Music

Check out this year's highlights | Browse all gigs | See all the festival's free gigs | Read Time Out's LJF blog

From bebop, swing, vocal jazz and blues to electronica, free jazz, orchestral, hip hop, soul, and even tap dancing, theatre and beatboxing, this year’s London Jazz Festival has collected music from every nook and cranny of the jazz spectrum. With an official tally of 192 gigs in 41 venues, London is all set to reclaim its title as the world capital of jazz.

This year’s festival draws on all the current trends, which we've singled out under four headings below. These broad strands offer something for just about every taste out there, from card-carrying trad-jazz nuts to those seeking to explore the more extreme end of the avant-garde market. Feature continues

UK vocalists are in the ascendancy with the festival-opening ‘We All Love Ella’ concert featuring a who’s who of home-grown stars including Claire Martin and Ian Shaw, plus preeminent US singer Lizz Wright, who come together to celebrate the First Lady of Song’s ninetieth birthday. There are also intimate gigs from Ian Shaw, velvet-voiced Juliet Kelly and Cleveland Watkiss’ voice-looping.

London’s new jazz scene – unequivocally the most exciting in the world – is attracting hip young audiences that erase those beard-scratching clichés of yesteryear. This year, new, trendily-trousered talent will attract the LJF’s freshest-faced audiences in ages. Catch these energetic newbies at the Vortex Eclectica night, with electronica from Three Trapped Tigers, funky ambience from Portico Quartet and Fyfe ‘Guillemots’ Dangerfield’s free jazzers Gannets. Take earplugs and mosh-protective footwear to gigs by Acoustic Ladyland, Fulborn Teversham, Led Bib and Fraud.

If you prefer jazz with a challenge, then it would be a bad idea to miss the Nordic cool of Jan Garbarek’s new band, bass icon Charlie Haden’s Quartet West and the haunting sounds of Jon Hassell. Charles Tolliver appears with his explosive Big Band, while soundtrack bad boy Barry Adamson takes over QEH for two nights with guests aplenty.

The fourth strand displays the global groove that runs through the heart of this year’s LJF. Fania drummer Larry Harlow’s Latin Legends will infect us with Latin fever, much like Vieux Farka Touré (son of Ali) and Zeep who unleash a double bill of contemporary Afro-Brazilian beats. The soothing sounds of Cape Verdean folk singer Cesaria Evora will calm you down, while Paco De Lucia breathes flamenco fire.

Frankly, this year’s festival is the most exciting in the LJF’s history. We’ve done all the hard work for you, now open up your mind and the fun will follow.

Going for a song?
DONT MISS!
We All Love Ella
Fri 16, Royal Festival Hall
Star-studded vocal night celebrating the First Lady of Song’s ninetieth birthday, starring Terri Walker, Claire Martin and Lizz Wright.

Ian Shaw
Sat 17, Vortex
Award-winning jazz singer with a voice to die for and a fine taste in Joni Mitchell songs.

Juliet Kelly
Sun 18, Arts Depot
Soulful, velvet-voiced singer performs with a band featuring ex-Billy Cobham guitarist Carl Orr.

Cleveland Watkiss
Tue 20, 606 Club
One time Jazz Warrior explores the possibilities of looping his own voice to create intricate solo vocal suites.

Raul Midón
Fri 23, Barbican
Blind, virtuoso vocalist and guitarist who turns trumpet-vocal scatting into a high art on Stevie Wonder-style songs.

Down with the kids
FREE!
Voice/Body/Space/Beat
Fri 16, Arts Depot
Jazz education project led by drummer Tom ‘Kidsamonium’ Bancroft, plus 200 children with their own compositions.

Three Trapped Tigers + Portico Quartet + Gannets
Tue 20, Vortex
Cutting-edge jazz from electronica troupe Three Trapped Tigers, the hypnotic Portico Quartet and Guillemot Fyfe Dangerfield’s mad free-jazz band.

Acoustic Ladyland + Fulborn Teversham
Thu 22, The Luminaire
Noisy night of post-jazz punkiness, featuring big-haired drummer Seb Rochford, who plays in both bands.

DON'T MISS!
Led Bib + Fraud
Fri 23, Luminaire
Twin nuclear jazz assault from the brilliantly propulsive Led Bib and the primal thrashing of Fraud.

Robert Glasper
Sun 25, Jazz Café
J Dilla-influenced jazz pianist for The Roots and Mos Def brings his acclaimed hip-hop infused jazz trio.

World Champions
DON'T MISS!
Larry Harlow’s Latin Legends
Sat 17, Roundhouse
Unmissable night of music from legendary Fania Label pianist Larry Harlow and his white-hot, hand-picked Latin jazz band.

Vieux Farka Touré + Zeep
Sun 18, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Double bill from guitarist/singer Farka Touré Jr, plus the Brazilified funk rock of Zeep. Stick around for the epic closing jam.

Steve Reid Ensemble/Kieran Hebden + Heritage Orchestra
Tue 20, Barbican
Free jazz drum icon Reid’s creative renaissance continues apace.

Roberto Fonseca + Basquiat Strings
Fri 23, Queen Elizabeth Hall
The heir to the Buena Vista Social Club sound, pianist Fonseca is the real deal, as are the wonderful, Mercury-nominated Basquiat Strings.

Jazz Jamaica/Ernest Ranglin/Majorie Whylie/Myrna Hague
Fri 23, Royal Festival Hall
Exceptional Trojan records inspired tenth birthday celebration night for Dune Records.

Jazz boffins
Jon Hassell/Maarifa Street
Sat 17, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Most influential trumpeter since Miles, Hassell unveils his electronica band.

DON'T MISS!
Jan Garbarek
Sun 18, Royal Festival Hall
Norwegian ECM sax superstar brings his haunting sounds to bear with a band featuring drum sensation Manu Katché.

Barry Adamson
Tue 20, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Ex-Magazine/Bad Seeds bassist turned David Lynch soundtrack king plays raw soul, jazz and blues.

John Surman/Chris Laurence/Trans4mation String Quartet
Sat 24, Wigmore Hall
Sax heavyweight Surman recreates his celebrated ‘Coruscating’ ECM released album with lyrical bassist Laurence.

Joe Zawinul: A Tribute featuring the BBC Big Band
Sun 25, Barbican
Frenetic send-off with Zawinul’s great gig in the sky, led by Django Bates.