Say hello to our very own stage at Leeds Jazz Festival

We can’t wait to bring our stage back for Leeds Jazz Festival this year. From Friday 23rd – Monday 27th May the free-entry, family-friendly, outdoor stage is back on Cookridge Street as part of Leeds Jazz Festival 2024! The stage is once again programmed in collaboration with Sable, DJ Lubi, Launchpad and JazzLeeds to bring you the best of local talent. 

Situated between The Light and Henry Moore Institute, we are growing the area around the stage this year with food and drink on hand throughout the weekend, supplied by Radisson Blu and Browns. This year boasts an expanded food and beverage offering featuring a pop-up bar from North – who alongside ATA Records have created the official Leeds Jazz Festival beer and food from Little Bao Boy. 

Our stage showcases the full spectrum of Jazz music with particular attention paid to showing the public for FREE the depth, variety, delight and joy that Jazz creates. From 17 piece bands to trios and more. 

Friday 24th May: 6pm – 9pm: Curated by Sable, with a live set from London-based Summer Pearl who blends  Jazz, Soul, Dub and Hip-Hop, bookended with DJ sets from Sable.

Saturday 25th May, 11am – 8pm: Curated by DJ Lubi and featuring the best of upcoming talent – Gustavo Andrade & The Brasukas, Afrodesia, Nova.sol, Naali Collective, Oracle, FEE (Fee Buckton Band), Away From Home, Joe Frost Trio and Jascha Bingham Trio.

Sunday 26th May, 12 30pm – 8 00pm: Curated by Launchpad who support artists making music of all genres in Yorkshire, with performances from Greg Surmacz, Alice Kim, Safii Koii, Dilettante, Lauren Mikki, Lence, Lizzie Walmsley, Bonneville and Choby.

Monday 27th May, 1pm – 8pm: Curated by JazzLeeds, expect a cracking final day with music from Vipertime, Olivia Cutill Quartet, Instant World Orchestra, Maranello Trio, Salsa Como Loco, Viridian and Hot Club of Halifax.The stage is produced by LeedsBID alongside New Citizens and with backline support from Eiger Studios. Public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England alongside Launchpad pays artist fees on the Welcome to Leeds stage and we are incredibly thankful for their support.

New this year, North are collaborating with local Jazz aficionados ATA Records to produce the first Leeds Jazz Festival official beer! They’ll be running a bar beside the stage where you can sample the limited edition beer and stock up on food whilst you’re at it. If this isn’t enough for you, on Saturday 25th May North x ATA are having a launch party at Springwell, featuring ATA Record’s Pop-up shop, a Tasting / Q&A complete with a DJ set from ATA & Refold.

Luckily, our stage situated right beside Leeds Art Gallery, which will be home to  NikNak’s ‘Inner Ireti’ for the duration of this years festival. Commissioned by Leeds Jazz Festival, this exclusive audio installation merges jazz with electronic & experimental music. The installation will be launched at a lunchtime talk from 1pm – 1 30pm on Thursday 23rd May, with the first listen of the work commencing after the launch. It will be free to attend and can be experienced at your own pace.

Through a fusion of turntablism, experimental synthesis, haunting vocals, and dynamic electronic elements, NikNak crafts a cinematic experience that traverses genres like jazz, jungle, experimental and trip-hop. This installation in the Central Court of Leeds Art gallery will offer audiences the space to experience the work in a new light, with a bespoke, spatialised adaptation of the music for the space.