MANGORATA
Leeds‑based six‑piece jazz ensemble Mangorata will play a live show at The Grasshopper in Poole on Thursday, April 30, 2026, timed to coincide with International Jazz Day. The concert, priced at £17.50 ($22) for adults, £10 ($13) for students and free for under‑18s, will also be streamed worldwide for £8.50 ($11). The performance serves as a pre‑show to the global concert in Chicago headlined by Herbie Hancock, Jacob Collier and Marcus Miller. SoundCellar’s promotion highlights the band as one of the UK’s most promising young jazz acts.
Adam O’Farrill – ‘Elephant’
Adam O’Farrill’s fifth album, "Elephant," is his first quartet recording with trumpet as the sole horn, featuring pianist Yvonne Rogers, bassist Walter Stinson and drummer Russell Holzman. The record blends contemporary jazz, minimalism, and dance‑music textures, citing Radiohead and Ryuchi...
Ewan Bleach & the Fleeting Paradise Orchestra
Ewan Bleach’s Fleeting Paradise Orchestra has launched a fortnightly Sunday lunchtime residency at London’s Jamboree Venue, delivering authentic 1920s‑30s jazz for dancing. The 10‑piece band performs meticulously transcribed classics from Ellington, Armstrong and obscure contemporaries, plus Bleach’s original compositions, each...
Mike Westbrook – a Tribute by Phil Johnson
British jazz legend Mike Westbrook has passed, leaving an unparalleled body of work that spans over half a century. Known for his ambitious big‑band compositions, politically charged themes, and collaborations with his partner Kate Westbrook, he shaped European jazz’s modern...
Mondays with Morgan: Julia Keefe – New Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band Album ‘Incarnadine’
Jazz vocalist and Nez Perce bandleader Julia Keefe is set to release Incarnadine on May 8, the debut album of her all‑Indigenous Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band. The 16‑member ensemble, featuring musicians from tribes such as Wampanoag, Diné, Apache/Kiowa and Lingít, was...
Joe Henderson – ‘Consonance – Live at the Jazz Showcase’
A two‑and‑a‑half hour live recording from Joe Henderson’s 1978 Chicago gig at the Jazz Showcase has been issued as a limited‑edition vinyl for Record Store Day on April 24, 2026. The set features a hard‑driving quartet with pianist Joanne Brackeen, bassist Steve Rodby and...
RIP Mike Westbrook (1936-2026)
Renowned British jazz composer, pianist and bandleader Mike Westbrook OBE died peacefully on April 11, 2026, at age 90. His manager Peter Conway confirmed the death, noting his surviving family including wife and collaborator Kate Westbrook. Westbrook was celebrated for...
Naïssam Jalal – ‘Landscapes of Eternity’
French‑Syrian flautist and vocalist Naïssam Jalal releases Landscapes of Eternity on 10 April 2026, a five‑track album that fuses Indian ragas with contemporary jazz. The record reflects years of solo travel in India, drawing on sacred sites and master musicians, while featuring regular...
‘Grass Roots Rising’ Festival
The inaugural Grass Roots Jazz Festival will debut on May 23, 2026 at Rich Mix in Shoreditch, showcasing six of London’s most promising young jazz acts. Curated by Soulsa’s Mr Boogie, the ten‑hour event expands his Grass Roots monthly night from...
Tributes to Jazz Photographer Tim Motion (1936-2026)
Tim Motion, the Irish‑born jazz photographer who died just before his 90th birthday, built a global reputation after his first festival pass at the 1971 Lisbon Jazz Festival. He captured legendary musicians such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Charles,...
Programme/ Line-Up Announced for Tenth Ambleside Days Festival
Ambleside Days marks its tenth edition this September, honoring pianist John Taylor with a weekend of contemporary music in the Lake District. The festival, hosted by Zeffirellis, features a rotating cast of international artists across jazz, folk, and avant‑garde styles....
David Bowden – ‘Unsung Songs’
Glasgow bassist David Bowden released his first solo double‑bass album, “Unsung Songs,” on 10 April 2026. The record aims to make the instrument sing, blending vocal‑style melodies with jazz improvisation and featuring covers of Nick Drake and Emilíana Torrini. Bowden draws on...
