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Barbican announces final wave of EFG London Jazz Festival artists, free-to-attend concerts, and Jazz On Screen cinema programme for 2024 festival

EFG London Jazz Festival promotional image

Building on the array of already-announced acts for this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, the Barbican and Associate Producer Serious today announce the final wave of new performances and events as part of this year’s festival programme at the Barbican. Newly-announced events include a programme of free concerts on the Barbican FreeStage, and full line-ups for Charles Tolliver’s celebration of Max Roach @ 100 and for the final night celebration of South African jazz tradition and avant garde in Sikelela, 30 years on.... Alongside the EFG London Jazz Festival, the Barbican proudly presents the return of its successful cinema programme: Jazz On Screen, a captivating series that delves into the intersection of jazz and film, celebrating the rich legacy of jazz as portrayed through British television in the 1970s and beyond.

In addition, and for the first time, Barbican Associate Producer Serious and the EFG London Jazz Festival also today announce The Jazz Social, a brand-new pop-up venue, bar and hub space located in Citypoint, just around the corner from the Barbican which will be open from the Monday 11 to Sunday 24 November. Find out more here.

FULL LINE UP OF EFG LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL 2024 CONCERTS AT THE BARBICAN: 

Pat Metheny: Dream Box (Fri 15 & Sat 16 Nov 2024, Barbican Hall, 7.30pm) 

 

BARBICAN FREESTAGE EVENTS

Each year, the Barbican FreeStage, our temporary stage on Level G in the Barbican Foyers plays host to a wide variety of jazz musicians - from international stars to emerging talent. The performances take place across both weekends of the EFG London Jazz Festival and are free and unticketed for all.

Jazz out of Norway: LILJA + Nils Økland
Saturday 16 November, 3pm
Barbican FreeStage
Free and unticketed

Two exceptional artists from Norway’s vibrant jazz scene bring their innovative blend of traditional melodies and modern rhythms to the Barbican FreeStage.

A gifted composer and guitarist, Norwegian artist LILJA (Oddrun Lilja) has been making waves on the jazz scene with her multifaceted ensemble. LILJA’s debut album Marble (Jazzland Recordings, 2020), was critically acclaimed in her homeland, while her 2023 follow up Mirage (Jazzland Recordings, 2023), featuring eclectic collaborations with musicians from Sápmi, Brazil, Morocco and Pakistan, was nominated for the Norwegian Grammy Award.

One of Norway’s most celebrated players of Hardanger fiddle and violin, Nils Økland has been forging new paths in traditional music for the last 35 years. His music bridges the worlds of traditional folk with contemporary. He is joined by his son, artist and producer Henrik Økland, performing on the traditional Norwegian flute.

Presented by Serious
Find out more

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Melbourne Int’l Jazz Festival presents: Bumpy, Kristin Berardi, and Alexander Flood 
Sunday 17 November, 5pm
Barbican FreeStage
Free and unticketed

Celebrating the diverse sounds of the Australian jazz scene, Melbourne International Jazz Festival are proud to showcase three exceptional artists from down under: award-winning composer, vocalist and Noongar woman Bumpy; vocalist Kristin Berardi, joined by double bassist Lukas Traxel; and drummer Alexander Flood who mines the depths of nu-jazz, house, broken beat, drum ‘n’ bass, funk and experimental sounds to create a rousing live set.

Presented in collaboration with MIJF, Creative Australia, Creative Victoria (Melbourne), and Vizard Foundation.
Find out more

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London Louisiana presents Whiskey Moonface + 10 Bells Rag Band
Saturday 23 November, 5pm
Barbican FreeStage
Free and unticketed

To accompany Take Me To The River in the Barbican Hall, the FreeStage will play host to an evening of New Orleans-inspired music, played through the lens of two London-based groups. Comprising double bass, accordion, and clarinet, Whiskey Moonface are led by the superb vocals and hallucinatory lyrics of singer Louisa Jones. Both entertaining and moving, they combine elements of Eastern European traditional and klezmer music, old-time New Orleans jazz and the baroque/chamber folk styles of Sufjan Stevens and Beirut with their own unique take on contemporary folk music.

Hailing from East London, the Ten Bells Rag Band play traditional jazz rooted in the streets of New Orleans. NOLA jazz from the soul of Frenchman Street... via the Mile End Road!

Presented by Serious
Find out more

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‘Round Midnight
Sunday 24 November, 3pm
Barbican FreeStage
Free and unticketed

BBC Radio 3’s ‘Round Midnight and presenter and saxophonist Soweto Kinch curate and host a special edition of their live radio show, featuring exciting artists in town for the EFG London Jazz Festival.

‘Round Midnight is BBC Radio 3's new weekday evening (23:30-00:30hrs) jazz show, celebrating the best in jazz from all eras and around the globe, with a particular focus on new UK artists.

'Round Midnight is a Folded Wing production for BBC Radio 3.

Presented by Serious
Find out more

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FULL LINE-UP DETAILS ANNOUNCED FOR:

Charles Tolliver celebrates Max Roach @ 100
Monday 18 November, 7.30pm
Barbican Hall
Tickets from £25

Pioneering bebop drummer Max Roach’s inimitable style has influenced generations of drummers. In what would have been Roach’s 100th year, trumpeter, arranger, and bandmate Charles Tolliver remembers his career and influence.

