London Brew line-up plus Capital’s clubs and freestages complete EFG London Jazz Festival programme
Mike Flynn
Monday, October 16, 2023
The final touches have been added to the city-spanning all-encompassing jazz takeover this November
As the 2023 edition of the EFG London Jazz Festival prepares to take over the capital’s venues, clubs and free stages from 10 to 19 November, some late additions to the programme have been confirmed. Chief among the headline shows is saxophonist Nubya Garcia and vocalist ESKA's appearance as part of the sprawling all-star London Brew band for its debut live performance of their eponymous Bitches Brew-inspired album (Barbican, 18 Nov). The Barbican also packs in some exciting FreeStage performances, including names from Australian jazz scene selected by the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. These include virtuoso pianist Zela Margossian and her Trio, plus this month’s Taking Off piano-powered three-piece, Brekky Boy (all appearing on Saturday 11 November from 12noon on the FreeStage, Level G – and see the interview in the November issue of Jazzwise). Other Barbican FreeStage performances to look out for include the J-to-Z stage (12 Nov, 1pm); Jazz from Ireland (18 Nov, FreeStage, 2pm) and Jazz North Presents (19 Nov, FreeStage, 3pm).
The main festival line-up includes musical heavyweights such as Mulatu Astatke, Marcus Miller, Sergio Mendes, Ron Carter, Charles Lloyd, Hiromi and Joshua Redman, and the blockbuster closing weekend concert celebrating The Symphonic Music of Wayne Shorter with an all-star band including Esperanza Spalding, Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Terri Lyne Carrington and Ravi Coltrane with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Clark Rundell (19 November, Royal Festival Hall).
The guests for the opening Jazz Voice gala have also been finalised and sees arranger/conductor Guy Barker lead the 40-piece Jazz Festival Orchestra with some of his favourite singers appearing, such as China Moses, Omar, Brendan Reilly, Judi Jackson, Naomi Banks and Vanessa Haynes (10 Nov, RFH). The storied Royal Albert Hall will present its first ever London Jazz Festival headline concert when Grammy-winning Beninese-French singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo appears on 17 November in celebration of her 40-year career, accompanied by the Chineke! Orchestra, conducted by Chris Cameron, and special guests including top French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf and Senegalese superstar Youssou N’Dour.
The capital’s key jazz clubs are brimming with excellent LJF events too, such as Chelsea’s 606 Club. Its highlights across the festival week include The Peter King Memorial Sax Summit featuring Tom Smith, Trish Clowes, Nat Facey and the Will Barry Trio. (11 Nov); Lunchtime Special: World Heart Beat & the Julian Joseph Academy Present “Together We Go Forward” plus (evening) Jo Harrop & Paul Edis 'Autumn Serenade: When Autumn Turns to Winter' (12 Nov); the jazz-rock influenced Emily Francis Trio (13 Nov); funk-heavy Indo-jazz fusion from bassist Shez Raja featuring alto sax star Soweto Kinch (15 Nov); clarinet virtuoso Adrian Cox leads his New Orleans Clarinet Quintet with special guest Giacomo Smith (16 Nov); trumpeter and composer Byron Wallen pays tribute to the music of revered US pianist Andrew Hill (18 Nov). The 606 week closes out with a special fundraiser event featuring top UK jazz vocalists Liane Carroll, Ian Shaw & Claire Martin who unite to support Robin Samuel (a twenty-month-old child with neuroblastoma, an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer), for this benefit concert (19 Nov).
Ronnie Scott’s packs in high-calibre names such as US vocal virtuosi Veronica Swift (10 Nov) and Michael Mayo (11 Nov); three nights from legendary drummer Steve Gadd and his Band with Larry Goldings and Michael Landau (13-15 Nov); the Aaron Parks Quartet (17 Nov) and stars of the ACT Music label – Nils Landgren, Michael Wollny, Lars Danielsson and Wolfgang Haffner – collectively known as 4 Wheel Drive, who make a welcome London return (18 Nov - pictured above).
The Soho and Holborn branches of Pizza Express Live virtually have their own festival within the festival, with a huge number of daytime and evening gigs that includes their ‘Heads Up’ new talent strand which all start at 1pm and include James Morgan’s Queenstown Collective (13 Nov) and talented Scottish trumpeter Christos Stylianides (16 Nov). Big hitters appearing include tenor titan David Murray who plays two shows (5pm and 8.30pm) with his Quartet featuring pianist Marta Sanchez on 16 November. There’s also the debut of a special new project featuring former Pat Metheny pianist Gwilym Simcock and saxophonist Emma Rawicz (two shows, 5.30 and 9.30pm, 17 Nov). Among the numerous other UK and US highlights are Emma Johnson's Gravy Boat (Holborn, 12 Nov); Joey Calderazzo Trio (Soho, 12 Nov); Charlie Stacey (Holborn, 16 Nov) and Alina Bzhezinska HipHarp Quartet (Soho, 18 Nov) and internationally acclaimed singer Sarah McKenzie plays Brazilian songs from her new album, Without You (Holborn, 11 Nov). Full listings available at www.pizzaexpresslive.com/efg-londonjazz-festival-2023
Dalston’s Vortex Jazz Club has some exciting gigs too from top Danish bassist Jasper Høiby’s Planet B (11 Nov), piano prodigy Sultan Stevenson (14 Nov), Byron Wallen’s Four Corners (16 Nov), the beat-busting thrills of bassist Petter Eldh’s Projekt Drums feat. Richard Spaven and Tom Ford (17 Nov) and the moody jazz-rock sounds of guitarist David Preston’s Purple/ Black group with drummer Seb Rochford, bassist Rob Mullarkey and saxophonist Jason Yarde (18 Nov).
With over 300 gigs across 19 boroughs, including family-friendly shows, workshops and learning and participation events, the best place to plan your week of listening and buy tickets is the official website, www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk
Jazzwise is festival media partner.
