Jazz Stroud, The Goods Shed, Stroud, England 9-12 April
Seed, Marysia Osu, Danalogue, Neffa T, Neue Grafik, Allysha Joy, Falle Nioke, New Regency Orchestra, Laura Jurd Quartet, Bel Cobain, Let Spin, Ancient Infinity Orchestra, Footshooter, Joicey Collective, Liam Large, Analogue Lounge, Lovellious, Medina and more.
Knats, Resolution 88, Richard Spaven, Tomorrow’s Warriors and more.
City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival, at venues across Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland 29 April-4 May
Muireann Bradley, Curtis Stigers, Leo Richardson, Tommy Halferty, Guy Davis, Sylvie Noble, the Hannes Riepler Quartet, Camille Rose Quartet, Phil Robson Trio, Riley Stone-Lonergan Quartet, Rick Simpson Quartet, Kadi Tatham, Echtra, The Jive Aces, Ursula McHugh and more plus masterclasses and special events.
Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Cheltenham, England 29 April-4 May
James Morrison; Van Morrison; Jessie J; ABC; Joss Stone; The Earth Wind & Fire Experience by Al McKay; 10cc; Jack Savoretti; Mica Paris with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra; Miles Davis Symphonic: Kind of Blue – Guy Barker Big Band & BBC Concert Orchestra; Jalen Ngonda; Nigel Kennedy; Joshua Redman; The Puppini Sisters; Bill Frisell & Eyvind Kang; Courtney Pine; Georgia Cécile – American Songbook; Lady Blackbird; DJ Yoda; Gotts Street Park; Blue Lab Beats; Emma-Jean Thackray; Tinariwen; Makaya McCraven; Gentleman’s Dub Club; Roberto Fonseca; Nectar Woode; Kim Cypher featuring Ashley Slater; The Big Family Gig; The Easy Rollers; Giacomo Smith; Elysia Biro; China Moses; Yazz Ahmed (Tony Dudley Evans Commission); Theon Cross; Camilla George; Emma Rawicz; Black Sabbath Mode; RBC & Siena collaboration; Ladies of Midnight Blue; Elaine Mitchener and more.
Ballydehob Jazz Festival, West County Cork, Ireland 30 April-4 May
Twenty years, 345 residents, 8,000 visitors and a village that becomes the beating heart of jazz, street theatre, circus, dance, and art. Expect five headline concerts including premieres by the Paul Dunlea Quintet and Benji Bower, late-night club sessions, a free music trail across pubs and streets, giant puppets, circus aerials, jazz funerals, family workshops, and a swirl of creativity that only Ballydehob can conjure. Dunlea was inspiring on Pharos last year, one of the top Irish jazz releases.
Bray Jazz Festival, Bray and Greystones, Ireland 1-3 May
Fred Hersch trio, Harold López-Nussa, Roberto Fonseca, Eddie Henderson, Tommy Halferty Quartet, Mike Nielsen’s Sound Recipes, Cerys Hafana, Zaska and more to be announced.
Manchester Jazz Festival, Manchester, England 15-24 May
Andy Sheppard trio, Cassie Kinoshi’s Seed, Orchestra Mambo International, Tom Cawley and Sarsen Drift, Women in Jazz photography exhibition, Yellowjackets, Bel Cobain, Lau Noah, Tony Kofi and Denys Baptiste Quintet, Cotonete, Nout, China Moses
Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival, Devon, England 22-25 May
Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Emeli Sandé, Macy Gray, Incognito plus festival fringe acts.
Lichfield Jazz Weekender, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield, England 4-7 June
The James Taylor Quartet, Antonio Forcione Trio, The Ben Holder Quartet, Gaz Hughes and more.