Terry Callier – ‘at the EARL of OLD TOWN’
A previously unknown live solo set by Terry Callier, recorded by Chicago promoter Joe Segal in October 1967, has been issued for Record Store Day. The double‑LP, followed by a CD release, captures the 22‑year‑old singer‑songwriter interpreting folk and blues...
David Helbock and Julia Hofer at Ronnie Scott’s Upstairs
Austrian jazz duo David Helbock (piano) and Julia Hofer (cello/electric bass) delivered a captivating hour‑long performance at Ronnie Scott’s Upstairs in London. Drawing from their debut album “Faces of Night,” they traversed repertoire from Schumann to Prince, switching instruments fluidly...
First Wave of Twenty-One Concerts Announced for EFG London Jazz Festival 2026
The EFG London Jazz Festival unveiled its first wave of 21 concerts for 2026, introducing the British Airways ARC at Olympia as a new venue. The opening night features a double bill with Dianne Reeves and the Branford Marsalis Quartet celebrating...
‘Celebrating Ella and More’ – Leslie Lewis & Gerard Hagen, Crazy Coqs, 25 April
Vocalist Leslie Lewis and pianist Gerard Hagen will present “Celebrating Ella and More” at Paris’s Crazy Coqs on April 25, marking what would have been Ella Fitzgerald’s 99th birthday. The program revisits classic standards while injecting the duo’s own harmonic and...
Alex Ho and Donovan Haffner – ‘Serendipity’
Pianist Alex Ho and alto saxophonist Donovan Haffner release “Serendipity,” a duo album exploring intimate yet adventurous jazz. The record, issued March 27, 2026, showcases Ho’s thoughtful piano voicings and Haffner’s technically fluent, lyric‑driven sax lines across compositions like “FYBSPG,”...
Joanne Brackeen – ‘Pink Elephant Magic’
Joanne Brackeen’s 1999 album “Pink Elephant Magic” blends playful virtuosity with avant‑garde textures, featuring standout soprano sax work from Chris Potter and trumpet fire from Nicholas Payton. The title track and original compositions showcase Brackeen’s knack for twisting chord progressions...
Jeremy Sassoon – ‘Older and Wiser’
Jeremy Sassoon, a former psychiatrist turned jazz pianist, released his new album "Older and Wiser" on April 10, 2026. The record presents nine songs that explore mortality, outsider feelings, and personal turning points, ranging from pop classics like "Don’t Let...
Sultan Stevenson to Be BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist 2026-2028
Pianist Sultan Stevenson has been announced as the tenth jazz musician selected for the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists program, which runs from September 2026 to December 2028. The scheme, now in its third decade, spotlights emerging talent across classical and jazz...
Jazzdor Strasbourg-Budapest Festival 2026
The third Jazzdor Strasbourg‑Budapest Festival unfolded over four evenings at Budapest’s Opus Jazz Club, co‑organized by Jazzdor and the Budapest Music Center. The program highlighted a mix of French, Hungarian and international acts, from the sax‑driven quartet Big Fish to...
The Bad Plus, Chris Potter and Craig Taborn at the Barbican
At the Barbican Centre, Craig Taborn, Chris Potter and Bad Plus veterans Reid Anderson and Dave King staged a tribute to Keith Jarrett’s 1973‑76 American Quartet. Rather than copy the original sound, they pursued the quartet’s spirit of experimentation, drawing from...
Neil Cowley Trio – ‘Built on Bach’
The Neil Cowley Trio has issued *Built on Bach*, a tour‑only record that blends Johann Bach’s baroque motifs with the trio’s contemporary jazz language. Positioned as a stop‑gap before their next full‑length album, the release follows the critical triumph of 2024’s...
Bill Evans –’At the BBC’
Zev Feldman’s Resonance/Elemental label has issued “At the BBC,” a double‑LP capturing Bill Evans’s sole BBC Television appearance on March 19 1965 with bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker. The performance, recorded during the trio’s London residency for the Jazz 625 series,...
Miroslav Vitouš, Michel Portal, Jack DeJohnette – ‘Mountain Call’
Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš releases “Mountain Call” on ECM, featuring duets with late clarinetist Michel Portal and longtime collaborator Jack DeJohnette. The album mixes intimate acoustic duets with digitally‑crafted orchestral textures generated by Vitouš’s own Miroslav Philharmonik sample library. Recorded...
