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.

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.

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).

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.

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.