EFG London Jazz Festival 2026 – UK

What to expect in 2026

EFG London Jazz Festival 2026 returns from November 13 to 22, bringing ten days of jazz, contemporary music, international performances, special collaborations and new commissions to venues across London. The festival presents an extensive programme ranging from major concert-hall performances to intimate club shows, free events, family activities and late-night performances.

The 2026 programme features internationally recognised artists alongside emerging musicians and projects from the UK and around the world. Major announced performances include Goldie’s “Dare to Dream,” Asha Puthli: The Cosmic Voyager, Mariza, Caravan Palace, Melody Gardot, GoGo Penguin, Fatoumata Diawara, Jaga Jazzist, Kronos Quartet, Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves, Samara Joy, Kyoto Jazz Massive and Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

The festival is spread across a large network of London venues rather than being contained within one festival site. The official 2026 programme includes venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Barbican, Southbank Centre, Cadogan Hall, Kings Place, KOKO, Jazz Cafe, Ronnie Scott’s, Union Chapel, Roundhouse and many specialist jazz clubs and cultural spaces.

Visitors can expect a programme covering traditional jazz, contemporary jazz, vocal jazz, jazz fusion, global music, electronic influences, experimental projects, orchestral collaborations and jazz-related contemporary music.

The festival also brings back The Jazz Social, a temporary festival hub at City Point near the Barbican, with live performances, radio broadcasts, family activities and other events throughout the festival period.

Event dates

EFG London Jazz Festival 2026 takes place from Friday, November 13, through Sunday, November 22, 2026.

The ten-day programme allows visitors to build their own festival schedule rather than following a single fixed timetable. Events take place throughout the day and evening, with many headline concerts starting around 7:30 PM or 8:00 PM.

The opening day on November 13 includes Jazz Voice at the Royal Festival Hall, Morcheeba at Troxy, Coltrane 100 at the Barbican, Emma-Jean Thackray at EartH and Fergus McCreadie at Kings Place.

The final day on November 22 includes The Joy, Samara Joy, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Vital Spark featuring Dave Holland and Norma Winstone, and Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

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Venue & festival site

EFG London Jazz Festival does not operate from a single enclosed festival site. Instead, performances take place throughout London, allowing the festival to connect major cultural institutions, concert halls, theatres, independent clubs and specialist jazz venues.

Major 2026 venues include:

• Royal Albert Hall
• Barbican Centre
• Southbank Centre
• Cadogan Hall
• Kings Place
• KOKO
• Jazz Cafe
• Roundhouse
• Union Chapel
• Ronnie Scott’s
• Village Underground
• Vortex Jazz Club
• Cecil Sharp House
• Milton Court
• 93 Feet East
• British Airways ARC
• The Wilds, Barking Riverside
• Stone Nest
• Lauderdale House

The official festival listings provide venue-specific information for each performance, including stage time, doors, address and ticket information.

The Jazz Social is another important festival location. It is based at Unit 1B, City Point, 1 Ropemaker Street, London, EC2Y 9AW, close to Barbican, Moorgate and Liverpool Street.

Full lineup

The 2026 programme is extensive and includes artists and projects from different parts of the jazz and contemporary-music spectrum.

Key announced performances include:

• Opening Gala: Jazz Voice
• Morcheeba + Alex Cornish
• Coltrane 100
• Emma-Jean Thackray: Dear Miles – A Love Letter
• Sarathy Korwar
• Muireann Bradley
• Fergus McCreadie
• Goldie with his Live Band, Orchestra and Special Guests
• Asha Puthli
• Caravan Palace
• Rita Wilson
• Mariza
• Anouar Brahem
• Dave Okumu & Friends
• Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez
• Lizz Wright
• Melody Gardot
• GoGo Penguin
• Roberto Fonseca & Vincent Segal
• Fatoumata Diawara
• Rymden
• Jaga Jazzist
• Soweto Kinch
• Kronos Quartet
• Ben Folds
• Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves
• Gerald Clayton Trio
• Samara Joy
• Kyoto Jazz Massive
• The Joy
• Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra

The festival also includes numerous club performances, free events, family activities, film screenings, DJ sets and special collaborations.

Headliners & featured artists

Goldie is one of the major featured names of the 2026 festival, presenting “Dare to Dream” with his live band, orchestra and special guests at the Royal Festival Hall. The performance is scheduled for November 14.

Melody Gardot appears at the Royal Albert Hall on November 16. Her performance features the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Thanda Choir and trumpet player Ibrahim Maalouf, creating an orchestral presentation around her music. The official event page currently lists the performance as sold out.

Mariza performs at the Royal Festival Hall on November 15, while Caravan Palace brings its electro-swing sound to British Airways ARC on November 14.

