Norah Jones, Makaya McCraven and Joshua Redman added to EFG London Jazz Fest
Mike Flynn
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
The latest tranche of shows announced for the capital-wide event include some notable US stars and a wealth of UK and European talent too
Nine-time Grammy Award winning vocalist Norah Jones will perform a special headline show at the Royal Festival Hall on 16 November as part of this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival.
Jones, whose multi-million selling debut Come Away With Me celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, is among the many names added in the second wave of additions to this year’s capital-wide jazz event that runs from 10 to 19 November.
Further headline shows include a sumptuous string-laden realisation of Chicago drummer Makaya McCraven’s lauded 2022 album In These Times, with McCraven joined by the London Contemporary Orchestra (Barbican, 11 Nov). Also announced will be the return of saxophonist Joshua Redman who recently signed to the Blue Note roster for his new album Where Are We, and he’ll be backed by his Quintet at the Barbican (12 Nov), which includes New Orleans-based, California-born, rising star vocalist-composer of Italian descent, Gabrielle Cavassa.
There’s also a welcome appearance from the hard-hitting septet The Cookers – whose members includes Billy Harper, Cecil McBee, George Cables, Eddie Henderson, and Billy Hart – will be firing up the stage of Cadogan Hall (12 Nov). The same venue plays host to a strong double bill of renowned ECM-signed trumpeter Avishai Cohen and his Quartet plus an opening set from twentysomething UK sax phenomenon Emma Rawicz who will perform music from her forth-coming ACT debut, Chroma (Cadogan Hall, 14 Nov).
Ambient, post-modern and humorous takes on jazz have been the hallmark of adventurous US saxophonist Sam Gendel and he is set to appear at the Barbican’s Milton Court theatre (14 Nov), while the increasingly artful songstress Cécile McLorin Salvant returns to the LJF with a show at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (15 Nov). The previously announced and eagerly anticipated return of octogenarian bass legend Ron Carter is bolstered by a second show at Cadogan Hall (Carter appears on 16 and 17 Nov) and top British pianist and composer Nikki Iles will lead Germany’s renowned NDR Big Band through arrangements of her compositions for a special UK concert on 19 November at Cadogan Hall.
Other notable additions to the programme include the return of the hugely popular Jazz Voice opening night Gala featuring Guy Barker’s wide-ranging celebration of song, backed by the London Jazz Festival Jazz Orchestra and a host of soon-to-be-announced guest singers (Royal Festival Hall, 10 Nov); appearances by leading UK names such as trumpeter Yazz Ahmed (Kings Place Hall Two, 12 Nov), pianist Nikki Yeoh’s Café Oran (Milton Court, 15 Nov), and drummer Tom Skinner (Kings Place Hall Two, 15 Nov). And highly acclaimed US saxophonist James Brandon Lewis brings his Quartet to Café OTO (19 Nov) and spellbinding Australian trio, The Necks, play Kings Place Hall One (19 Nov). Jazzwise is festival media partner.
For more info and full listings so far announced visit www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk
Full Second Wave of EFG London Jazz Festival Shows are:
Friday 10 November
Opening Gala: 15 Years of Jazz Voice | Royal Festival Hall
Gazelle Twin | Bush Hall
Saturday 11 November
Makaya McCraven & London Contemporary Orchestra: In These Times | Barbican Hall
Sunday 12 November
Joshua Redman Group featuring Gabrielle Cavassa | Barbican Hall
Joep Beving | Babrican Milton Court
The Cookers | Cadogan Hall
Nai Barghouti | Kings Place Hall One
Yazz Ahmed | Kings Place Hall Two
Tuesday 14 November
Sam Gendel | Barbican Milton Court
Avishai Cohen Quartet + Emma Rawicz | Cadogan Hall
Wednesday 15 November
Nikki Yeoh’s Café Oran feat. Stuart Hall, Demi Sabat Garcia | Barbican Milton Court
Cécile Mclorin Salvant | Queen Elizabeth Hall
Irreversible Entanglements | EartH Theatre
Tom Skinner | Kings Place Hall Two
Thursday 16 November
Norah Jones | Royal Festival Hall
Mayra Andrade ‘reEncanto’ | Union Chapel
MA.MOYO & friends | Kings Place Hall Two
Friday 17 November
Ron Carter (Second date) | Cadogan Hall
Angelique Kidjo & Chineke! Orchestra | Royal Albert Hall
cktrl | Bush Hall
Saturday 18 November
Kroke | Union Chapel
Sunday 19 November
Nikki Iles and NDR Bigband | Cadogan Hall
James Brandon Lewis Quartet | Café Oto
The Necks | Kings Place Hall One