Events

Acknowledged as one of the UK’s most versatile and creative cellists, trailblazing cellist and composer Shirley Smart’s sextet features a heady blend of North African and Middle Eastern grooves and jazz.

Ronan Guilfoyle who has been a major figure in Irish jazz for more than thirty years, presents Bemusement Arcade, his innovative new quartet devoted to expanding the rhythmic language of jazz via the tradition of blues, swing and standards.

Di-Cysgodion, led by Welsh bass player/composer Huw V Williams features Mike De Souza and Billy Marrows both on electric guitar, Jay Davis on drums and Huw V Williams completing the line up on electric bass.

Gareth Lockrane is a flautist, pianist, composer/arranger and educator and has had a richly diverse life as musician since studying jazz at the Royal Academy of Music in the 1990s (and also a masters in film scoring at the National Film & Television School), working in many different collaborations and projects.

Unfortunately, due to illness, Lulu Pierre is no longer able to perform at the Vortex this coming Saturday.
However, pianist/MD Alex Webb has programmed the excellent Anglo-Italian vocalist Francesca Mondi for an evening of classic songs, Brazilian flavours and touching ballads.

Come & join us for another magical Mopomoso featuring this month: John Butcher (sax), Phil Durrant (mandolin/electronics) & Mark Wastell (percussion) + N.O.Moore (guitar), Dom Lash (bass) & Roger Turner (percussion) + Mike Adcock (accordion/piano) & Stuart Wilding (percussion) 

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.

Come and hear the great improvisers of the future share their talent in a programme led by Moss Freed and Academy alumnus Chris Williams. This programme represents the culmination of workshops with this special group of Royal Academy of Music students.

Hailing from Hackney, East London, pianist Jesse Doniach is quickly emerging as one of the bright young talents in London’s vibrant jazz scene. Graduating from Trinity Laban conservatoire in 2021, he has since accumulated a breadth of performance experience.

Swing You Sinners is inspired by the collectivism heard in the early jazz recordings of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet and Cab Calloway, and how these tunes can be brought kicking and screaming into the 21st century by a group of forward-thinking improvisers: Andrew Woodhead, George Crowley, Sam Wooster, Nick Jurd & Jeff Williams.

An up-and-coming quartet hailing from around the UK and beyond, RA are coming to the Vortex! Taking influence from jazz, world and free music we provide an eclectic, vibrant sound fusing strong, driven rhythms with broad and expansive melodies.

Join us for a very memorable evening bringing together three of London’s finest jazz artists celebrating the art of the ballad!

Playing a wide array of tunes from English Renaissance Melodies to American Spirituals, trumpet player Laura Jurd is joined by her regular trio of Ruth Goller – bass and Corrie Dick – drums, alongside special guest James Kitchman on guitar.

Inhabiting their own stylistic realm which encompasses Mediterranean folk song, chamber music, improvisation and the world of acoustic jazz, this trio comprises the award-winning singer, violinist and songwriter Alice Zawadzki; multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Fred Thomas; and jazz bassist and composer Misha Mullov-Abbado.

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.

Join this stellar line up of Tom Barford (Bill McHenry, Gerald Cleaver, Billy Cobham), James Copus (Jacob Collier, Orlando Le Flemming, Mingus Big Band), Ivo Neame (Hermeto Pascoal, Kenny Wheeler and Gilad Hekselman), Tim Giles (Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, Bobby Wellins) and Dave Whitford (Marc Coplan, Bill Frisell, Dave Liebman, Chris Cheek) as they play an exciting set of Tom’s new original material.

Dom Pusey Trio’s music unapologetically harks back to the classic organ trio sound, whilst pushing in a modern direction, equally influenced by soul, rock and the BAM tradition.

A London-based guitarist Jakub Klimiuk celebrates the release of his quintet’s latest album ’(un)balanced’. The band, joined by the outstanding saxophonist Mark Lockheart as a special guest, will perform Jakub’s original compositions that blends melodic themes with experimental sonic escapades, merging scripted forms and improvised sections.

Blistering sounds from this quintet of veterans of the London free improvisation scene. Their first performance since the release of ‘Do Disturb’ on Matchless Recordings in 2023.

Multi-award winning young saxophonist & composer Emma Rawicz returns to the Vortex with a formidable quintet featuring: Ivo Neame (piano), Jim Hart (vibraphone), Kevin Glasgow (bass) and Marc Michel (drums).

Multi-award winning young saxophonist & composer Emma Rawicz returns to the Vortex with a formidable quintet featuring: Ivo Neame (piano), Jim Hart (vibraphone), Kevin Glasgow (bass) and Marc Michel (drums).

A swarming mix of saxophones and brass sit on top of a churning rhythm section, leading to a heady brew of interlocking melodies and rhythms. Drawing influences from areas such as the blues, the music of New Orleans, free jazz and contemporary music, the ensemble sound veers from the simple to joyously chaotic. Brass Mask return to East London for the first time in 8 years!