The closing weekend features major performances from Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves, Gerald Clayton Trio, Samara Joy, Kyoto Jazz Massive and Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Stages & performance areas

Because EFG London Jazz Festival is city-wide, there are no traditional festival stages operating side by side in one field.

Instead, each venue effectively functions as its own performance space. Large-scale productions can take place in major halls while smaller artists appear in intimate clubs and independent cultural spaces.

The Barbican hosts several festival formats, including main concert performances, The Pit, cinema screenings and free events. Southbank Centre provides the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Clore Ballroom. Kings Place uses both Hall One and Hall Two for different performances.

Specialist clubs also play a major role. Ronnie Scott’s, Jazz Cafe, Vortex Jazz Club, Cafe OTO, Green Note and other venues provide smaller-scale performances throughout the festival.

This structure means visitors can choose between large concert experiences and intimate club shows depending on their interests.

Stage-by-stage schedule

The festival does not have a single stage-by-stage timetable because performances are distributed across London’s venues.

The opening Friday provides an example of the programme structure. Jazz Voice takes place at the Royal Festival Hall at 7:30 PM, while Morcheeba performs at Troxy, Sarathy Korwar performs at The Wilds, Emma-Jean Thackray appears at EartH and Coltrane 100 takes place at the Barbican.

Saturday, November 14, includes Goldie at the Royal Festival Hall, Asha Puthli at the Barbican, Caravan Palace at British Airways ARC and Rita Wilson at the Purcell Room.

Sunday, November 15, includes Mariza, Anouar Brahem, Dave Okumu & Friends, Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez, Lizz Wright, Yasuaki Shimizu and Ambrose Akinmusire.

The middle of the festival continues with performances from Melody Gardot, GoGo Penguin, Roberto Fonseca, Fatoumata Diawara, Andy Sheppard Trio, Rymden, Soweto Kinch, Jaga Jazzist and Kronos Quartet.

The final weekend includes Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves, Gerald Clayton Trio, Samara Joy, Kyoto Jazz Massive and Cécile McLorin Salvant.

Set times

Set times vary according to the individual venue and event.

Many headline performances begin at approximately 7:30 PM, while some performances start earlier in the afternoon. The official programme includes afternoon events such as Faris Ishaq at 3:00 PM, Constantinople at 1:00 PM and Manu Delago x Max ZT at 3:00 PM.

Evening performances can start between approximately 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM. For example, Martin Taylor & Guy Barker begin at 7:00 PM, while Rymden and Isaiah Sharkey RED are scheduled for 9:00 PM.

Visitors should check the individual event page before travelling because doors and stage times can differ even when performances take place on the same evening.

Ticket types

EFG London Jazz Festival uses venue-specific ticketing rather than one universal festival pass. Individual shows therefore have their own ticket categories, availability and prices.

The official programme includes standard admission, concession options and Under 35 tickets for selected performances. For example, Deirdre Cartwright’s Picnic at Lauderdale House lists a standard ticket at approximately $24, an unwaged concession at approximately $20 and an Under 35 ticket at approximately $14, based on the published GBP prices and an approximate GBP-to-USD conversion.

Some festival events are free, including selected Barbican FreeStage performances and family programming.

Serious Youth Network members aged 16–25 can also access $5 tickets for selected Serious events, including selected EFG London Jazz Festival performances.

Because prices vary by performance, visitors should select their preferred show and check its individual ticket page.

VIP & premium options

EFG London Jazz Festival does not use one standard VIP ticket system across the entire festival.

Premium experiences can vary according to the venue and individual concert. Major venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Barbican may have different seating areas and ticket categories, while smaller clubs generally operate with simpler admission arrangements.

The festival also provides brand partnerships and hospitality opportunities through its organiser, Serious, but these are separate from standard festival admission.

Visitors should check the individual event page for seating categories, hospitality arrangements or premium options where available.

Event rules

Rules can vary between individual venues because EFG London Jazz Festival operates across London rather than within one festival site.

Visitors should follow the conditions of the venue they are attending and check the event page for specific restrictions.

Important considerations include:

• Venue age requirements
• Bag policies
• Photography and recording restrictions
• Latecomer policies
• Seating arrangements
• Food and drink restrictions
• Accessibility requirements
• Re-entry policies
• Security procedures

Some events may be standing performances, while others use reserved or unreserved seating.

The Jazz Social also operates as a separate temporary venue, with its own entry and accessibility arrangements.

How to get there

London’s extensive public transport network makes it possible to travel between the festival’s venues using Underground, Overground, Elizabeth line, buses, rail services and river transport.

The festival’s official transport information provides directions to major venues including Southbank Centre, Barbican, Cadogan Hall, Kings Place, EartH and Jazz Cafe.

Visitors attending multiple performances on the same day should allow enough travel time between venues because the programme is spread across different parts of London.

