Soweto Kinch, Mark Lockheart and Josephine Davies for livestreamed weeklong Royal Academy of Music Jazz Festival

The Royal Academy of Music’s Jazz Festival runs this week from 5 to 10 July as a series livestreamed series of concerts, kicking off tonight with acclaimed saxophonist/rapper Soweto Kinch. There is one notable exception among the pre-recorded gigs, with leading British saxophonist Mark Lockheart performing a special collaboration with the Royal Academy Big Band to celebrate his 60th birthday, which will be broadcast live from the Susie Sainsbury Theatre, at the Academy at 8pm on 7 July.

Previous plans to include Gwilym Simcock (who’s based in Germany) and Jim Hart (resident in France) have been changed due to ongoing travel restrictions, with rising star alto saxophonist Rachel Cohen stepping in to lead RAM students in place of Hart.

For all the delays and changes, the week remains packed with exciting musical prospects and features a whole host of top names presenting unique arrangements of their music as played by the hugely talented RAM students.

All concerts will be livestreamed in partnership with Jazzwise via the magazine’s Facebook page  and the RAM YouTube channel (see below) dates are Soweto Kinch 6pm (Mon 5 July); Kit Downes (6pm 6 Jul); Rachael Cohen (6pm 7 Jul); Mark Lockheart with the RAM Big Band (8pm, 7 Jul); Dave Okumu (6pm 8 Jul); Zoe Rahman (6pm 9 Jul) and Josephine Davies (6pm 10 Jul). 

For further details visit www.ram.ac.uk