Inside Blue Note London: 10 star-studded shows to catch during the jazz club’s opening season
We speak to the Director of Music and Programming Nick Lewis, and cherry pick the can’t-miss acts headed to the Blue Note stage.
UK jazz has been having somewhat of a renaissance for a good few years now. Torchbearers Ezra Collective have repeatedly achieved feats previously thought impossible for bands from the scene, such as winning the Mercury Prize, bagging a Brit Award for Group of the Year and now scoring a number one album.
It seems a perfect time for a new jazz venue to be stirring things up in London, drawing in some of the biggest names from the UK and globally. But this isn’t just any venue – it’s Blue Note, a name synonymous with high class jazz clubs and the best music the contemporary scene has to offer.
The original Blue Note jazz club opened its doors in New York in 1981 and since then sister venues have popped up around the world, in cities from Shanghai to Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo to Milan. Blue Note London finds its home on St Martin’s Lane Covent Garden – becoming the group’s ninth venue.
Nick Lewis, Director of Music and Programming at the venue buzzes with excitement as he discusses Blue Note London’s vision for its opening season and beyond.
“We’re going to bring a big vibe and a contemporary flavour to seated live jazz and jazz-adjacent gigs in the city! The Blue Note room itself is looking absolutely gorgeous and I’ve no doubt artists are going to love performing there, while music fans are going to love being in the room.”
For Lewis, it was important to support and promote talent from the burgeoning UK scene as well as bringing in the international acts.
“I wanted to feature as many of the big names in our brilliant UK jazz scene as possible to really represent the fact that Blue Note, an American brand, is coming to London and recognises our scene loud and clear.”
With a classic jazz-club feel, extraordinary artists and a fine selection of food and drink, the venue is sure to quickly establish itself in the hearts of London jazz fans. With a stellar opening season this autumn and winter – we pick ten not to be missed shows.
1. Nik West
- 30th Sept + 1st Oct
- Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
Described by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics as “The female Lenny Kravitz”, Nik West has become known for her gutsy fusions of funk, soul and rock. A virtuosic bassist and highly distinctive singer – West has a commanding stage presence and is bound to light up Blue Note across this four-show run.
2. Baaba Maal
- 4th-6th October
- Two shows per day at 7pm and 9.30pm
A true legend of West African music, Baaba Maal has been fusing the traditional sounds of Senegal with influences from the wider world for over four decades. Throughout his career, he has incorporated everything from the blues to electronic elements with traditional sounds. He will debut a brand-new quintet at this show. A perfect chance to see a genuine pioneer in an intimate setting.
3. IMEHO – An Intimate Experience with Erykah Badu
- 10th + 11th October. Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
A true original, a five-time Grammy winner and genre defying creative force – there are many ways to describe Erykah Badu. Nick Lewis has called booking her “literally a dream come true” and has noted that these shows “will be her most intimate to date”. Most well-known for legendary albums such as 1997’s Baduizm and 2000’s Mama’s Gun, Badu is bound to delight London audiences as she takes to the Blue Note stage backed by a full live band. If you fancy going, be quick as these shows are bound to sell out.
4. Nubya Garcia
- 15th-17th October
- Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
Playing six sets across three days, Nubya Garcia will light up the stage with her soaring tenor sax work and fiery compositions. Over many years and with the release of albums such as her much-lauded debut Source and 2024’s Odyssey, she has occupied a position as one of the true trailblazers of contemporary UK jazz. Her mastery of the music sees her create pieces that draw on everything from dub to RnB and classical influences.
5. Hak Baker
- 18th October
- Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
Hak Baker has quickly become one of the most distinctive and intriguing voices within London’s music scene. A soulful singer and storyteller, he combines elements of everything from folk to post-punk and reggae. His genre smashing approach has earnt him fans from Mike Skinner to Pete Doherty. Why not grab this chance to see a fascinating artist at this early point in his career as he takes to the Blue Note stage.
6. Shabaka
- 19th + 20th October
- Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
From his punchy high-energy sax work with bands such as Sons of Kemet and the Comet is Coming, to his embrace of flutes and electronics on his solo work, Shabaka is an artist who never stays still for long. With his most recent album Of The Earth, he made every sound, handled production duties and even rapped on two tracks. It’s a set that simply couldn’t have come from any other artist. It’s distinctive, enthralling and exists firmly in its own lane. For these shows he will be joined by guitarist Dave Okumu and drummer Austin Williamson.
7. Brandee Younger
- November 8th
- Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
Decades ago, legendary figures such as Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby helped establish the harp as a jazz instrument. Now, it’s making a return and demonstrating its role in the contemporary musical landscape. One of the leading proponents is the ever-engaging Brandee Younger whose playing honours those that came before her, but establishes the instrument firmly in a contemporary context.
8. Jazzanova Live feat Wayne Snow
- 27th November
- Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
During the 1990s Berlin Collective Jazzanova forged a distinctive path making electronic music that drew on jazz. Finding commonality between the fast-developing sound of broken beat and classic jazz instrumentation – this was music born of sample culture. Now with a full live band in tow, Jazzanova will reimagine their boundary pushing classic In Between – reconfiguring music built from samples in the live space.
9. The Brand New Heavies
- 13th - 15th, 20th - 22nd December
- Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
Formed in 1985, The Brand New Heavies developed a loyal following for their blends of soul and funk. Going on to become a leading light of the UK’s acid jazz scene, they remain a force to be reckoned with in a live setting. The band’s sound is grounded in influences from the 1970s funk of Parliament-Funkadelic and James Brown alongside everything from rare-groove to early hip-hop.
10. Digable Planets
- 18th + 19th December
- Shows at 7pm and 9.30pm
Founded in the late 1980s, Digable Planets helped establish the blue-print for the emerging jazz-rap sound. The trio bring together sharp flows and socially conscious lyrics with beats that sample everything from Herbie Hancock to Art Blakey and Sonny Rollins. Their shows will be backed by a full live band.
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