Mondays with Morgan: Emilio Solla – New Album ‘Handmade’
Argentine‑born pianist and composer Emilio Solla released his new album Handmade on March 13 via Club del Disco. The record features his nine‑piece ensemble La Inestable de Brooklyn, recorded in May 2025 at Brooklyn’s The Bunker with support from a...
John Heavens – ‘Ninety Minutes From New York To Paris’ Album Launch
Acclaimed singer‑songwriter John Heavens is returning with his comeback album *Ninety Minutes From New York To Paris*, launching on 9 May at London’s World Heart Beat venue. The fourteen‑track record mixes twelve reinterpretations of 1960‑80 classics with two original compositions,...
Joe Fonda – ‘My Life in the World of Music’
Joe Fonda’s new memoir, *My Life in the World of Music*, traces his fifty‑year journey from teenage rock and blues enthusiast to a leading figure in avant‑garde jazz. The book details pivotal moments such as his transformative encounter with John Coltrane’s...
Soft Machine – ‘Thirteen’
Soft Machine’s 2026 album “Thirteen” marks the band’s first full-length release with the current quartet of John Etheridge, Theo Travis, Fred Baker, and Asaf Sirkis. The 13‑track record weaves psychedelic jazz‑rock, free improvisation, and experimental looping, featuring a tribute to...
John Zorn’s ‘Masada’ in Cardiff
John Zorn’s Masada songbooks were reimagined for a big‑band setting by Sam Eastmond and performed by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) in Cardiff. The concert featured ten selections distilled from over 600 Masada pieces, showcasing a blend of Jewish...
Jazz at Wigmore Hall in the 2026/7 Season
London’s Wigmore Hall unveiled its 2026/27 season on March 25, spotlighting an expanded jazz roster. The venue appointed trumpeter Harold López‑Nussa and saxophonist Ambrose Akinmusire as associate artists. The schedule features headliners such as bassist Linda May Han Oh with pianist...
Dominique Fils-Aimé, Bergson Kunstkraftwerk, Munich
Dominique Fils‑Aimé opened her European Sunshine Tour in Munich’s state‑of‑the‑art Bergson Kunstkraftwerk, performing material from her freshly released fifth album, “My World Is The Sun.” The record fuses roots, Afro‑world and soul textures, continuing her tradition of thematically linked trilogies....
Julian Argüelles – ‘Echo Fields’
Jazz veteran Julian Argüelles, the last original Loose Tubes member to turn 60, releases his new trio album "Echo Fields" on March 27, 2026. The record pairs his tenor and soprano saxophone with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy,...
Harvie S – ‘Bright Dawn’
Harvie S, a veteran New York double bassist, releases “Bright Dawn,” his first album as a bandleader in over a decade. The record features a quartet with guitarist Peter Bernstein, pianist Miki Hayama, and drummer Matt Wilson, delivering a cohesive blend of mainstream jazz and...
Alex Koo Trio at Pizza Express Dean Street
Belgian pianist Alex Koo made his UK debut with his trio at Pizza Express Dean Street, delivering a program that blended Flemish and Japanese jazz sensibilities. The set highlighted the mournful composition “Jonass,” featuring sudden silences to evoke grief, and...
London Gypsy Jazz Festival 2026 at Toulouse Lautrec
The London Gypsy Jazz Festival will take place from April 16 to 19 at the Toulouse Lautrec Restaurant and Jazz Club in Kennington. The four‑night event showcases leading European Gypsy‑jazz artists, including the Mozes Rosenberg Trio, Paulus Schäfer, and violinist...
Mondays with Morgan: New Club Jazzcultural Opens in NYC
Jazzcultural, a new jazz club founded by veteran pianist‑impresario Spike Wilner, opened at 349 West 46th Street in Manhattan on March 20, 2026. The venue’s inaugural night featured the Jesse Davis Quartet, highlighting Davis’s upcoming album *Reflections* released on April 3 via...
Gary Crosby Quintet – ‘Miles In the Sky’ at the Vortex
Gary Crosby’s quintet delivered a daring Miles Davis tribute at London’s Vortex, reinterpreting the Second Great Quintet’s repertoire with fresh, generational energy. The lineup featured longtime collaborators Winston Clifford, Denys Baptiste, Andrew McCormack and 19‑year‑old trumpeter Klara Devlin, whose horizontal improvisations...