In 1967, early in his career, Tolliver was invited to join Max Roach’s group where he played the trumpet for several years and formed a lifelong musical relationship with the drummer. In 1971, Roach asked Tolliver to create a drum suite adaptation of an old Spiritual ‘Singin ’Wid a Sword In My Hand’ from the James Weldon Johnson book of Spirituals. It premiered that year at the Montreux Jazz Festival, featuring Roach, Tolliver, and Stanley Cowell.

For this special tribute night, Tolliver will be joined by Darrell Green on drums, Camille Thurman on tenor saxophone and an all-star UK big band led by Tony Kofi for a spectacular new show that will include not just the drum suite, but renditions of quintessential songs from the Max Roach/Clifford Brown Quintet Albums, followed by protest songs from Roach’s albums We Insist!, Percussion Bitter Sweet, and Members Don’t Get Weary.

Full line-up: 

Charles Tolliver – director, trumpet
Darrel Green – drums
Camille Thurman – tenor saxophone, vocals

A Big Band of London’s Finest, including:  

Tony Kofi (alto/soprano saxophone & MD), Donovan Haffner (alto saxophone/clarinet), Jean Toussaint (tenor saxophone), Denys Baptiste (tenor saxophone/clarinet), Charles Rothwell (baritone saxophone/bass clarinet), Josh Short (lead trumpet), Byron Wallen (trumpet), Dan Coulthurst (trumpet), Alexander Polack (trumpet), Matt Seddon (trombone), Harry Brown (trombone), James Wade Sired (trombone), Richard Henry (bass trombone), Danny Piers (piano) & Larry Bartley (double bass).

Produced by the Barbican and Serious, part of EFG London Jazz Festival

Find out more

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Sikelela, 30 years on… A celebration of the South African jazz tradition and avant garde
Sunday 24 November, 7.30pm
Barbican Hall
Tickets from £20

In the 30th anniversary year of democracy in South Africa, the EFG London Jazz Festival celebrates the avant-garde music coming out of this inspirational musical landscape. Taking the cue from the word ‘Sikelela’ meaning ‘blessing’ – the first word of the South African national anthem – this event celebrates a tradition of Ingoma as a practice in the intimate exercise of liberation in action.

This special concert invites the visionaries from the current scene, referred to as the New School of Jazz from South Africa. Working with duos and trios is a curatorial homage to the constraints of existing in one of the most unequal nations on the planet. These formats support intimacy by bringing together practitioners who capture the essence of a nation coming to terms with 30 years of freedom – a liberation Letta Mbuli aptly sums up as "Not yet Uhuru."

The performance is curated by The Brother Moves On’s Siyabonga Mthembu, and pianist, composer, and singer Thandi Ntuli, and brings together a stellar line-up including Bokani Dyer, Thandiswa Mazwai, Keenen Myer, Chelsea Carmichael, and Soweto Kinch.

  • Opening act: Thandi Ntuli (solo) ft Thandiswa Mazwai 
  • Second act: Bokani Dyer, Keenan Meyer, and Soweto Kinch 
  • Final act: The Brother Moves On, ft Chelsea Carmicheal and Zu

Produced by Serious, part of EFG London Jazz Festival

Read more about the project here and visit the Barbican event page here

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JAZZ ON SCREEN CINEMA PROGRAMME 

Coinciding with the EFG London Jazz Festival, the Barbican proudly presents Jazz On Screen, a captivating series that delves into the intersection of jazz and film. This programme celebrates the rich legacy of jazz as portrayed through British television in the 1970s and beyond. Through rare archival footage and thought-provoking discussions, So Watt: Jazz and Improvisation on British TV revisits the groundbreaking moments when jazz innovators boldly redefined the genre's boundaries on screen. Complementing this exploration are screenings that honour jazz legends like Max Roach and Duke Ellington, whose powerful music continues to resonate globally. Join us for a journey through the sights and sounds that have shaped jazz's enduring influence on culture and media.

So Watt: Jazz and Improvisation on British TV
Barbican Cinema 3
16 Nov, 2.30-5.45pm   

Noi insistiamo! Suite per la libertà subito + Black Sun
Max Roach @ 100
Barbican Cinema 2
17 Nov, 3.30-5.30pm

Symphonies in Black: Duke Ellington Shorts
Barbican Cinema 3
23 Nov, 2.00-3.30pm

Barbican Cinema Programmer, Matthew Barrington says: “The EFG London Jazz Festival has always been about celebrating the transformative power of jazz, and this year’s Jazz On Screen series is a perfect reflection of that mission. These films not only capture the essence of jazz as a dynamic and ever-evolving art form but also highlight its profound influence on culture and media. Through rare and iconic performances, we’re offering audiences a unique opportunity to witness the magic of jazz in a whole new light.”

More information can be found here. Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 18 September.

Contacts

Ed Maitland Smith, Communications Manager for Music: e – [email protected] t – 0203 834 1115

Lucy Thraves, Communications Officer for Music: e - [email protected]

Simone Gibbs, Communications Assistant for Music: e - [email protected]

Documents
Full press release PDF 260.02 kb