Exciting, playful and inventive; saxophonist Art Themen has been a beloved character of the British jazz scene for over 60 years, famously combining his role as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon with saxophone duties in the bands of Alexis Korner and Stan Tracey among many others. Described by The Observer as “One of the tiny handful of undeniably perfect jazz musicians”, he remains as brilliant and inimitable as ever.
Rachael Cohen presents her international Trio featuring Joe Downard on double bass and New York drummer Jason Brown. Their unique sound is crafted around Cohen’s original music, with carefully selected standards making an appearance shrouded in cleverly written arrangements. A rare opportunity to see this outstanding trio.
Three thrilling improvisers come together to explore standards, original material and collective improvising in an intimate, one off night of music.
Come & join us for another special Mopomoso featuring Alati ~ Chris Dowding (trumpet), Brigitte Beraha (vocals) & Dave O’ Brien (piano) + Matt Rogers (voice) & Benedict Taylor (viola) + Sophie Sleigh-Johnson (voice, performance) & Adam Bohman (amplified objects)
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by four of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, tenor saxophonists Helena Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ a few guests), each one hosting one session on rotation.
After his ‘sold out’ debut concert at last year’s London Jazz Festival, pianist/composer Basil Hodge returns to The Vortex with his popular and powerful quartet featuring sax ace Riley Stone-Lonergan
Julian Woods and Caius Williams present a new improvising quintet, featuring Steve Beresford, Tom Challenger and Theo Guttenplan.
Playing a mixture of original compositions written by each member of the trio
Known for her powerful technique, wide-ranging imagination and exuberant performance, she has become a highly sought-after musician on the international jazz scene. A MOBO Award winner, Mercury Prize nominee and Ivor Novello Impact Award winner, Zoe is a unique presence in the British music industry.
Join MOJO and singer Catherine Lima for another fantastic mix of classic and contemporary big band tunes!
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by four of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, tenor saxophonists Helena Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ a few guests), 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.
Berlin-based saxophonist Phillip Dornbusch joins three of the most exciting and engaging musicians in the UK for a special concert.
Finnish jazz guitarist Olli Soikkeli returns to the Vortex for an evening of gypsy jazz with his trio featuring Eleazar Ruiz (double bass) and Steve Brown (drums).
Tonight, Sam Leak premieres new music—his first new compositions since 2020—with a new band featuring bassist Tom Farmer (Empirical) and NYC-based drummer Jason Brown (Cedar Walton).
Twice a month, join us on a journey to extend standard jazz repertoire for the 21st century.
John Etheridge’s reputation in the jazz world cannot be overstated. A genuinely virtuosic fusion guitarist, Etheridge is one of a handful of players who can claim to have helped shape the character of modern jazz guitar.
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by four of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, tenor saxophonists Helena Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ a few guests), each one hosting one session on rotation.
Elchin Shirinov is a jazz pianist, composer and arranger, originally from Azerbaijan. Most recently he was included in All About Jazz’s December 2022 poll of the top 200 favourite living pianists in the world. From 2018 to Oct 2022 he was a member of the famous jazz double bassist Avishai Cohen’s trio.
London based German violinist and singer Johanna Burnheart carves her own niche with a unique mix of modal jazz and electronic works.
For this project, world renowned tuba player and improvisor Oren Marshall takes us on a journey east to his Arabic roots and invites a jazz drummer and a master violinist from India to join him in spontaneous musical and cultural exchange.
Our monthly late night series brings songwriters together to perform in the round, hosted by Matthew Herd.
This month features the widely celebrated Scottish folk vocalist and songwriter Siobhan Miller.
Saxophonist Jean Toussaint presents a special edition of his quartet JT5
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by four of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, tenor saxophonists Helena Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ a few guests), each one hosting one session on rotation.
Award-winning saxophonist and recorder player Tom Ridout returns to the Vortex with his quintet featuring Billy Marrows (guitar), Harry Ashworth (piano), Conor Chaplin (bass) and Rod Oughton (drums).
The History of Cardenio is a symphonic poem whose characters go through betrayal, madness, loneliness and impossible love. Composed for trumpet, drums and double bass, the work retraces musically one of the stories contained in Cervantes’ Don Quixote, whose plot was brought to the stage by William Shakespeare.
Davis/Lockheart/Williams is a trio that shifts moment to moment, stitching together original compositions, and well known songs alike, with music that simultaneously offers explorative grace and the darkest depths of dirge.
Warm, reflective, open-hearted and lyrical jazz. A Hologram Maze is led by pianist/composer David Austin Grey.
Five of the UK’s finest improvisers, all close friends, who bring a deep sense of understanding and common purpose to each composition.
