🎶 Leeds Jazz Festival First Acts Announced!

It’s great to announce that the Welcome to Leeds stage will be back at the Leeds Jazz Festival! The Leeds Jazz Festival is back for its third year from 23rd – 28th May 2024. Working with city-wide partners and building on two successful years, the third edition will continue to highlight the buzzing Jazz culture within the city; from emerging to established artists, venues, organisations, promoters and individuals innovating and supporting the scene.

Joining the Nubiyan Twist gig at Project House (DJ Lubi x Brudenell Presents), which was announced in December, the initial programme includes the groundbreaking, saxophonist/ multi-instrumentalist Courtney Pine at Howard Assembly Room, Scottish pianist and composer Fergus McCreadie at Seven Arts (JazzLeeds) who blends Jazz with Scottish folk inspired by his county’s sublime landscapes. For the late-night party people Lift Your Feet and DJ Lubi host a Jazz Dance Party featuring Tina Edwards (for her inaugural gig in Leeds) and Harkirit Boparai as well as resident DJs at Hyde Park Book Club.Legendary avant-garde vocalist Phil Minton will perform at Wharf Chambers (Fusebox x Discontinued), DJ Lubi and Hyde Park Book Club present a special commission Música Universal – A Tribute To Brazilian Music Legend Hermeto Pascoal with Fergus Quill and Gustavo Andrade & The Universal Music Ensemble. Alan Barnes will be playing the music of Benny Goodman at Seven Arts (JazzLeeds) and TANG Talks return to Headrow House to demystify the journey of emerging artists in Jazz. 

The Welcome to Leeds stage is returning to Cookridge Street from Friday 24th – Monday 27th May, programmed in collaboration with Sable, DJ Lubi, Launchpad and JazzLeeds. This family friendly, open air, free stage has live music and DJs running across the the bank holiday weekend and has its own seating area, with food and drink on hand throughout the weekend. This stage is produced by LeedsBID, Welcome to Leeds and New Citizens, with support from Leeds City Council and Eiger Studios.

There are plenty more events to follow in the coming weeks, including news on an exciting commission, free workshops and gigs in venues across the city, programmed in collaboration with a vast array of partners. 

Tickets for the first events are on sale now, with further details available through the Leeds Jazz Festival website. Follow @leedsjazzfest on social media, for the latest updates and announcements as the programme develops. 

Aisling Doherty, the Festival Manager said: “What makes Leeds Jazz Festival so special is that it’s not the vision of one person or team, it’s the combined effort of so many people who are working year-round to create, showcase and promote the ever-evolving music we umbrella as Jazz. This festival is about furthering and centralising the existing energy in the city – to celebrate it and to increase the National and International recognition for Leeds as a top-class city for Jazz and culture. I’m so excited for this year’s festival; with two years of experience under our belts, 2024 is shaping up to be the most exciting year yet, with an incredible lineup from UK hero Courtney Pine to the fiery grooves and tight riffs of Nubiyan Twist, through to my personal favourite – the city-centre, outdoor, free, Welcome to Leeds stage programmed in collaboration with Sable, DJ Lubi, Launchpad and JazzLeeds. Now all we can hope for is the late-May bank holiday weather to shine like it has done for the past two years”.

Leeds Jazz Festival is produced by a city-wide network of partners, representing venues, programmers, musicians and more. Coordinated by Music:Leeds and made possible with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Leeds Jazz Festival is supported by Split Design, arts@leeds, Leeds City Council, LeedsBID and Welcome to Leeds. We look forward to welcoming you back to Leeds this May for some fantastic events in the second city of jazz in the UK.