Airelle Besson, Banger Factory label show, Veronica Swift for Jazz Voice and more added to EFG London Jazz Festival line-up

The line-up for this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, which runs from 15 to 24 November at venues large and small across the capital, continues to expand with more UK and international names added to the wide ranging programme

These include the line-up of guest singers for the opening gala for the festival, Jazz Voice, as is showcases a diverse range of vocalists performing jazz standards and pop hits with unique new arrangements from EFG London Jazz Festival conductor and composer Guy Barker. For the first time the festival welcomes a guest conductor in the form of composer, pianist and musical director Peter Edwards to co-conduct and arrange the show. Taking place at the Royal Festival Hall (RFH) on Friday 15 November the guest vocalists include one of the greatest voices in Brazilian popular music, Marisa Monte; virtuosic US vocalist Veronica Swift, Leeds native, and Birmingham Conservatoire educated Lucy Anne Daniels; Sade/Incognito affiliated  singer Tony Momrelle; Homeland and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actor turned singer Damian Lewis and singer, songwriter, producer IAMTHELIVING.

Also in the Southbank Centre on the opening Friday evening, virtuosic kamancheh player, Kayhan Kalor, plays at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (QEH) while across town at the cutting-edge ICA, Los Angeles-based musician Tashi Wada presents his joyful, complex, pop-informed compositions.

On Saturday, 16 November at The Lower Third, multi-faceted vocalist Cherise launches her new EP, Butter (set for release in October), while on 17 November, South African vocal group The Joy perform at Milton Court for what’s sure to be a euphoric and uplifting performance. Back the Southbank’s QEH, trumpeter and Banger Factory record label boss Mark Kavuma presents new music from his ambitious new album The Banger Factory: Magnum Opus. Presenting music and artists from the label the band will feature special guests including David Mrakpor, Ruben Fox, Sahra Gure, Rachael Cohen, Artie Zaitz and more. Across town at The Lower Third, bassist, producer and DJ Marla Kether, known for her work with Loyle Carner, Little Simz and Yazmin Lacey, will create a party atmosphere with her unique blend of live Latin percussion, Theo Parrish-style groove, and driving basslines and guitar riffs inspired by her West African heritage. She performs alongside a set from jazz trumpeter and producer House of EL.

A big band of some of London’s finest musicians directed by revered US trumpeter Charles Tolliver join the line-up for the Max Roach tribute at the Barbican, featuring the likes of Jean Toussaint, Denys Baptiste, Byron Wallen and Josh Short. Led by Tolliver, the evening will celebrate what would have been the legendary jazz drummer’s 100th birthday (18 November).

There’s a special show at Cadogan Hall on 19 November, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of Eurostar’s London to Paris service with a performance by Parisian singer/guitarist Gabi Hartmann plus top French trumpeter Airelle Besson. Elsewhere on the same evening, The Lower Third hosts fiery trio Ill Considered who play music from their jazz-punk-edged new album, Precipice.

The Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston showcases of new works from  commissioned artists Meilana Gillard, Bianca Gannon and Carole Nelson who are all a part of BAN BAM; an initiative of Improvised Music Company in Dublin supporting women and gender diverse composers in jazz and improvised music (20 November).

Further newly announced concerts for the closing day of the festival, Sunday 24 November, include a special show at Union Chapel in Islington sees George Nelson bring his spontaneous improv night ‘Moment’s Notice’ to its biggest stage yet with names such as Courtney Pine, Femi Koleoso and Peter Eldh already confirmed for rare, unmissable night. Lafayette in Kings Cross hosts The Dirty Dozen Brass Band bring a flavour of New Orleans to proceedings, while EartH Hall will host Turkish superstar singer Melike Şahin in her first ever London performance. Şahin, whose sumptuous and provocative music draws on the spirit of Anatolian pop and folk to capture the defiant tone of progressive creativity in contemporary Turkey, pushes these traditional influences into the future. With a new album on the way, recorded in London with musicians like Dave Okumu, she is poised to bring her distinctive sound to an even wider audience .

Always supporting the next generation of jazz musicians, the festival also presents trumpeter Johnny Enser’s powerful jazztronica trio MATTERS UNKNOWN on a double bill with rising keyboardist Renato Paris at the Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room (24 Nov), both of whom are part of the Take Five talent development programme run by Serious, the Festival’s producers. All gigs so far announced below – Jazzwise is festival media partner.