Highworth Jazz Festival, Highworth, Wiltshire, England 6 June
Tony Kofi, Snowboy and the Latin Section, Ray Gelato, Jessica Lauren, Vimala Rowe and more
Wycombe Jazz Festival, Brunel Engine Shed, High Wycombe 6 June
Soweto Kinch, Yazz Ahmed, Aaron Liddard, MLN Ensemble
Newcastle Jazz Festival, Live Theatre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England 26-27 June
Laura Jurd, Clark Tracey, Outri, Mark Toomey, Alexia Gardner, Rory Ingham
Love Supreme, Glynde Place, East Sussex, England 3-5 July
Loyle Carner, Ezra Collective, De La Soul, Gabrielle, The Four Tops, Samara Joy, Courtney Pine, Bill Frisell trio feat. Gregory Tardy, Kokoroko, Esperanza Spalding, Joe Lovano and many more.
Buxton International Festival Jazz Weekender, England 9-12 July
Courtney Pine, Laura Jurd, Denys Baptise Tony Kofi Quintet, Andrew McCormack Trio, Zoë Gilby with Andy Champion, Johnny Hunter Trio featuring Nat Birchall, Mario Bakuna Band, Josephine Davies – Satori Quartet featuring Alcyona Mick, Noa Levy, Alan Barnes and The Paul Edis Trio, Alina Bzhezhinska HipHarpCollective Quintet, Darius Brubeck Quartet, Fraser Fifield Secret Path Trio, Olivia Moore and Adam Fairhall, Arun Ghosh Quintet.
Mostly Jazz, Birmingham, England 10-12 July
Cymande, Sampa the Great, Daniel Casimir Big Band, Emma-Jean Thackray and more.
Swanage Jazz Festival, Dorset, England 10-12 July
Jo Harrop Quartet, Joe Webb Trio, John Etheridge/Christian Garrick, Pete Roth Trio with Bill Bruford, Yetii and many others
Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland 17-26 July
Jools Holland, Tuba Skinny, Davina & The Vagabonds, Brian Kellock A Life in Music, Jerron Paxton, London Afrobeat Collective and more. The full EJBF26 programme will be announced on Tuesday 28 April, with tickets going on sale on Thursday 30 April.
Sligo International Summer School and Festival, Sligo, Ireland 21-26 July
Artists in residence are Aaron Parks and Sun-Mi Hong. Mike Nielsen leads the faculty. This year’s faculty includes Lucia Cadotsch, Elina Duni, Emma Rawicz, Gareth Lockrane, Darren Beckett, Rob Luft, Jasper Høiby, Freddie Hendrix and Paul Dunlea.
Brecon Jazz Festival, Brecon, Wales 6-9 August
Courtney Pine, Emma Smith, Liane Carroll, Jacqui Dankworth Trio and more.
Lancaster Jazz Festival, Lancaster, England 9-13 September
Details of the line-up to follow.
Isle of Wight Jazz Weekend, Isle of Wight, England 16-20 Sept
Alan Barnes’ Reed-O-Rama, Liane Carroll Trio, Steve Waterman “Celebrating Miles” Octet, Matt Skelton “Blackhawk” Quintet, Bass to Face: Claire Martin and Laurence Cottle, Cameron Rossi Quartet and more.
Scarborough Jazz Festival, Scarborough, England 25-27 Sept
Barry Green’s Expansion: McCoy Tyner Project, Shirley Smart Sextet, David Newton Trio, Levitation Orchestra, Benet McLean Quintet, Brigitte Beraha with Alan Barnes and Barry Green, Xhosa Cole Quartet, Rory Ingham’s Trombone Assembly, Lady Nade sings Nina Simone, Bryan Corbett presents The Instrumental Groove Unit, Alina Bzhezhinska – HipHarpCollective featuring Tony Kofi, Ian Shaw and Liane Carroll, Alan Barnes + 11 and more.
Leyburn Jazz Festival, Yorkshire, England 15-18 October
Alexia Gardner trio, Ben Shankland trio, Will Barnes quartet and more.
EFG London Jazz Festival, London, England 13-22 Nov
Samara Joy, Fatoumata Diawara, Coltrane 100: Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Linda May Han Oh, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Kronos Quartet, Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves Celebrate John Coltrane, Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez, Emma-Jean Thackray: Dear Miles – A Love Letter, Sam Gendel & Sam Wilkes, Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra, GoGo Penguin, Fergus McCreadie, Prep, Emma Rawicz’s Cloudwalker, Rymden, The Meltdown and more
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