Joe Lovano with Guests at Bergamo Jazz 2026
Jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano, artistic director of Bergamo Jazz, staged a sold‑out finale at the 2,300‑seat Teatro Donizetti, featuring a hand‑picked octet. The concert paid tribute to jazz legends Miles Davis and John Coltrane, delivering a two‑hour‑plus program that blended...
John McLaughlin – ‘Music For Abandoned Heights’
John McLaughlin completed a twelve‑track soundtrack for the unreleased film “Abandoned Heights,” recorded in 2020‑21 and now issued on vinyl (ten tracks) and SACD (including two bonus cuts). The music, written with full artistic freedom, showcases collaborations with jazz veterans...
Emma-Jean Thackray at Ronnie Scott’s
Emma‑Jean Thackray headlined two back‑to‑back Friday nights at London’s iconic Ronnie Scott’s, marking the 100th anniversary of Miles Davis’s birth. Her quartet opened with a reinterpretation of "Will o’ the Wisp" from Davis‑Gil Evans’s *Sketches of Spain* and progressed through...
Ireke – ‘Ayô Dele’
French duo Ireke released their second album, Ayô Dele, on March 20, 2026. The record fuses funk, soul, jazz, Afrobeat and dub with electronic percussion, delivering dance‑ready grooves. Vocalists Agnès Hélène, Nayel Hóxò and Olivya sing in French, Spanish, Yoruba,...
Benjamin Herman – ‘The Tokyo Sessions’
Benjamin Herman’s latest release, “The Tokyo Sessions,” fuses Japanese traditional instruments with heavy synths, electronics, and free‑form improvisation. Recorded with his trio and a roster of Tokyo underground talent—including Otomo Yoshihide, Tomoaki Baba, and shakuhachi master Akihito Obama—the 54‑minute album...
Ankora and Tomorrow’s Warriors Frontline at the Elgar Room
Ankora, the latest all‑women ensemble from Tomorrow’s Warriors, headlined an International Women’s Day concert at London’s Elgar Room, showcasing the program’s “each one, teach one” ethos. The performance paired Ankora’s recent graduates with the current Frontline lineup, whose average age...
April Varner – ‘Ella’
April Varner, the 2023 International Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition winner, releases her tribute album "Ella" on March 20, 2026 via Cellar Live. The record reinterprets nine classic Fitzgerald songs and adds a Sinatra‑associated tune, showcasing Varner's confident phrasing and swing....
On Tour – The Remi Harris Hot Club Trio
British guitarist Remi Harris and his Hot Club Trio are embarking on a 14‑date UK tour from mid‑March to early May 2026, performing in venues ranging from intimate Soho cafés to regional theatres. The trio’s setlist is fluid, mixing gypsy‑jazz...
‘Polish Jazz Meets Global’ Conference 2026
Polish Jazz meets Global 2026 convened in Szczecin as the second edition of the industry conference, drawing participants from Poland, Europe, the United States and Taiwan. High‑profile figures such as Lydia Liebman, Lois Gilbert, Daniel Israel and Herbie Hancock Institute...
Charlie Wood – ‘Your Love Is My Home’
Charlie Wood’s new album Your Love Is My Home arrived on March 6, 2026 via Stunt Records, presenting a ten‑track concept built around the Greek notion of “storge” – family love. The record weaves jazz standards such as “Stardust” and “Willow, Weep For...
Mondays with Morgan: Roberto Fonseca and Vincent Segal – New Album ‘Nuit Parisienne À La Havane’
Renowned Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca and French cellist Vincent Segal released their first joint album, Nuit Parisienne à la Havane, on 30 January via Artwork Records. After more than two decades of crossing paths on European festivals, the duo recorded...
Solem Quartet and Alice Zawadzki at Kings Place
The Memory Unwrapped concert at Kings Place paired the Solem Quartet’s precise rendition of Steve Reich’s “Different Trains” with Alice Zawadzki’s eclectic set of original songs and Kate Bush covers. Reich’s piece featured layered backing tracks and live quartet integration,...