As a spring-time treat, the London Jazz Orchestra returns to the music of phenomenal pianist and composer Pete Saberton, whose unique writing and playing style helped define the sound of the band. Inspired by his music, for this performance close friend and colleague Pete Hurt has created new arrangements of tunes that Sabbo wasn’t able to complete for the band. There truly has been no-one like him!

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.

Vocal technique and interpreting jazz standards for singers

Whirlpool is our monthly series where some of our best young musicians collaborate and create. Today we welcome bassist Caius Williams taking the lead.

A very special double bill featuring Mark Holub’s trio Blueblut, emerging from Vienna’s thriving underground music scene + a duo between drummer Seb Rochford & Pamelia Stickney on theremin who first played together at the suggestion of Brighton’s Loop Festival, and subsequently recorded an album.

French Basque guitarist Jean-Marie Ecay is a leading force in the jazz and fusion scenes in France and will perform at the Vortex with a trio featuring Nicolas Viccaro on drums Swaeli Mbappé on bass

Bag Of Bones are releasing their debut album on 577 records.
Bag Of Bones is a collaborative,leaderless band of four improvisers come together to explore their original compositions and free playing.

Two songwriters join Matthew Herd to perform in the round as part of this intimate, late night series. This month features Nina Sundstrom and Josh Finn.

Award winning saxophonist James Allsopp leads an all star quartet performing music associated with Stan Getz. Featuring Colin Oxley on guitar, Olly Hayhurst on double bass and Dave Storey on drums.

Following on from the band’s previous sell out shows at the Vortex featuring the music of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter and Thelonious Monk , we return to present a celebration of another of the all time jazz greats.

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 composer Tom Niblock presents the first outing of his new big band project featuring many young stars of the London Jazz scene. Having won the Dankworth Prize in 2021 and the Eddie Harvey Arranger Award in 2020, the band will perform his exciting original music alongside inventive arrangements.

Awen, meaning ‘poetic inspiration’ in Welsh, outlines the intention of their music to explore folkloric heritage, landscape and the human mind, inspiring audiences to reflect on and connect with these subjects. Featuring spoken word, shimmering instrumentation and a Celtic mystique, Awen Ensemble bring a unique offering to the jazz table.

Bringing beat-heavy electronic improv jazz, Enemies of Turin fuse diverse influences from across modern music in epic improvised sets interweaving big grooves, heavy bass lines, fierce hooks and gleaming electronics!

London-based saxophonist and Dankworth Prize-winning composer Matt Anderson presents his fourth album, Live at Leeds Jazz Festival, which follows 2022’s The Town and the City also by this long-running quartet.

Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize winner Jonny Mansfield is regarded as ‘one of the great British jazz talents who surprises with his unique approach to composition and improvisation.’ (Laboratorium). Tonight, he returns to the Vortex with his quartet featuring: Will Sach (double bass), Will Barry (piano) and Luke McCarthy (drums).

Acclaimed UK guitarist Nick Costley-White leads his trio featuring Dave Whitford (Billy Hart, Dave Leibman) on bass and Josh Morrison (Stacey Kent, Dave O’Higgins) on drums.

Come & join us for another tremendous Mopomoso featuring: Geoff Hearn + Olie Brice + Milo Fell (drums), Susanna Ferrar + Sylvia Hallett + Maggie Nicols + Tracy Lisk, Reuben Derrick, Mia Zabelka + Charlotte Keeffe + Tracy Lisk.

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.

Celebrate 10 years of Alison Rayner’s multi award-winning quintet ARQ and a live recording of their fourth album ‘ARQ at Ten – Semaphore’.

For years, Tivon Pennicott has been transporting audiences and listeners to a higher level of consciousness. The highly sought saxophone player, composer and multi-instrumentalist is a key contributor to three GRAMMY Award winning albums with Esperanza Spalding and Gregory Porter. As a player, Pennicott expresses an evolving sound—the result of a soulful and sophisticated foundation for groove he honed in the church and through his Jamaican heritage, and a penchant for harmonic exploration that reflects the depth of his ear.

Curated by cellist Shirley Smart, Creations features a set by invited artists from the UKs vibrant free improvisation scene, followed by an acoustic jam session.

Dolphin Hyperspace is an electro-jazz duo based in Los Angeles, led by saxophonist Nicole McCabe and bassist Logan Kane. Their new EP was released in January, featuring support from drummers such as Louis Cole and Justin Brown (Thundercat, Flying Lotus), as the band continually finds new ways to blend jazz and beat culture.

Suna’s musical journey is a celebration of cultural diversity and artistic expression. While her heart remains rooted in Kurdish folk songs, her performances weave together a captivating tapestry of Armenian, Greek, Arabic, Sephardic, and Turkish music.