Cheltenham Jazz Fest back with a bang: Gregory Porter, Mike Westbrook, Nubya Garcia, Hermeto Pascoal, Laura Jurd and many more for 25th Anniversary edition

The Cheltenham Jazz Festival returns from Wednesday 27 April to Monday 2 May with a bumper line-up to mark not just a full in-person return but also its 25th anniversary edition. Following its cancellation in 2020 due to a UK-wide lockdown and its partial digital return in 2021, this year’s programme runs the gamut of crowd-pleasing headliners – with stars such as Gregory Porter (below), Robert Plant’s Saving Grace, Jamie Cullum, Emeli Sandé and Imelda May with the Ronnie Scott’s Big Band all headlining the Big Top – to a wide-ranging core-jazz programme packed with top international names and the cream of the current UK scene performing in the Arena, Parabola Arts Centre, Town Hall, on the Free Stage in the Montpellier Gardens festival site and at participating venues around the picturesque Cotswold Spa Town.

Two iconic octogenarians also make very special appearances with celebrated Brit-jazz pianist Mike Westbrook continuing his 80th anniversary celebrations with his 25-piece Uncommon Orchestra making their only appearance outside. The group will play a very rare performance of Westbrook’s musical celebration of Ellington, On Duke’s Birthday, which was originally recorded in France in 1984 and released on the Hat Hut label in 1985. The suite was commissioned by two festivals, Le Temps du Jazz and Jazz en France-Angouleme, to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Ellington. The second 80-something jazz legend is legendary Brazilian composer/multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal will be appearing as part of his farewell UK tour with the fast-rising talents of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Highlights at the Parabola Arts Centre include a heavyweight US trio of pianist Matthew Shipp, guitarist Joe Morris and drummer Gerald Cleaver in a special collaboration with revered UK saxophonist Paul Dunmall. There’s also an exciting premiere from award-winning trumpeter Laura Jurd and her expansive Stepping Back, Jumping In piece with a large ensemble featuring Raphael Clarkson (trombone), Martin Lee Thomson (euphonium), acclaimed string group the Ligeti Quartet, plus Rob Luft (guitars), Elliot Galvin (piano/synths), Conor Chaplin (double bass) and Corrie Dick (drums).

Further Parabola concerts announced include Mercury-nominated pianist Zoe Rahman’s Quintet with Roland Sutherland, Byron Wallen, Flo Moore and Gene Calderazzo; bassist Neil Charles’ Dark Days project with Pat Thomas, Cleveland Watkiss and Mark Sanders; Swiss vocalist Lucia Cadotsch's Speak Low trio; Austrian bassist Lukas Kranzelbinder’s groove-driven septet Shake Stew; Scottish drummer Graham Costello’s powerhouse band Strata; Ian Ballamy’s Fascinada with Huw Warren, Rob Luft, Conor Chaplin and Will Glaser and a special performance by iconic US pianist Myra Melford with her superb band of leading female musicians Ingrid Laubrock, Mary Halvorsen, Tomeka Reid and Susie Ibarra. 

There’s also a strong contingent of leading names from the UK’s ‘new jazz’ scene with the likes of Nubya Garcia, Ezra Collective, Moses Boyd, Kansas Smitty’s and KOKOROKO all set to appear while the Jerwood commissioned immersive installation ‘Invisible/Real’from Northeast-based saxophonist Faye MacCalman will be performed at a pop-up location in the town centre.

Further concerts include highly regarded US trumpeter Dave Douglas duetting with drummer Joey Baron; guitar legend Al Di Meola; soul-jazz sax supremo Gary Bartz with Afrobeat-fuelled London band Maisha; renowned keyboardist and Gil Scott Heron collaborator Brian Jackson; father of Ethio-jazz Mulatu Astatke; singer-songwriter keyboardist Jordan Rakei; Afrobeat ensemble Seun Kuti & Egypt 80; multi-instrumentalist and Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award winner Nitin Sawhney and the Electric Lady Big Band led by guitarist Denny Ilett. Jazzwise is festival media partner.

For full details and tickets visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz/