EFG London Jazz Festival

London's finest Jazz festival brings musicians from all over the globe into the capital - from jazz masters flexing their chops to cutting edge bands making a stir.

The EFG London Jazz Festival – presented by our Associate Producer Serious – comprises hundreds of gigs across the city and sees jazz popping up everywhere, from concert halls to street corners.

Celebrating over 30 years of the festival at the Barbican with live performances lined up from a host of exciting musicians from across the globe – in both our concert Hall and free performances in our foyer spaces.

Events

Phronesis enjoying an afternoon in the sun

Event

Contemporary music

Phronesis + Engines Orchestra

Past event

Sun 12 Nov 2017, 19:30

Forward-thinking trio Phronesis are joined by cross-genre ensemble Engines Orchestra as they perform new music from renowned composer Dave Maric.

Brad Mehldau briefly stops playing piano to admire Chris Thile's mandolin mastery

Event

Contemporary music

Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau

Past event

Sun 12 Nov 2017, 19:30

The seemingly disparate worlds of Jazz piano and Bluegrass mandolin come together in perfect harmony as Thile and Mehldau perform music from their recent collaborative record.

Event

Cinema

Together (PG) + Live score + Panel discussion

Past event

Sun 12 Nov 2017, 16:00

A special screening of the dialogue-free ‘Free Cinema’ classic presented with a newly-commissioned live jazz score for saxophone and percussion.

Event

Contemporary music

Roland Perrin: Rio Amazonas

Past event

Sun 12 Nov 2017, 15:00

Jazz harmonies, Brazilian grooves and Baroque counterpoint combine in the London premiere of a new choral symphony by composer and pianist Roland Perrin.

Photo of group of people playing saxophone

Event

Contemporary music Tours & public spaces

Next Generation Takes Over

Past event

Sun 12 Nov 2017, 14:00

An afternoon celebrating what could just be the future of Jazz, with some of the capital's finest young ensembles.

Event

Contemporary music

Zakir Hussain – Crosscurrents

Past event

Sat 11 Nov 2017, 19:30

Tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain explores how Jazz influenced the popular music of India alongside Dave Holland and Chris Potter.

Event

Contemporary music Tours & public spaces

Bilal Karaman + Evrencan Gündüz

Past event

Sat 11 Nov 2017, 17:00

An adventurous double-bill on the EFG London Jazz Festival FreeStage, reflecting the individual qualities in today’s Turkish jazz scene.

Film still from Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Event

Cinema

Les Liaisons Dangereuses (15)

Past event

Sat 11 Nov 2017, 16:00

We pay tribute to the legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk’s centenary and the recent passing of the actress Jeanne Moreau with a screening of this daring film that brought their artistry together.

Event

Contemporary music

Chucho Valdes + Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Past event

Sat 11 Nov 2017, 14:30

The leaders of two generations of Cuban piano perform together, ‘tossing sly musical one-liners back and forth’ (New York Times).

Pat Thomas and Orphy Robinson hanging out together

Event

Contemporary music

Black Top + Guests: Basquiat and Jazz

Past event

Fri 10 Nov 2017, 19:30

Black Top – Orphy Robinson and Pat Thomas – bring together a mix of guest artists to explore the cultural dynamic which links Free-Jazz to the vividly resonant paintings of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Event

Contemporary music

An evening with Pat Metheny

Past event

Fri 10 Nov 2017, 19:30

The jazz guitarist brings a brand new band and a brand new set of music to the Hall.

Event

Contemporary music Tours & public spaces

Jazz FM Live

Past event

Fri 10 –Sat 18 Nov 2017

Jazz FM will be broadcasting live from the Barbican throughout this year's festival.

Listen

Samara Joy standing against a blue background

Listen: EFG London Jazz Festival 2023 on Spotify

Get a taster for the spectrum of global talent gracing the stage this November.

Listen

Read

Long read: the British Jazz explosion

Francis Gooding explores the birth of the British jazz scene and introduces the faces of a new wave.

Read

a great photo of kamasi washington playing jazz

Listen: Jazz on Spotify

Follow our regularly updated Jazz playlist for a sample of the music you'll hear across our programme.

Barbican Sessions: Shabaka Hutchings

For our latest Barbican Session, one of the central figures of the London jazz scene, Shabaka Hutchings performs an improvised piece on bass clarinet.

Barbican Meets: Jason Moran

Composer, pianist and visual artist Jason Moran talks to us about early jazz pioneer and African American soldier, James Reese Europe.

Venue Hire

What we offer

Barbican Immersive Exhibitions

Saved events

EFG London Jazz Festival

Events

Phronesis + Engines Orchestra

Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau

Together (PG) + Live score + Panel discussion

Roland Perrin: Rio Amazonas

Next Generation Takes Over

Zakir Hussain – Crosscurrents

Bilal Karaman + Evrencan Gündüz

Les Liaisons Dangereuses (15)

Chucho Valdes + Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Black Top + Guests: Basquiat and Jazz

An evening with Pat Metheny

Jazz FM Live

Listen

Listen: EFG London Jazz Festival 2023 on Spotify

Read

Long read: the British Jazz explosion

Listen: Jazz on Spotify

Barbican Sessions: Shabaka Hutchings

Barbican Meets: Jason Moran

Venue Hire

What we offer

Barbican Immersive Exhibitions

Saved events

EFG London Jazz Festival

Events

Phronesis + Engines Orchestra

Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau

Together (PG) + Live score + Panel discussion

Roland Perrin: Rio Amazonas

Next Generation Takes Over

Zakir Hussain – Crosscurrents

Bilal Karaman + Evrencan Gündüz

Les Liaisons Dangereuses (15)

Chucho Valdes + Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Black Top + Guests: Basquiat and Jazz

An evening with Pat Metheny

Jazz FM Live

Listen

Read

Listen: Jazz on Spotify

Barbican Sessions: Shabaka Hutchings

Barbican Meets: Jason Moran

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