London Jazz Festival 2025: Eight gigs you can’t miss

Having been a fixture of the capital’s musical calendar for over 30 years, the London Jazz Festival is going from strength to strength. Every November, this huge concert series brings greats, innovators and upcomers from the world of jazz to venues from The Barbican to Here at Outernet, Royal Festival Hall, Cadogan Hall and many more besides.

The 2025 edition of the event more than lives up to previous years with its enticing mix of old and new, young and old, traditional and experimental. Jazz in London and, for that matter, the world at large isn’t just surviving – it’s thriving, honouring its history while looking to the future.

If you’re a fan of storming post-bop, fusion, spiritual jazz or jazz poetry, there is bound to be something for you at this year’s event. Alongside the stellar shows at venues throughout London, there will once again be the pop-up bar The Jazz Social. Within close range of the Barbican, the venue will also play host to a Blue Note Records shop.

Across a busy ten days, the festival will feature an extraordinary range of gigs; the below are eight of the best.

Aja Monet: The Barbican, Friday 14 November

Taking up the role of artist in residence for this year, celebrated American blues poet Aja Monet brings her sometimes surreal, often righteous take on spoken word to the festival. Exploring the boundaries between poetry and jazz, Monet will be joined on stage by a thrilling trans-Atlantic cast of performers.

They include fellow poet and activist Saul Williams, cross-cultural musical pioneer ganavya and Kokoroko band leader and trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey.

The Deedee Bridgewater Quartet: The Barbican, Saturday 15 November

Three-time Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Deedee Bridgewater is an undeniable legend of jazz. She graces the stage of Barbican Hall with her quartet for what is set to be a truly electrifying performance from one of the great voices of music.

Known as a fine composer and fearless innovator, she also possesses a mastery of interpreting jazz standards and making them her own. Not to be missed.

Michael Wollney Trio and Emma Rawicz Inkyra: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Sunday 16 November

One of this year’s most electrifying double bills brings together piano virtuoso Michael Wollney and his trio featuring Tim Lefebvre and drummer Eric Schaefer with fast-rising sax star Emma Rawicz.

Wollney’s set is bound to exhibit the piano trio form at its very best, while Rawicz and her band will storm through material from her latest album Inkyra, a heady blend of jazz styles and influences from everything from the world of rock to Joni Mitchell.

Mulatu Astatke: Royal festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Sunday 16 November + Here at Outernet, Monday 17 November (both SOLD OUT)

Known as “the father of Ethio-Jazz”, vibraphone player and percussionist Mulatu Astatke helped bring the genre to the world. Funky, foot-tapping, and imbued with the musical forms of his homeland, Astatke’s music has delighted international audiences for years.

With his first album in a decade, “Mulatu plays Mulatu” having come out recently, he will thrill sold-out audiences at two very different venues during this year’s festival.

Jasmine Myra with Strings + Ancient Infinity Orchestra: Hackney Church, Tuesday 18 November

Another of this year’s fine double bills comes to the beautiful surroundings of Hackney Church on 18 November. Fifteen-piece Gondwana Records collective Ancient Infinity Orchestra open proceedings with their richly melodic, textured and beautiful sound.

Label mate of the openers and fellow Leeds-based spiritual jazz stalwart, saxophonist Jasmine Myra, brings her emotionally potent material, bolstered by a string section, for what is bound to be a spellbinding headline turn.

Makaya McCraven: Koko, Wednesday 19 November

American bandleader and sonic innovator Makaya McCraven has, over a period of years, demonstrated himself to be one of the finest jazz drummers working today as well as a restless pioneer within the field.

Ten years on from his ground-breaking album “In the Moment” and in a year when he has dropped four fiery EPs – he comes to Koko for what is set to be one of this year’s true highlights.

Tune-Yards: Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Saturday 22 November

In a demonstration of the wide-ranging and open-minded approach to programming being adopted by the event, US act Tune-Yards will be gracing the stage at Royal Festival Hall on 22 November. The duo, consisting of Merrill Garbus and Nate Bremmer, fuse experimentally minded indie-pop with loops and afrobeat influences.

They emerged onto the scene with 2009’s lo-fi effort “BiRd-BrAiNs”, before galvanising their position as cult heroes with 2011’s “w h o k i l l”. Taking cues from jazz but melding it with multiple genres, the band has been delighting audiences with their distinctive sound that puts the powerful vocals of Garbus front and centre. Theirs is bound to be a show-stopping and highly memorable performance.

Nubya Garcia: Here at Outernet, Saturday 23 November

Tenor saxophonist Nubya Garcia has been at the forefront of pushing up the popularity and cultural relevance of UK jazz in recent years. It’s not hard to see why she has become such a phenomenon – dropping two widely acclaimed albums, notching up a Mercury Music Prize nomination and playing to adoring audiences around the world.

Her wide-ranging sound and compelling sax work make her a truly exciting musical proposition. The London Jazz Festival is the perfect place to see one of the city’s most visionary artists working today.

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