Using Transport for London journey-planning services before leaving accommodation can help visitors determine the fastest route based on the day’s service conditions.

The festival also highlights Uber Boat by Thames Clippers as an alternative way to reach several venues along the Thames.

Public transport & parking

Public transport is generally the most practical way to travel between EFG London Jazz Festival venues.

Several venues are close to major Underground and rail stations. The Jazz Social, for example, is close to Barbican, Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations. The festival specifically encourages visitors to use public transport because there is no dedicated parking at City Point.

Visitors travelling by car should use public car parks rather than expecting dedicated festival parking.

The festival’s transport information also highlights river travel. Uber Boat by Thames Clippers serves numerous piers along the Thames, including London Eye Pier near Southbank Centre and Barking Riverside Pier near The Wilds. The operator also states that all its vessels and most piers are fully accessible.

Accommodation areas

Because the festival takes place throughout London, visitors can choose accommodation based on the venues they plan to attend.

Central London is convenient for visitors attending multiple concerts. Areas around the City, Barbican, South Bank, Covent Garden, Soho and Westminster provide access to several festival venues.

Visitors focusing on Barbican and Kings Place can consider accommodation around the City, Clerkenwell, Farringdon or King’s Cross.

Those attending Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall or Royal Albert Hall events may prefer South Bank, Waterloo, Westminster, Kensington or nearby central districts.

Visitors planning late-night club shows may want to stay closer to the venues they attend rather than relying on long cross-city journeys after performances.

Food & drink

Food and drink options vary by venue, with many festival locations surrounded by London’s restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars.

The Jazz Social is particularly relevant for visitors looking for a festival meeting point. The temporary venue at City Point offers a combination of live performances, social activities, radio broadcasts and other programming during the festival period.

The Jazz Social operates extended hours during much of the festival, with opening continuing into late evening and, on selected nights, after midnight.

Visitors attending major evening concerts can also eat before the performance in nearby neighbourhoods. Because the festival is spread across London, there is no single festival food court serving all attendees.

Visitors with dietary requirements should check individual venue arrangements before attending.

Accessibility

Accessibility varies by venue, so visitors should check the individual event and venue information before booking.

The festival’s transport information notes that Uber Boat by Thames Clippers vessels and most piers are fully accessible.

The Jazz Social is a ground-floor, step-free venue with a mixture of standing and limited unreserved seating. Visitors who need seating for accessibility reasons can contact the organisers in advance with the event date, name and specific request.

Some individual events also offer concessionary ticket categories for guests with disabilities. The Deirdre Cartwright’s Picnic event, for example, specifically lists an unwaged concession that applies to guests with disabilities and people not in work.

Visitors should contact the relevant venue or festival ticketing team before booking if they require wheelchair access, step-free entry, accessible seating, a companion arrangement or other assistance.

Best days to attend

There is no single festival day that covers the complete EFG London Jazz Festival experience because the programme changes significantly each day.

Friday, November 13, is particularly important for the opening gala and major opening-night performances including Jazz Voice, Morcheeba, Coltrane 100, Emma-Jean Thackray and Fergus McCreadie.

Saturday, November 14, offers Goldie, Asha Puthli, Caravan Palace and Rita Wilson, while Sunday, November 15, features Mariza, Anouar Brahem, Dave Okumu & Friends, Lizz Wright and Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez.

The final weekend is also substantial, with Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves, Gerald Clayton Trio and other major performances on November 21, followed by Samara Joy, Kyoto Jazz Massive and Cécile McLorin Salvant on November 22.

Visitors should choose dates according to the artists and venues they most want to experience.

Previous year’s highlights

The EFG London Jazz Festival has a long history of presenting major international jazz artists, innovative projects and emerging musicians throughout London.

Previous editions have continued the festival’s model of combining major concert venues with London’s independent jazz-club network. The club programme remains an important part of the festival, with the organisers describing London’s jazz clubs as a key part of the city’s musical landscape.

The festival’s historical programming has included performances across venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, Barbican, Cadogan Hall, Southbank Centre, Kings Place and specialist clubs.

The 2026 programme continues this tradition with major projects such as Coltrane 100, Goldie’s orchestral production, Melody Gardot with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kronos Quartet and Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

The festival also continues to support emerging talent and experimental projects through smaller venues, club performances, free programming and special collaborations.

Official tickets

Tickets for EFG London Jazz Festival 2026 are sold through the official festival programme and the relevant venue or ticketing partner.

Because the festival contains hundreds of individual performances, visitors should select the specific event they want to attend and use the ticket option shown on its official listing.

Some performances may sell out well before the festival. Melody Gardot’s November 16 performance at the Royal Albert Hall, for example, is currently listed as sold out on the official festival page.

The festival also includes free events, including selected FreeStage performances and family programming.

Official website: https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/