London’s Jazz Renaissance Has a Sound All Its Own

New clubs, packed festivals and musicians mixing jazz with grime, reggae and Afrobeat are fueling a renaissance in London’s live music scene.

Shabaka performs at the Blue Note in London. New clubs, packed festivals and musicians mixing genres are fueling a renaissance in London’s live music scene. — Shabaka performs at the Blue Note in London. New clubs, packed festivals and musicians mixing genres are fueling a renaissance in London’s live music scene. Source: Blue Note London

Jazz superstar Shabaka is deep into a saxophone solo after more than an hour of uninterrupted music. It’s a Monday night at the newly opened Blue Note London, the latest temple to the city’s jazz renaissance. Far below street level, the club feels both intimate and cavernous, with high ceilings and a wraparound balcony overlooking the stage.

These days jazz seems to be everywhere in London. The EFG London Jazz Festival, which kicks off this weekend, boasts more than 300 performances across multiple venues. Year-round, jams are thriving across town, and some premier venues are getting major refurbishments. In September, London-based Ezra Collective became the nation’s first male jazz group to top the UK charts with their album Here Because of Hope.