Since Jean Toussaint Left Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, he hasn’t looked back. Nor has he spent a career trying to repeat the past. The experiences gained in that world-class hothouse have enabled him to push forward and embrace challenging and often high-profile musical collaborations in many different jazz styles. Today he works out of London, England as a composer, tenor and soprano saxophonist, band leader and educator.
FUUG are Roberto Cippitelli (Juggernaut), Dave Morecroft (WorldService Project) and Emanuele Tomasi (Nohaybanda).
Award-winning tenor saxophonist Harben Kay celebrates the release of their third album, The World I Live In — out October 3 — a powerful reflection on change and the creativity that emerges in times of transformation.
Filippo Ieraci Trio presents an evening of modern jazz with a distinctive voice. Since coming together in 2020 with Simone Serafini on double bass and Jacopo Zanette on drums, the trio has become a platform for Filippo’s original music—blending the language of jazz with the raw energy of rock and pop, the music that first drew him to the guitar.
Rwandan-born Belgian vocalist and composer Ineza presents IBUKA, her debut album of original music that blends contemporary jazz with neo-soul and folk. Her sound is defined by vibrant harmonies and intimate storytelling, with voice and saxophone in constant conversation. The band’s improvisation adds immediacy and vitality to every performance.
Asha Parkinson makes a rare London appearance with a cut down version of her Kalpadruma ensemble. This sextet line-up features saxophone, qanun, piano, bass, drums, and voice. The group weaves together jazz, Mediterranean, Arabic, and chamber music traditions, creating a space where music crosses cultural boundaries and explores the universal search for love, devotion, and human connection.
Almost three years to the day, one of Ireland’s improvising masters Paul G. Smyth returns with the incomparable pairing of John Edwards and Mark Sanders, marking their 10th anniversary as a trio.
Shabaka is a multi-instrumentalist and composer who came to prominence within the London scene playing bands Sons of Kemet, the Comet is Coming and Shabaka and the Ancestors.
About Join us for a fun-filled day of learning and jamming at the Vortex! The Nick Costley-White Trio will be leading interactive workshops for young jazz enthusiasts looking to hone their skills. This is a great opportunity to learn from talented musicians and meet other young jazz lovers. Don’t miss out on this exciting event! Guitarist […]
Playing a mixture of original compositions written by each member of the trio.
“Excellent Bassist, with a distinct Mingus-like drive to his propulsive bass lines”___ Time Out
The LJO welcome for an opening set guests Jazzhaus Jugendorchester from Freiburg, Germany. Made up of the best young musicians from the southwest of the country, they perform across Germany and Switzerland, have made tours to the USA and France, and appear in the UK for the first time.
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by some of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, guitarist Nick Costley-White, trumpeter Sean Gibbs and tenor saxophonists Harben Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ sometimes a few guest leaders) each one hosting one session on rotation.
The Commission for New and Old Art, and Riot Ensemble presents PIERROT.
Repertoire will be Arnold Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire, and Hanns Eisler’s Fourteen Ways to Describe the Rain.
American trombonist Steve Swell comes to the UK as part of the Paul Dunmall Invites series run by TDE Promotions in Birmingham in which Paul Dunmall invites key improvisers to join him in an improvised session.
The Anemone Quartet is a brand new collaboration, featuring four of the most exciting and powerful improvisers on the UK scene, with double bassist Olie Brice; pianist/vocalist Laura Cole; drummer Johnny Hunter; and clarinettist/saxophonist/vocalist Faye MacCalman. The quartet features compositions from each musician, and also draws on free improvisation, photographs, poetry and spoken word.
The first gig in the new Whirlpool series for 25/26. A chance to hear some of the best young musicians coming out of the London scene.
Lukas DeRungs is an award winning pianist-composer hailing from Mannheim, Germany. His second album ‘Wake’ was released in February 2025 and sees him return to a quintet setting, alongside 4 of his favourite improvising musicians.
We’ve lived in a van for six months, her name is Vanyah. This evening we will drive in and park up to share with you our best anecdotes and the songs we’ve written along the way.
Tonight is the launch for James Allsopp’s brand new album “Stars and Sand” which is being released on Vibe Collide records.
Reimagining jazz repertoire for the 21st century.
About Join us for a fun-filled day of learning and jamming at the Vortex! The Nick Costley-White Trio will be leading interactive workshops for young jazz enthusiasts looking to hone their skills. This is a great opportunity to learn from talented musicians and meet other young jazz lovers. Don’t miss out on this exciting event! Guitarist […]
Calum Gourlay’s Big Band makes a return to The Vortex. Playing all original music written over the last year whilst Calum has been working with large ensembles at Trinity Laban.
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by some of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, guitarist Nick Costley-White, trumpeter Sean Gibbs and tenor saxophonists Harben Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ sometimes a few guest leaders) each one hosting one session on rotation.
