Darius Brubeck, Emma Rawicz and Neil Cowley Trio lined up for 2025 Liverpool Jazz Fest

There’s a strong focus on high-calibre contemporary instrumental jazz with things kicking off with a performance from pianist Darius Brubeck leading his band of bassist Matt Ridley, drummer Wesley Gibbens and saxophonist Dave O’Higgins (20 Feb), as well as a special screening of the Playing the Changes: Tracking Darius Brubeck documentary on Darius’ life and musical journey, and his role pioneering jazz education efforts in South Africa during and after apartheid, with the screening followed by a Q&A session with Darius, his wife Cathy, and the film’s director, Michiel ten Kleij (1pm, 21 Feb).

Further additions to the programme include a sextet led by Swiss drummer Florian Arbenz whose ‘Conversation’ band includes Ivo Neame (piano), Jim Hart (vibes), Immy Churchill (vocals), Percy Pursglove (trumpet) and Christy Doran (guitar) (7.30pm, 21 Feb), plus Indo-Jazz sounds from multi-award-winning British pianist and composer, Rekesh Chauhan and tabla maestro, Kousic Sen who blend jazz and Indian classical music (1pm, 22 February). This is followed by the newly-resurgent Neil Cowley Trio with bassist Rex Horan and drummer Evan Jenkins, all playing music from their latest album, Entity (7.30pm, 22 Feb).

The final day’s line-up includes a salute to one of piano jazz’s most iconic albums, Keith Jarrett's The Köln Concert, which marks its 50th anniversary in January 2025, and here renowned pianist Dorian Ford blends his own improvisations with Jarrett’s masterpiece (1pm, 23 Feb). The prodigiously talented saxophonist Emma Rawicz wraps up the Sunday night with her top-notch quartet of vibraphonist Jonny Mansfield, versatile bass virtuoso Niklas Lukassen and drummer Asaf Sirkis (7.30pm, 23 Feb).

For the full programme visit www.capstone.hope.ac.uk