Brick Lane Jazz Festival 2025 announces headliners Ife Ogunjobi, Adi Oasis, Laraaji and many more
Mike Flynn
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
The burgeoning spring East London jazz event returns from 25 to 27 April 2025 with another diverse showcase of emerging and established artists
The Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns in 2025 for its fourth year, with a genre-defying line-up that mirrors the vibrant convergence of London’s thriving underground music scenes. Focused on spotlighting local and emerging talent, the festival brings together artists from jazz, hip-hop, neo-soul, R&B, breakbeat, and electronic music, performing across twelve iconic music venues on and around Brick Lane.
Having firmly established itself as a cornerstone of East London’s cultural landscape, the festival continues to uncover underground jazz gems while drawing in artists making waves on the UK scene, all set against the backdrop of some of the capital’s most renowned cultural hotspots. All festival venues are within a short walk from the central hub at the iconic Truman Brewery space on Brick Lane, transforming the site and surrounding area into a vibrant hive of gig-hopping excitement for three days every April. Today, Brick Lane Jazz Festival unveils the first round of their 2025 line-up.
The festival will feature appearances from rising stars in the jazz scene such as Ife Ogunjobi (winner of this year’s Parliamentary Jazz ‘Best Newcomer’ award) and the Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble, as well as showcasing some of the city’s best electronic and experimental outfits with the likes of Last Nubian, Marysia Osu, and Marla Kether set to play. BLJF will also celebrate global artists with sets from Irish Jamaican artist Rio Rainz, Ukranian harpist Alina Bzhezhinska and Ghanian Dutch artist Bnnyhunna, as well as further spotlighting the ever-expanding R&B / soul crossover scene with performances from Jelani Blackman and Astrønne. Newly announced headliners also include new age musician Laraaji, French-Caribbean soul / funk rising star Adi Oasis and R&B trailblazer and producer-in-demand, Ragz Originale.
The full list of artists and day spits are as follows:
FRIDAY
Ragz Originale – Jelani Blackman – BINA. – Move 78 – Àbáse – Allysha Joy – Last Nubian (Live) – Marla Kether – David Walters – Rio Rainz – ECHT! – Faye Meana – Ari Tsugi – Rohan Rakhit Presents: The Cockney Sikh b2b Kieran Dotwav, Nadī + TBA – Arsen Superfly (DJ set) + MANY MORE TBA
SATURDAY
Adi Oasis – dialE – Afriquoi – Ife Ogunjobi – oreglo – Allysha Joy – Sans Soucis – Bnnyhunna – Liv East – edbl & Jackson Mathod – Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble – Jay Phelps – Close Counters – papaya noon – Tru Thoughts Records Presents: WheelUP, Footshooter & Vimbai, Robert Luis, Lucy Michael & Rhys Baker + MANY MORE TBA
SUNDAY
Laraaji – Gary Crosby’s Groundation – Madison McFerrin – Flock – Jasmine Myra – Ray Lozano – Astrønne – Marysia Osu – Bruno Berle – Alina Bzhezhinska & Tony Kofi – DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson – Sol Paradise – Mark Kavuma – Aldorande + MANY MORE TBA
Brick Lane Jazz Festival has been making waves on the UK music scene, growing from its modest debut across four venues in 2022 to a 12-stage extravaganza spanning Brick Lane and Shoreditch in just three years. With over 100 artists set to perform across this three-day celebration, the festival has quickly become a fixture on the music calendar. Crowned #1 Best London Festival by The Standard and #1 Best UK Festival by TimeOut in 2023, the festival has only amplified its impact in 2024 with the launch of BLJF Presents–a year-round event series showcasing the UK’s most exciting artists, record labels, and parties. After sell-out shows in Manchester, Glasgow, and London this October, BLJF Presents is heading to new heights with a major event at the iconic Barbican Centre planned for early spring 2025, plus more regional stops in Bristol, Brighton, and even Paris later in the year.
The festival will once again partner with Jazz re:freshed and Tomorrow’s Warriors, both vital community organizations that nurture emerging talent in UK jazz. Tomorrow’s Warriors will be back as the festival’s charity partner, bringing an Emerging Talent Stage for fans to catch the next wave of jazz stars as they debut the freshest live material.
The festival’s stages are hosted by some of the most important venues in East London including Village Underground, Ninety One Living Room (hosted by Jazz re:freshed), Rough Trade East, 93 Feet East, Rich Mix, Juju’s Bar & Stage, and many more. As always, those without tickets can enjoy free-entry spaces throughout the site, including the Tomorrow’s Warriors live stage at The Brick Lane Tap Room, the Signature Brew stage at The Big Chill, and DJ stages at 93 Feet East and Cafe 1001.
Reflecting on this fourth edition, the festival’s Founder, Juliet Kennedy says, “Every year I think, ‘Can we really top last year’s lineup?’ And yet, the talent in UK jazz just keeps raising the bar! This year’s lineup is a dream, and I can’t wait to bring the get everyone down to Brick Lane again with our fantastic partners, Tomorrow’s Warriors and Jazz re:freshed. Let’s go 2025!”
Early bird tickets for the festival are now on sale with day passes also available here