We are delighted to announce that the EFG London Jazz festival returns from Friday 15 to Sunday 24 November.
With shows that reflect the festival’s ethos of genuinely ambitious and exciting programming, check out the line up so far...
JAZZ VOICE
Friday 15 November | Royal Festival Hall
The Festival’s epic opening-night gala promises an extravaganza of stellar performances from a surprise, all-star vocal line-up; with Guy Barker's exquisite arrangements performed by a 42-piece orchestra.
'A parade of wonderful jazz singers, backed by a luxuriantly big orchestra, singing two dozen or so of the greatest popular songs ever written. It’s a sure-fire recipe for bliss’ (★★★★ Telegraph)
TREVOR WATTS QUARTET
Friday 15 November | Purcell Room
Saxophonist Trevor Watts turns 80 this year and his career is celebrated on stage with John Edwards, Mark Sanders and long-time collaborator Veryan Weston
MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO
Friday 15 November | Cadogan Hall
The 25th anniversary of the Marcin Wasilewski Trio, the 50th birthday of ECM Records, 50 years after Krzysztof Komeda’s death and a year since Tomasz Stanko left us, this concert will offer a journey of Polish jazz reflecting the emotions, the experience and the respect
CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT with SULLIVAN FORTNER
Saturday 16 November | Barbican
The incredible vocal artistry of Grammy Award winning Cécile McLorin Salvant, performing her newest release The Window, with pianist Sullivan Fortner
JAN GARBAREK GROUP
Sunday 17 November | Royal Festival Hall
In a career spanning more than 50 years, legendary saxophonist Jan Garbarek has been one of the defining and most influential musicians of European jazz. In celebration of ECM's 50th anniversary, he returns to London with Rainer Brüninghaus, Yuri Daniel and Trilok Gurtu
DAVE HOLLAND, ZAKIR HUSSAIN & CHRIS POTTER: CROSS CURRENTS
Sunday 17 November | Cadogan Hall
Following their memorable performance at our 2017 Festival, these three iconic jazz artists are bringing back an intimate version of their collaboration Cross Currents
JOE LOVANO'S TRIO TAPESTRY
Sunday 17 November | Queen Elizabeth Hall
Grammy Award winning composer, saxophonist and producer Joe Lovano performs in this ECM 50th anniversary evening with pianist Marilyn Crispell and Carmen Castaldi on drums
MAKAYA McCRAVEN + ROSIE TURTON
Tuesday 19 November | Village Underground
A true improviser who with each performance creates a new experience, blurring the boundaries of jazz and electronic music, Makaya is set to offer another phenomenal show
LARS DANIELSSON GROUP:LIBERETTO III with GRÉGORY PRIVAT, JOHN PARRICELLI and MAGNUS ÖSTRÖM
Tuesday 19 November | Wigmore Hall
Swedish bassist, cellist, composer and arranger Lars Danielsson teams up with an all-star line-up to discover new musical spaces and the freedom of music between chamber jazz, classic and European folk music
CHRISTIAN SANDS TRIO + CAMILLA GEORGE
Tuesday 19 November | Cadogan Hall
One of the most in-demand jazz pianists, Christian Sands is a force of nature with his technique, pace and fresh look at jazz
LUCIA CADOTSCH: SPEAK LOW
Tuesday 19 November | Purcell Room
Swiss jazz singer Lucia Cadotsch is joined by saxophonist Otis Sandsjö and bassist Petter Eldh to perform songs from the Great American Songbook from a European angle in the group’s ‘retro-futurist’ sound
MARIUS NESET: VIADUCT
Thursday 21 November | Queen Elizabeth Hall
The dynamic jazz saxophonist and London Sinfonietta reunite for a new commission following their award-winning collaboration on Neset's 2016 album Snowmelt
DANILO PÉREZ: GLOBAL MESSENGERS
Friday 22 November | Queen Elizabeth Hall
Pianist, composer, educator and social activist, Danilo Pérez (of Wayne Shorter's quartet) is joined by an all-star group to present his new project
ELIANE ELIAS + VINICIUS CANTUARIA
A feast of Brazilian jazz with two inspirational musicians from the heart of it, as 60 years of Bossa nova is being celebrated throughout the year
OMAR PUENTE & FRIENDS
Friday 22 November | Kings Place
The acclaimed Cuban violinist will showcase work from throughout his career. Puente will be joined by special guests including Alex Wilson, Courtney Pine and Dennis Rollins
JEAN TOUSSAINT
Saturday 23 November | Cadogan Hall, 5pm
Grammy-winning saxophonist Jean Toussaint (of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers) presents music from Brother Raymond as well as new compositions. He's joined by Byron Wallen, Dennis Rollins, Andrew McCormack, Daniel Casimir and Shane Forbes
RALPH PETERSON: THE MESSENGER LEGACY
Saturday 23 November | Cadogan Hall, 8pm
Drummer Ralph Peterson Jr. pays tribute to mentor Art Blakey's The Jazz Messengers, alongside Bobby Watson and Bill Pierce, Essiet Essiet, Geoffrey Keezer, and Brian Lynch
BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA, NU CIVILISATION ORCHESTRA, STRING TING, MISHA MULLOV ABBADO
Saturday 23 November | Queen Elizabeth Hall
The world premiere of Mullov-Abbado’s Cello Concerto and new and pre-existing arrangements of Duke Ellington music
BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN: Live soundtrack by Matt Calvert + Jan Bang
Saturday 23 November | Kings Place
Eisenstein’s 1925 classic will be screened with Norwegian electronic musician and producer Jan Bang and Matt Calvert (Thee Trapped Tigers) performing the score live with guitars, electronics and found sounds
DAN TEPFER: NATURAL MACHINES
Sunday 24 November | Kings Place
Dan Tepfer brings together his world-class pianism with his background in physics and programming. As he improvises, the piano responds in real time with notes of its own, guided by programmed algorithms
'About as tuned in to Bach and Björk as to Monk and Shorter’ (NY Times)
SEED ENSEMBLE
Sunday 24 November | Jazz Cafe
Some of London’s most up-and-coming young jazz musicians, including Cassie Kinoshi, Theon Cross and Chelsea Carmichael, combine jazz with inner-city London, West African and Caribbean influenced groove
SWINGIN' WITH STRINGS
Sunday 24 November | Cadogan Hall
22 string players, a harpist and a 17-piece big band. Claire Martin performs music from Billie Holiday, Pete Long performs Artie Shaw’s Concerto for Clarinet, Ryan Quigley recreates Clifford Brown with Strings and Sammy Maine performs music from Charlie Parker with Strings.
More shows will be announced in May. To be the first to know, sign up to our mailing list here.