For tickets and full details visit efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk

 

Monday, 16 Sep - China Moses - Lafayette (EFG London Jazz Festival Launch Party)

Friday, 15 Nov - Opening Gala: Jazz Voice feat. Marisa Monte, Veronica Swift, Lucy Anne Daniels, Tony Momrelle, Damian Lewis and IAMTHELIVING - Royal Festival Hall

Friday, 15 Nov - Kayhan Kalhor - Queen Elizabeth Hall

Friday, 15 Nov - Tashi Wada - ICA

Friday, 15 Nov - Kayhan Kalhor Ensemble - Queen Elizabeth Hall

Friday, 15 Nov - Amy Gadiaga - Ninety One Living Room

Friday, 15 Nov - Fergus McCreadie - Kings Place Hall One

Friday, 15 Nov - Queer Jazz - Vortex

Friday, 15 Nov - Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly: MESTIZX - Kings Place Hall Two

Friday, 15 Nov - Tord Gustavsen Trio - Cadogan Hall

Friday, 15 Nov - Pat Metheny - Barbican

Friday, 15 Nov - K-Music: SMTO No-Noise - Purcell Room

Friday, 15 Nov - GeeJay - Jazz Cafe

Friday, 15 Nov - Meshell Ndegeocello - KOKO

Saturday, 16 Nov - Cherise - Lower Third

Saturday, 16 Nov - Dianne Reeves presents Song Yi Jeon - Queen Elizabeth Hall

Saturday, 16 Nov - One True Pairing - Purcell Room

Saturday, 16 Nov - Veronica Swift with support from IAMTHELIVING - Cadogan Hall

Saturday, 16 November - Dora Morelenbaum - Jazz Cafe 

Saturday, 16 Nov - Emma Rawicz: Visitor From Everywhere - Kings Place Hall One

Saturday, 16 Nov - Dawn Richard x Spencer Zahn - Union Chapel

Saturday, 16 Nov - Jazz Yoga with Yazz Ahmed and Marisse Gaskell - Level 5 Function Room, Southbank Centre (10:30am and 12:30pm)

Saturday, 16 Nov - Pat Metheny - Barbican

Saturday, 16 Nov - Marisa Monte - Royal Festival Hall

Sunday, 17 Nov - The Joy - Milton Court

Sunday, 17 Nov - Mark Kavuma Presents: “Magnum Opus” - Queen Elizabeth Hall

Sunday, 17 Nov - Marla Kether + House of EL - Lower Third

Sunday, 17 Nov - Tigran Hamasyan - Cadogan Hall

Sunday, 17 Nov - Seun Kuti & The Egypt 80, with support from FACESOUL - KOKO

Sunday, 17 Nov - Fabiano Do Nascimento + Marysia Osu - ICA

Sunday, 17 Nov - Zara McFarlane Celebrating Sarah Vaughan - Jazz Cafe

Sunday, 17 Nov - Norman & Corrie - Kings Place Hall Two

Sunday, 17 Nov - Brandee Younger - EartH Theatre

Sunday, 17 Nov - Submotion Orchestra - Village Underground

Sunday, 17 Nov - Anouar Brahem Quartet - Barbican

Sunday, 17 Nov - Village Of The Sun - Lafayette

Sunday, 17 Nov - Faraj Suleiman - Kings Place Hall One

Monday, 18 Nov - Max Roach 100th Birthday with Charles Tolliver and Tony Kofi Big Band feat. Jean Toussaint, Denys Baptiste, Byron Wallen, Josh Short and more - Barbican

Monday, 18 Nov - Belle Chen - Ravel in the Forest w/ Engines Orchestra - EartH Theatre

Monday, 18 Nov - Marc Ribot Los Postizos - Cadogan Hall

Monday, 18 Nov - Bria Skonberg - Jazz Cafe

Monday, 18 Nov - Robert Glasper - KOKO

Tuesday, 19 Nov - Airelle Besson + Gabi Hartmann - Cadogan Hall

Tuesday, 19 Nov - Ill Considered - Lower Third

Tuesday, 19 Nov - Toninho Horta Trio - Jazz Cafe

Tuesday, 19 Nov - Samora Pinderhughes - St Martin In The Fields

Tuesday, 19 Nov - Neil Cowley Trio - EartH Theatre

Tuesday, 19 Nov - The Andrew Bird Trio - Royal Festival Hall

Tuesday, 19 Nov - Britten Sinfonia, Lighthouse Trio, Thomas Gould and Yazz Ahmed - Milton Court

