At a glance rundown
The EFG London Jazz Festival’s 30th birthday full programme has now been announced and runs from 11-20 November, spanning the capital’s concert halls and small intimate clubs and many performance spaces in between. Newly added shows include a double header of Nubiyan Twist and Secret Night Gang (KOKO, 17 Nov), the highly spontaneous Moment’s Notice improv session at The Wilds, (13 Nov) plus a second show of Lady Blackbird at The Broadway Theatre (19 Nov) both in the borough of Barking & Dagenham, and free shows presented by Total Refreshment Centre, J to Z Live and Kinetika Bloco among others.
Distinct themes are woven throughout this year’s event with the Global Roots strand represented by African Manifest featuring the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, Afla Sackey + Afrik Bawatu and Falle Nioke (Clore Ballroom, 12 Nov) as well as Fatoumata Diawara who plays the Royal Festival Hall on Saturday 12 November. The Beyond Margins strand is highlighted by the Generations of Chicago Weekend at the Barbican (12-13 Nov), with the return of the CHICAGOxLONDON featuring two iconoclastic saxophonists: Chicago free improv legend Henry Threadgill (who makes his first London appearance in over a decade in London), on a double bill with Anthony Braxton plus a second show with artists from the International Anthem roster with the likes of Angel Bat Dawid, Jeff Parker and Alabaster dePlume and more. There is also a series of free performances curated with Hackney music hub Total Refreshment Centre and includes the likes of Hidden Orchestra, Matana Roberts, and a night celebrating Shabaka Hutchings’ new label Native Rebel Recordings imprint.
Afro-Cuban jazz is at the core of the second weekend, under the banner The Ultima Fiesta, with shows such as Chucho Valdes’ colossal project celebrating his career and 80th birthday; Harold Lopez Nussa’s show with guest Yilian Canizares; plus free shows by Eliane Correa and La Evolucion Orchestra, Colectivo Futuro and Grupo Lokito (Clore Ballroom, 20 Nov). The Homegrown strand showcases the hottest emerging and established talents from the UK scene with performances from Rosie Frater-Taylor, Mark Kavuma’s Banger Factory, Binker Golding, Jas Kayser, Yahael Camara Onono, Camilla George and Xhosa Cole.
There are heavyweight names aplenty from The Icons strand, such as Jan Garbarek, Ron Carter, and Dave Holland’s Aziza while the New Creations will highlight collaborations, special commissions and unique projects like Turkish Psychedelic blast Air Anatolia, a tribute to legendary trumpeter Don Cherry with Kahil El'zabar, Dwight Trible, David Ornette Cherry, Ana Ruiz and the members of Cherry family; Emma-Jean Thackray’s ‘It’s a UK Thing’ celebrating and reimagining UK dance music and BBC Concert Orchestra’s Tomasz Stańko celebration which brings together top Polish pianist Marcin Wasilewski and NYC-based Israeli trumpeter Avishai Cohen with some special guests (QEH, 16 Nov).
The Voices strand sees a wealth of vocal stars align with such as Dianne Reeves (12 Nov, Cadogan Hall and 13 Nov, QEH), Melanie Charles (13 Nov, Lafayette) and Emma Smith and Georgina Jackson’s American songbook big band The Big Swing (18 Nov, Cadogan Hall).
The festival will also have a core focus on Celebrating the Jazz Clubs spotlighting the unique tapestry of London jazz club scene, from iconic venues such as Ronnie Scott’s and Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, to creative spaces like Cafe OTO, The Albany and Church of Sound, and to seasoned jazz clubs such as Pizza Express, Vortex, and Ninety One Living Room. These also include a packed programme at Chelsea’s 606 Club with appearances from a four-sax front-line featuring Mornington Lockett, Karen Sharp, Simon Allen and Graeme Blevins plus BBC Young Musician of the Year winner Deschanel Gordon on piano (12 Nov); revered pianist Julian Joseph leading young talents from the World Heart Beat Music Academy (1.30pm, 13 Nov); award-winning singer Anita Wardell’s tribute to Betty Carter (evening, 13 Nov); saxophonist Jason Yarde’s Quartet (14 Nov); guitarist Phil Robson’s Night Dreamer band with Jean Toussaint (15 Nov); drum phenomenon Jas Kayser with her neo-fusion band (16 Nov); US saxophonist and flautist Lew Tabackin (17 Nov); a trio of top vocalists, Jo Harrop, Rachel Sutton and Eileen Hunter (lunchtime, 20 Nov) and the stunning vocals/piano of Liane Carroll (20 Nov) who completes the week.
Across town in Soho, Ronnie Scott’s hosts two nights from legendary US band The Bad Plus, with their new formation featuring founding members Reid Anderson and Dave King joined by new recruits Ben Monder and Chris Speed as this incarnation makes its London debut (14-15 Nov); south-coast label Tru Thoughts takes over for a night showcasing such acts as Sly5thAve and Roberto Verástegui (16 Nov); there’s psychedelic jazz sounds from the Levitation Orchestra (17 Nov), while acclaimed pianist US Aaron Parks leads his jazz-rock-fusion outfit Little Big (18 Nov).
The festival’s title sponsor EFG Private Bank celebrates the richness and depth of the Festival line-up with highlighting four shows hand-picked for the EFG Elements Series, which this year includes the Gala opening night, Jazz Voice; bass great Ron Carter’s 85th Birthday celebration, hugely successful singer-songwriter Melody Gardot and the premiere of new special commissions of Guy Barker’s Guitar and Clarinet Concertos, through a collaboration between Barker himself, guitarist Eugene Pao, clarinettist Giacomo Smith and talented youth orchestra Southbank Sinfonia.
The festival’s partnership with BBC Radio 3 and several BBC channels help take the music to a huge national and international audience with on-air and digital offerings. These will include a live radio broadcast of Jazz Voice on ‘J to Z’ on Friday 11 November, BBC Concert Orchestra’s show will be recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Young Jazz Musician Finale from the Festival on BBC 4, and BBC Radio 3 will be recording live from the Barbican Free Stage on Sunday 20 November. Jazzwise is festival media partner.
efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk
