Brand-new West London cultural space begins life with a vibrant jazz programme

From Friday 22 September, West London’s Ladbroke Hall will launch its new event series, Friday Jazz, as part of its extensive new cultural programme.

The Hall will present some of today’s finest musicians, with a focus on high-quality jazz – artists already booked include Gareth Lockrane, Giacomo Smith, Richard Manetti and, for its opening night, Zhenya Strigalev Sextet with special guests Lucy-Anne Daniels and Soweto Kinch.

According to Loic Le Gaillard, co-founder of Ladbroke Hall, "the essence of jazz, which breaks barriers and fuses cultures, resonates with theHall’s ethos of a multi-disciplinary creative hub".

"At the heart of our jazz mission is the creation of a space where jazz lovers can revel in top-tier musical excellence. Ladbroke Hall invites its audience to challenge the deep-rooted stereotypes that have often confined jazz to the past. Breaking through the myth that jazz is old-fashioned, Ladbroke Hall seeks to demystify the genre and invite all to engage with its contemporary vibrancy, from traditional straight-ahead jazz to diverse influences".

The Friday Jazz series, in partnership with piano maker Steinway and Sons and sound designers Bang & Olufsen, will follow its 22 September launch with a 29 September show by award-winning flautist Gareth Lockrane, who will team up with a band of long-term collaborators for a high energy set of original tunes (some from his acclaimed albums Fistfight at the Barndance and The Strut as well as some new compositions) spanning influences from contemporary jazz, cinematic sounds, gospel and blues.

On 6 October, Baptiste Herbin, a virtuoso saxophonist hailing from France, will make his UK debut with his collaborative project with leading European guitarist Richard Manetti presenting their new album On Air. Additionally, Giacomo Smith, a renowned performer originally from New York, will perform on 13 October with his quintet. For full jazz programme listings including EFG London Jazz Festival concerts, see the website here.

Future Friday Jazz bookings for 2023 include Ian Shaw, Jean Toussaint Quartet, Femi Temowo, and Leon Greening & Steve Fishwick. 

Built in 1903, Ladbroke Hall (located at 77-81 Barlby Road, London W10) was once the front building of an enormous car showroom and assembly plant – the Clément-Talbot factory. The Beaux Arts building includes a grand portico and heraldic crest sitting atop a magnificent arched window, evoking an expansive Edwardian country house. The reimagined space has been restored and includes contributions from leading visual artists.

Le Gaillard comments: “It’s been a dream of mine to be able to curate a space where the world’s finest jazz musicians can express their talent, while audiences can enjoy both tremendous music and some delicious food and drink in an inspiring setting. Here at Ladbroke Hall, we will have all of that under one roof thanks to all the wonderful creative talent we have on stage, as well as our chef Emanuele Pollini, voted chef of the year by [Italian food, wine and travel agency] Gambero Rosso in 2020.”

For full programme details visit ladbrokehall.com