NYJO at EFG London Jazz Festival 2025.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

NYJO (The National Youth Jazz Orchestra) returns to the EFG London Jazz Festival this November with a diverse programme celebrating NYJO's 60th anniversary. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

NYJO Unveils Dynamic Line-Up for EFG London Jazz Festival 2025

NYJO (The National Youth Jazz Orchestra) returns to the EFG London Jazz Festival this November with a diverse programme that spans original collaborations, vibrant Latin rhythms, and a daring exploration of John Zorn’s Masada repertoire. Alongside these headline performances, NYJO also marks its 60th anniversary with a dedicated strand of celebratory events at Woolwich Works.

NYJO X EFG London Jazz Festival Highlights

NYJO feat Axel Kaner-Lidstrom (2 shows)
Vortex Jazz Club
14 November, 7.30pm & 9.30pm
Expect a high-energy, boundary-pushing set created in collaboration with Axel Kaner-Lidstrom, founder of the Levitation Orchestra. The ensemble will be composed of NYJO and Levitation Orchestra musicians – Plumm on vocals, Hamish Nockles Moore on bass, Lluis Domenech Plana on flute, James Akers on tenor saxophone, and Axel Kaner-Lidstrom on trumpet. Two intimate shows at the Vortex promise fearless improvisation and thrilling new music.

NYJO 60th Anniversary at Woolwich Works

On 15 November, NYJO hosts a landmark NYJO 60 Celebration Day at Woolwich Works. This special programme celebrates six decades of nurturing young jazz talent.
NYJO Under 18s Showcase
Woolwich Works, 15 November, 3pm
NYJO’s under-18s musicians take to the stage, in ensembles of different experience and styles, under the mentorship of Winston Clifford, Olivia Murphy, and NYJO Emerging Professional musicians who have been leading the entry-level group. The showcase also features opportunities to hear directly from the musicians and leaders, and to ask questions about their creative journey.

NYJO 60: Fodder on My Wings
Woolwich Works, 15 November, 7.30pm
A special evening concert curated and directed by NYJO Emerging Professional trumpeter Olivia Cuttill, featuring an exciting line-up of guests. This big band project reimagines Nina Simone’s deeply personal 1982 album Fodder On My Wings. One of Simone’s less acknowledged works, the album is an intimate account of her struggles, frustrations, and resilience. In true Nina fashion, it takes listeners on a raw and emotional journey, and Cuttill’s interpretation promises a fresh, powerful tribute to this overlooked gem.
To join them on this celebratory evening, NYJO has invited a lineup of star guests – acclaimed pianist and composer Nikki Yeoh, British jazz pioneer Cleveland Watkiss MBE, leading jazz drummer Winston Clifford, award-winning composer Callum Au, and rising star of contemporary big band music Fergus Quill – all of whom have played a part in NYJO’s history and hopefully its future.

NYJO Latin Collective
Toulouse Lautrec
16 November, 2pm & 5pm
Experience the vibrant energy of the NYJO Latin Collective as part of EFG London Jazz Festival, led by Pablo Barrios, a young Venezuelan-born pianist and composer who leads the NYJO Latin Collective. With his dynamic fusion of Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms, Pablo brings an infectious energy and innovative flair to every performance, making him a standout on the UK jazz scene.

NYJO & Sam Eastmond Present: John Zorn’s Masada
Milton Court
22 November, 7.30pm
John Zorn’s epic Masada project has redefined the concept of Radical Jewish music for almost three decades. Composer and bandleader Sam Eastmond has the singular honour of being the only British artist selected by Zorn to give this body of work new life.
For a second time – after its debut at Cafe OTO in 2021 – NYJO and Eastmond join forces to bring the masterful music of Zorn’s Masada to stage, reworked for a 17-piece orchestra of talented young musicians. As part of EFG London Jazz Festival, expect tight punchy horn lines, a relentlessly driving rhythm section, soaring solos, and Eastmond’s signature punk energy.

About NYJO
NYJO is a registered charity and an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation with a mission to bring jazz and improvised music to young musicians aged 14-25, and audiences across the country. We strongly believe in the power of jazz as a tool for social change and work to creatively nurture young people, empowering them to develop, personally and artistically, through high-quality, accessible, and inclusive learning programmes and professional live performances.
We work in collaboration with likeminded partners around the country to address access barriers to music education and deliver bespoke programmes that cater to the needs and aspirations of local young people. With a strong commitment to making jazz and music-making opportunities more evenly distributed across the UK, we focus on traditionally underserved and marginalised communities to inspire young people to use jazz as a form of self-expression.
Web: http://www.nyjo.org.uk
Instagram: @nyjouk
Linkedin: nyjouk

About EFG London Jazz Festival
Every November, the EFG London Jazz Festival takes over the city, with a diverse line-up showcasing global stars and emerging talent.
As the biggest pan-city music festival in Europe, it brings over 100k audience members together at 300+ live shows at venues across the city, from basement jazz bars to the world’s finest concert halls. The festival is the highlight of the jazz calendar in the UK, with a long history of programming a wide variety of talent from around the world.
Web: http://www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk