cadogan Hall, London.

Date: Friday, January 16, 2026

More details

We have received the following press release regarding this event;

Soul Superstar LEELA JAMES

With her unmistakably raw, powerful, and soul-stirring voice, Leela James brings her timeless blend of classic soul and contemporary R&B to London’s Cadogan Hall for one unforgettable night.

Since her 2005 debut A Change Is Gonna Come, Leela James has earned acclaim with hits like Fall For You, Complicated, and Say That featuring Anthony Hamilton—delivering seven Top 20 R&B singles and two Billboard #1s.

Crowned “The Goddaughter of Soul” by James Brown himself, Leela’s live shows are celebrated for their emotional depth, vocal fire, and unfiltered authenticity. With seven acclaimed albums and multiple NAACP and Soul Train awards to her name, she stands as one of modern soul’s most vital voices.

Joined by special guests, this is a rare chance to experience a true soul powerhouse in one of London’s most intimate and iconic venues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W9TCEwEIus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK90l_hg_aE

Tickets;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/leela-james/cadogan-hall/3468964

Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace
London SW1X 9DQ
Box Office: 020 7730 4500
http://www.cadoganhall.com

Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy, album launch at 229, London.

Date: Sunday, March 08, 2026

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

“Sarah Jane Morris has a magnificent, enormous voice.”
THE SUNDAY TIMES

International Women’s Day 2026 sees the launch of the new album from Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy ‘The Sisterhood Volume 2’.

A representation of Sarah Jane’s roots, inspirations, and indefatigable love of contemporary music-making and its iconic pioneers ‘The Sisterhood, Volume 2’ celebrates twelve female stars who dominated the singing and songwriting of the 20th century - Amy Winehouse, Big Mama Thornton, Bonnie Raitt, Debbie Harry, Etta James, Janis lan, Joan Armatrading, Patti Smith, Peggy Seeger, Sinead O’Connor and Tracy Chapman.

Sarah Jane Morris - Lead Vocals
Tony Remy - Guitar
Marcus Bonfanti - Guitar/Vocals
Henry Thomas - Bass/Vocals
Anders Olinder - Keys/Vocals
Martyn Baker - Drums

Tickets here;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/sarah-jane-morris/229/3442347

229, London W1W 5PN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6OkR6hN1HY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7DRSzRAj2U

Booker T. Jones at Koko, Camden, London.

Dates: Friday, April 17, 2026 - Saturday, April 18, 2026

More details

We have received the following press release regarding these events;

As leader of the legendary Booker T. & The MG’s, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, GRAMMY lifetime achievement award recipient Booker T. Jones is arguably the most famous Hammond B3 player in History.

Working alongside Otis Redding, Albert King and more at Stax Records, Booker T. Jones has also worked with Willie Nelson, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Bill Withers and countless others.

Do not miss this chance to catch one of the finest musicians of all time as part of the Ace Records 50th Anniversary Concerts Series.

Tickets here;
https://agmp.seetickets.com/tour/booker-t-jones

Bryan Corbetts Instrumental Groove Unit at Shrewsbury Jazz Network, The Hive Music & Media Centre, Shrewsbury.

Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026

Featuring: Bryan Corbett

More details

From;
https://events.hiveonline.org.uk/

Bryan Corbetts Instrumental Groove Unit
Jan
10
Sat
19:00
Bryan Corbetts Instrumental Groove Unit
Tickets from £12
Saturday 10th January
NEW JAZZ START TIME - Doors open at 6:30pm for a 7pm start
£25/£12 U22
Seated gig
Renowned Birmingham based trumpeter and flugelhorn player Bryan Corbett presents his new Instrumental Groove Unit featuring Paul Deats (Fender Rhodes & keyboards), Luke Harris (drums) and Wayne Matthews (basses)
This exciting new project introduces original material and a repertoire with emphasis on the ‘pocket’ of groove and freedom of improvisation.
The Bomb……Courtney Pine

The Hive, 5 Belmont, Shrewsbury, SY1 1TE

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

01743 234970

Kodo at Royal Festival Hall, London.

Dates: Friday, March 06, 2026 - Saturday, March 07, 2026

More details

Serious have forwarded the following information;

Fri 6 & Sat 7 March, Royal Festival Hall
KODO

Don’t miss your chance to explore the limitless possibilities of the traditional Japanese drum, the taiko, and experience the soul-stirring rhythm of life first hand with KODO as they debut a brand new show across two night’s at the Royal Festival Hall.

Tickets and further information here;
https://serious.org.uk/events/kodo

Southbank Centre / Royal Festival Hall,
Belvedere Road
SE1 8XX
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/

Mabel Matiz at Royal Festival Hall, London.