Wednesday, 20 Nov - Ban Bam Showcase - Vortex Jazz Club

Wednesday, 20 Nov - Olive Jones - The Lower Third

Wednesday, 20 Nov - Keyon Harrold - Jazz Cafe

Wednesday, 20 Nov - Clarissa Connelly - ICA

Wednesday, 20 Nov - Roberto Fonseca - Cadogan Hall

Wednesday, 20 Nov - BBC Concert Orchestra, Billy Cobham at 80 - Queen Elizabeth Hall

Thursday, 21 Nov - Take Five presents Helena Kay, Momoko Gill, Caius Williams, and Claire Victoria Roberts - Elgar Room

Thursday, 21 Nov - Yoni Mayraz - Jazz Cafe

Thursday, 21 Nov - Nduduzo Makhathini - Kings Place Hall One

Thursday, 21 Nov - Avishai Cohen and Sophye Soliveau - Union Chapel

Thursday, 21 Nov - LSO x Cassie Kinoshi’s seed. - Barbican

Thursday, 21 Nov - Julian Lage - Cadogan Hall

Thursday, 21 Nov - Myele Manzanza + MADELEINE - A Jazz In The Round takeover from Bridge The Gap

Friday, 22 Nov - Jasper Høiby’s 3Elements - Purcell Room

Friday, 22 Nov - Crosscurrents (Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain & Chris Potter) with support from Enji - Barbican

Friday, 22 Nov - Thandiswa Mazwai - Jazz Cafe

Friday, 22 Nov - [Ahmed] أحمد plus Elaine Mitchener & Neil Charles - Kings Place Hall One

Friday, 22 Nov - Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes - Union Chapel

Friday, 22 Nov - Jamie Cullum - Royal Festival Hall

Friday, 22 Nov - Rumer - Queen Elizabeth Hall

Friday, 22 Nov - Cimafunk - KOKO

Friday, 22 Nov - Tania Giannouli & Nik Bartsch - Wigmore Hall

Friday, 22 Nov - Arve Henriksen & Harmen Fraanje - Kings Place Hall Two

Saturday, 23 Nov - Take me To the River - Barbican

Saturday, 23 Nov - Marcin Wasilewski Trio - Cadogan Hall

Saturday, 23 Nov - Faris Ishaq - Grand Junction

Saturday, 23 Nov - Blue Lab Beats with support from TC & The Groove Family + Doomcannon - Hackney Church

Saturday, 23 Nov - BBC Young Jazz Musician Final - Queen Elizabeth Hall

Saturday, 23 Nov - Ni Maxine - PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

Saturday, 23 Nov - Butcher Brown - Jazz Cafe

Saturday, 23 Nov - Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas & Misha Mullov-Abbado: Za Górami Album Launch - Kings Place Hall One

Saturday, 23 Nov - Imelda May and Bernhoft - Royal Festival Hall

Saturday, 23 Nov - Ganavya - Union Chapel

Sunday, 24 Nov - ‘Moments Notice’ feat. Courtney Pine, Femi Koleoso, Peter Eldh and more - Union Chapel

Sunday, 24 Nov - The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Lafayette

Sunday, 24 Nov - Melike Şahin - EartH Theatre

Sunday, 24 Nov - Take Five Presents: MATTERS UNKNOWN and Renato Paris - Purcell Room

Sunday, 24 Nov - Xhosa Cole: Free Monk - Kings Place Hall Two

Sunday, 24 Nov - MonoNeon - EartH Theatre

Sunday, 24 Nov - Thandi Ntuli, Thandiswa Mazwai, Bokani Dyer, Keenen Meyer, Soweto Kinch, , The Brother Moves On feat Chelsea Carmichael for ‘Sikelela, thirty years on…A celebration of the South African Jazz tradition and avant garde’ - Barbican

Sunday, 24 Nov - K-Music: Heemoon Lee’s ‘Spangle’ - Purcell Room

Sunday, 24 Nov - Herbert Live feat. Momoko Gill  - Jazz Cafe

Sunday, 24 Nov - Mario Biondi - KOKO

Sunday, 24 Nov - BBC Concert Orchestra, Coltrane: Legacy for Orchestra - Queen Elizabeth Hall

Sunday, 24 Nov - Nu Civilisation Orchestra presents Duke Ellington’s New Orleans Suite - Kings Place Hall One