Come & join us for another special Mopomoso featuring Mark Hewins (gtr) & Alex Ward (gtr) + Neil Metcalfe (flute), Barry John Edwards (guitar) & Colin Somervell (bass) + Caroline Kraabel (saxophone) & Veryan Weston (piano)
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by four of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, tenor saxophonists Helena Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ a few guests), 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.
Matt Cook is a London based tenor saxophonist who established his quintet whilst at The Royal Academy of Music in London combining some of the most creative young musicians on the London jazz scene.
London based trumpeter/composer Grifton Forbes-Amos returns to the Vortex with his quintet featuring: James Akers (tenor sax), Jay Verma (piano), Nathan Dawkins (bass guitar) & Ayo Salawu (drums).
Guitarist Nick Costley-White returns with his trio featuring Josh Morrison on drums and Conor Chaplin on bass, this time with special guest, internationally renowned trumpeter Steve Fishwick. They’ll be playing contemporary jazz standards by the likes of Cedar Walton, Kenny Dorham and new original tunes.
Annie Whitehead arrived on the London jazz, pop and world music scene in the early 80’s. Since then she has brought her distinctive sound to a wide range of projects, exploring many different musical styles. These include, amongst many others: the Brotherhood of Breath, various groups with John Stevens, Elton Dean’s Newsense, the Penguin Café Orchestra, McCoy Tyner, Carla Bley, Abdullah Ibrahim, Jasper van t’ Hof, Louis Moholo, and Robert Wyatt.
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by four of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, tenor saxophonists Helena Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ a few guests), each one hosting one session on rotation.
Winner of the 2018 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the year, Xhosa Cole is an embodiment of the success of numerous community arts programmes in Birmingham including the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, Jazzlines Ensemble and Birmingham Music Service.
A finalist in BBC Young Jazz Musician 2022, Luke Bacchus is one of the most exciting emerging jazz musicians on the UK scene. Born and raised in London to Guyanese parents, Bacchus musically explores his Caribbean heritage as one of his major sources of inspiration.
Winner of the 2018 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the year, Xhosa Cole is an embodiment of the success of numerous community arts programmes in Birmingham including the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, Jazzlines Ensemble and Birmingham Music Service.
The Sam Norris Quartet brings together some of the most creative and distinctive young musicians on the UK jazz scene- pianist Jay Verma, double bassist Will Sach and drummer Harry Ling. Sam’s compositions fuse exploratory jazz improvisation, driving contemporary grooves and pensive classical chamber music.
Heidi Vogel vocalist with The Cinematic Orchestra has performed around the world from The Sydney Opera House to Fuji Rock and Headlining Montreux Jazz festival with Quincy Jones in attendance.
Local & Live in Hackney proudly present London-based band Awalé Jant. A blend of Afro-Latin, funk and soul with a unique Senegalese twist.
In their saxophone & piano duo line-up, Binker Golding & Elliot Galvin explore the art of free improvisation & experimental music. Expect adventurous ideas & musical risk from two of UK jazz’s most unique musicians.
A weekly session on Sunday evenings, the jams will be hosted by four of London’s finest: drummer Jas Kayser, pianist Rick Simpson, tenor saxophonists Helena Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan (+ a few guests), each one hosting one session on rotation.
Jim Rattigan presents his latest project: new compositions specially written for a superb jazz and string quartet. Experimenting with this non-traditional line-up to create vibrant, exhilarating music. Expect melodic French horn lines, space for improvisation, and complex yet accessible music.
Vocalist Clara Green makes her Vortex debut with a project under her own name, join the band for a night where the gripping earthy sounds of the north meets the London jazz scene.
This dynamic trio unites the musical forces of Berlin-based Phillip Dornbusch (tenor saxophone/clarinet) with London’s Olly Chalk (piano) and Will Glaser (drums). Together, they seek to navigate the razor-sharp corners of their energetic and vibrant compositions in a uniquely bass-less line up.
New York-based, London-born Alex Hitchcock is an immediately distinctive improviser and a leading voice on the saxophone on the international stage. Tonight, he returns to the Vortex with his quintet featuring trumpeter Alexandra Ridout.
Pianist/composer Hans Koller joins forces with double bassist Calum Gourlay, fellow founder member of the Monk repertoire band Thelonious, and with the unique trumpet virtuoso Byron Wallen, plus the amazing young drummer Sacha Harlan in a celebration of the music of Thelonious Monk.
Join us for the official launch event of “Vortex Lates”, a new series of events taking place in our downstairs bar from 10-1am every Friday or Saturday. A new late-night jazz hang for Dalston where you can grab a drink and listen to some of the best improvised musicians from around the city.