Welcoming and relaxed, come for a drink, sit back and enjoy the music, or bring your horns, sticks and strings to join in during the second set. First set from house band: David Miller (saxophone), Davide Melis (piano), Duncan McKenzie (bass) & Bobby James (drums) followed by a jam session till close. Entry is free […]
First public performance in the UK for this collaborative trio which first played together in 2023, in a meeting subsequently released as their debut CD “ACTIVITY”.
Based between London & Berlin, guitarist and composer David Preston has been described by the Guardian as “Virtuosic” and TimeOut as “A superb modern jazz guitarist”.
Rachael Cohen, a London-based alto saxophonist and composer, is one of the brightest emerging stars of her generation. Her skills as a composer and improviser have gained her a great deal of attention in the UK and beyond.
Our monthly series brings together some of the most prominent voices in contemporary songwriting, hosted by Matthew Herd. This month we welcome the brilliant, jazz and folk influenced Mari Green.
For this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, NYJO invited Axel Kaner-Lidstrom, founder and MD of Levitation Orchestra, to work with NYJO musicians to create a set of high-energy original music, inspired by the collective’s unique egalitarian approach to music making and dynamic live shows.
For this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, NYJO invited Axel Kaner-Lidstrom, founder and MD of Levitation Orchestra, to work with NYJO musicians to create a set of high-energy original music, inspired by the collective’s unique egalitarian approach to music making and dynamic live shows.
The LJO Vortex Sessions is London’s longest jazz residency. To celebrate the magnificent band’s 35th anniversary season, they survey highlights from their huge library.
Future Myth is a bold new project from pianist and composer Rick Simpson, bringing together ten of the UK’s most compelling improvisers for an exploration of collective spontaneity and Simpson’s own written material.
Mopomoso is the UK’s longest running concert series dedicated to freely improvised music!
A world-premiere international collaboration between three singular artists reshaping the boundaries of sound and genre.
Alice Leggett returns to the Vortex with her quintet feat. James Copus, Rick Simpson, Freddie Jensen & James Maddren, playing a combination of material from her debut album ‘Birdsong’ as well as some new material.
Singer, songwriter & instrumentalist Fini Bearman presents a very special, one-off night as part of the London Jazz Festival, celebrating songwriters working in the spaces between jazz, soul & pop-folk music. Fini will be joined by very special guest, Michelle Willis, who will be performing songs from her new album, ‘Rich is the Wanderer’ (2025).
Crow Culture are a trio made up of guitarists James Kitchman and Tara Cunningham, and drummer Will Glaser.
Queer Jazz exists to platform, nurture and celebrate the emerging queer jazz scene. Programmed by Tina Edwards and Arowah, they have put together an exciting monthly programme of innovative LGBTQI+ artists at The Vortex Jazz Club, supported by Arts Council England.
This collaborative quartet features four of the most highly regarded jazz improvisers in Europe, specially brought together for this unique London Jazz Festival performance.
Yorkshire-born Sam Newbould leads an award winning five piece international line-up emerging from the vibrant Amsterdam jazz scene. Hot on the heels of a successful Scotland tour in April 2025, the band are returning to the UK to premiere brand new music for their upcoming fourth album.
A preeminent figure on the British jazz scene for the last five decades, bassist, bandleader and Co-Founder of Tomorrow’s Warriors, Gary Crosby OBE brings his new project, Africa Space Programme, to Vortex as part of this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival.
Nikki Yeoh’s Infinitum is a long-standing jazz trio project featuring Yeoh on piano alongside brothers Michael (bass) and Mark Mondesir (drums). Tonight’s special appearance at the EFG London Jazz Festival promises to be a night of fire.
Alex Hitchcock is a London-born saxophonist, composer, arranger, and producer based in New York. He leads a group formed especially for this London Jazz Festival performance.
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by some of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, guitarist Nick Costley-White, trumpeter Sean Gibbs and tenor saxophonists Harben Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ sometimes a few guest leaders) each one hosting one session on rotation.
Welcoming and relaxed, come for a drink, sit back and enjoy the music, or bring your horns, sticks and strings to join in during the second set. First set from house band: David Miller (saxophone), Davide Melis (piano), Duncan McKenzie (bass) & Bobby James (drums) followed by a jam session till close. Entry is free […]
The Whirlpool series continues for its third season. Tonight’s gig focuses on the music of trombonist Olivia Hughes. A recent graduate of Trinity Laban, she is heard regularly around London, playing with the likes of Michael Formanek, Hans Koller and Bruno Heinen.
ENEMY is the technicolor Berlin/London based piano trio featuring pianist Kit Downes, bassist Petter Eldh and drummer James Maddren.
Matt Cook is an award-winning tenor saxophonist from London that has been described in JazzJournal Magazine as ‘Spectacular’ as well as likened to maestro saxophonists such as Wayne Shorter (London Jazz News 2020) and Mark Turner (Marlbank 2024).
Orchard return to the Vortex Jazz Club to release their new single, and celebrate the exciting musical journey that their next EP will bring.
Drummer Shaney Forbes is the co-leader of the extraordinary multi award winning quartet/collective ‘Empirical’. Shane has a driving style that is full of textures and cultural influences from all over the world.