Binker and Moses and many more for inaugural Leeds Jazz Festival line up

With a new generation of bands firing up the north of England jazz scene, the Leeds Jazz Festival launches in timely fashion and presents its inaugural edition over 12 nights between 1 and 12 June at venues around the region.

The programme will feature a variety of free to access events and ticketed showcases, representing the wide diversity of jazz in the city; from trad jazz and contemporary through to free and experimental, to the DIY, punky, spiky end of the jazz sphere and the music forms influenced by jazz such as hip hop, R&B and electronic music.

The first events announced for the festival include Super Friendz World Island two-dayer across Belgrave Music Hall and Headrow House, independent record label Tight Lines’ Salèmango festival at Hyde Park Book Club, JazzLeeds promotions at Seven Arts and two DJ Lubi presents events at Brudenell Social Club, including the album launch for TC & The Groove Family.

Initial gig announcements include eclectic 10-piece collective TC & The Groove Family launching their new album with support from Yusuf Yellow & The Energy Collective + Chissu (1 June, Brudenell Social Club); Bird Migration, a tribute to the music of Charlie Parker led by pianist/bandleader Hans Koller with a 13-piece ensemble (2 June, JazzLeeds at Seven Arts). The World Island (3-4 June) two-dayer presents a huge array of emerging talents such as Alice Auer, George Riley, Harvey Causon, Myele Manzanza, Cherise, Conor Albert, Doom Cannon, EDBL, Jelly Cleaver, Rosie Frater-Taylor and Secret Night Gang with Gearbox-signed duo Binker and Moses headlining the second night with sounds from their electronica-infused new album Feeding The Machine.

Further performances include saxophonist Jasmine Myra with the Nathalia Rakotoson Quartet (6 June, Brudenell Social Club); Reciprocity – a group led by French drummer Olivier Le Goas and featuring a rare UK appearance by acclaimed Yorkshire-born, New York-based pianist John Escreet alongside fellow NYC residents guitarist Nir Felder and bassist Chris Tordini (9 June, Seven Arts). There will also be two nights of performances under the Salèmango banner across four stages at the Hyde Park Book Club on 10 and 11 June with a line-up featuring jazz, folk, ambient, electronic and more. More events will be announced over the coming months, featuring a full array of partners including a collaboration between Jazz Leeds and Howard Assembly Rooms, and events with Futuresound, The Wardrobe, HiFi Club, Sela Bar, The Domino Club, HEART, Seven Arts and more.

Leeds Jazz Festival is produced by a city-wide network of partners, representing venues, programmers, musicians and more, coordinated by Music:Leeds and supported by Split Design, arts@leeds, Leeds City Council, Leeds BID and Leeds 2023. We look forward to welcoming new audiences in June for some fantastic events in the second city of jazz in the UK.

For more info visit www.leedsjazzfestival.com/