Date: Friday, February 13, 2026

More details

Serious have provided the following information regarding this event;

Friday 13 February, Royal Festival Hall
Mabel Matiz

Turkish musician, singer-songwriter and producer Mabel Matiz offers an impressive blended sound of maqam music, Anatolian folk melodies with synth, and urban pop. Don’t miss his exciting headline show at the Southbank’s Royal Festival Hall for 2026.

Tickets and further information here;
https://serious.org.uk/events/mabel-matiz

Fri 13 February 2026
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm

Location
Southbank Centre / Royal Festival Hall,
Belvedere Road
SE1 8XX
Visit Website
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/

Tickets

£30 - £60 + booking fee

Yasmine Hamdan at , EartH (Theatre),  Hackney, London.

Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026

More details

Serious have provided the following information regarding this event;

Thursday 12 February, EartH (Theatre)
Yasmine Hamdan

One of the most groundbreaking musicians in the Middle East, Lebanese singer-songwriter Yasmine Hamdan returns to London for 2026 with a headline show at EartH and her new album I remember I forget, set to be released on 19 September.

Tickets and further information here;
https://serious.org.uk/events/yasmine-hamdan

Thu 12 February 2026
Stage time / 8:00pm
Doors / 7:30pm

Location
EartH (Theatre),
11-17 Stoke Newington Road
N16 8BH
Visit Website
https://earthackney.co.uk/

Tickets
£25 + booking fee

Aynur at The Barbican Centre, London.

Date: Thursday, April 02, 2026

Venue

Barbican Centre

Silk Street,
London.
EC2Y 8DS

More details

Serious have forwarded the following information regarding this event;

Thursday 2 April 2026, Barbican
Aynur

One of the most prominent Kurdish singers of our times, Aynur, is back to perform at London’s Barbican for 2026!

Since her last performance at the EFG London Jazz Festival in 2023, Aynur released her acclaimed album Rabe (meaning ‘stand-up’ or ‘rise-up’ in Kurdish), which secured the number one position on the Transglobal World Music Chart last year, and is described by Songlines Magazine as “one of her strongest albums”.

Over the past 25 years, she has created a timeless musical language, combining the treasures of Kurdish traditions with modern arrangements that connect generations and cultures. Don’t miss your chance to see this multi award winning cultural icon in the UK in 2026.

Tickets and further information here;
https://serious.org.uk/events/aynur-3

The Bad Plus with Chris Potter and Craig Taborn at The Barbican Centre, London.

Date: Monday, March 30, 2026

Venue

Barbican Centre

Silk Street,
London.
EC2Y 8DS

More details

Serious have forwarded the following information regarding this event;

Monday 30 March, Barbican
The Bad Plus Chris Potter and Craig Taborn

Witness The Bad Plus with Reid Anderson, Dave King, Chris Potter, plus Craig Taborn live at the Barbican as they celebrate the enduring legacy of Keith Jarrett, one of the most visionary improvisers in jazz history.

Tickets plus further information at;
https://serious.org.uk/events/the-bad-plus-chris-potter-craig-taborn

Nearly Dan at The Jazz Cafe, Camden Town, London.

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

Nearly Dan are the Spirit & Sound of Steely Dan.

Less tribute and more homage, Nearly Dan are saviour to the growing legions of Dan fans, desperate to hear the meticulously crafted grooves and allusive lyrical style of Donald Fagen & Walter Becker. Nearly Dan’s approach is faithful, though not reverential, and relaxed but as tight as their namesakes.

It’s been over 40 years since the release of the first Steely Dan album Can’t buy a Thrill, featuring the hits Do It Again and Reelin’ In The Years.

The 9-piece Nearly Dan promise all the Steely Dan favourites in a two hour­ plus show, featuring tracks from the groove of Countdown to Ecstasy to the super cool of celebrated albums The Royal Scam, Aja, Gaucho plus Donald Fagen’s solo masterpiece The Nightfly.

https://www.seetickets.com/tour/nearly-dan-perform-steely-dan

Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival 2026, Moseley Park, Birmingham,

Dates: Friday, July 10, 2026 - Sunday, July 12, 2026

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival
10th – 12th July 2026. Moseley Park, Birmingham.
https://mostlyjazz.co.uk/

Fugue and Groove Jazz Trio at Fentham Hall Jazz Club, Marsh Lane, Solihull.

Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2026

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

Tuesday 17th March
Evening
Fentham Hall Jazz Club, Marsh Lane, Solihull, B92 0AH