EFG London Jazz Festival 2023: First Names Announced
EFG London Jazz Festival has announced its first waves of acts and 2023 dates
Last updated 12th Apr 2023
After an amazing return to full force for its 30th Birthday last year, EFG London Jazz Festival is soaring to new heights for its 2023 incarnation. From cutting-edge artists pushing jazz into unimaginable new forms to iconic performances by internationally renowned jazz superstars, the Festival convenes a broad church in celebrating the diversity, innovation and dialogue that jazz invigorates.
EFG London Jazz Festival has established itself as the biggest pan-city Festival in Europe and the highlight of the jazz calendar in the UK, with over 300 shows across more than 70 venues drawing over 100,000 in live audiences.
The festival will once again kick off with its spectacular opening gala, Jazz Voice, at the Royal Festival Hall on the opening Friday. As always, Jazz Voice will feature an impressive and eclectic lineup of star soloists which will be announced at a later date.
The festival has now revealed its first wave of exciting and diverse acts, which includes the endlessly virtuosic Hiromi’s new project sonicwonder at the Barbican, featuring Adam O’Farrill, Hadrien Feraud and Gene Coye, and American musician Marcus Miller who will bring his whiplash virtuosity to the Royal Festival Hall.
Across the festival’s 10 days, the Barbican will also welcome Grammy-Award-winning Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes, global music pioneer Charles Lloyd’s Ocean Trio, and the genre-bending, Grammy-winning 23-year-old Samara Joy.
Other unmissable shows include internationally renowned multi-instrumentalist Cory Henry who will perform at the newly opened Here at Outernet, and prolific Grammy-winning double-bassist Ron Carter who is gracing the stage of Cadogan Hall.
The nearly 86-year-old bass legend Ron Carter was originally due to perform at the festival in 2022, but had to postpone the show until 2023 out following recommendations from his doctors.
The Symphonic Music of Wayne Shorter at Royal Festival Hall will be a truly special night celebrating what would have been Wayne Shorter’s 90th in 2023. Earlier this year we sadly lost the visionary, aged 89, who leaves a legacy as one of jazz’s great saxophonists. The show will celebrate his career as a composer, premiering his symphonic work and featuring an eclectic, all-star lineup of Esperanza Spalding on vocals, for an extremely rare and long-awaited UK performance, as well as saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Clark Rundell.
EFG London Jazz Festival 2023 - Lineup to Date:
Friday 10 November
GOAT | Kings Place Hall 2
Sunday 12 November
Marcus Miller + Camilla George | Royal Festival Hall
Monday 13 November
Hiromi’s sonicwonder | Barbican
Cory Henry | HERE at Outernet
Catrin Finch & Aoife Ni Bhriain + Angeline Morrison | Union Chapel
Wednesday 15 November
Sergio Mendes | Barbican
2 duos: Sissoko, Segal, Peirani and Parisien | Cadogan Hall
Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet | Kings Place Hall 1
Thursday 16 November
Ron Carter’s Foursight | Cadogan Hall
Friday 17 November
Charles Lloyd Trio Ocean Trio + | Barbican
Scary Pockets | KOKO
Saturday 18 November
Riopy | Queen Elizabeth Hall
Sunday 19 November
The Symphonic Music of Wayne Shorter | Royal Festival Hall
Samara Joy | Barbican
Bill Laurance & Michael League | Queen Elizabeth Hall
When is EFG London Jazz Festival 2023 taking place?
EFG London Jazz Festival 2023 is taking place between the 10th and 19th of November, with over 1000 artists performing across multiple venues in the capital.
Kandace Springs and Branford Marsalis are both set to appear at London Jazz Festival's second 'Summer Series' in 2023.
About London Jazz Festival
EFG London Jazz Festival has established itself as the biggest pan-city Festival in Europe and the highlight of the jazz calendar in the UK, with over 300 shows across more than 70 venues drawing over 100,000 in live audiences. Whether it’s buzzy future-jazz in hushed East London haunts, or roaring ensembles in the world's finest concert halls, the eclectic programme brings leading artists from around the world to the capital for 10 days of the very best live performances, special collaborations, fresh discoveries and exclusive new commissions.