Enchanting horn lines, mellow keys and soulful pockets of groove seamlessly flow through the streets of East London. Back for its fourth year, Brick Lane Jazz Festival is packed with young soul and jazz artists, making their mark on the vibrant London scene.
Past years’ line-ups have featured acclaimed jazz artists such as Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Ezra Collective and Cherise and this year is of the same calibre— showcasing musicians and DJs on the rise. The 2025 edition features two new stages: The Nord Stage, with solo performances paying homage to the Swedish electronic keyboard in a new showroom. And an unplugged acoustic stage, curated with local brewery Signature Brew.
The Jazz Refreshed Stage at 91 Living Room wowed listeners with an exciting line-up of both acclaimed and emerging jazz musicians, with Allexa Nava taking to the stage on Friday night. The jazz saxophonist, originally from Peru, delved into her latest EP No Language, with her stellar band comprising young artists on the London jazz circuit.
No Time – a track from her new No Language EP – began with a percussive entry from Cassius Cobson on drums, with Matt May on electric bass slowly creeping in. Luring us into the story, the band also features Jay Patel on Trombone, Sophya on vocals and Cody Moss on keys. They slowly reveal each part of this beautiful song, in a timely way. The delay effect on Nava’s sax melodies added a crucial element to her otherworldly improvisation, taking the audience through a driving harmonic minor solo – with a strong likeness to Duke Ellington’s Caravan. A breath of fresh air hits when the cymbals crash into the next section, falling into a groove-led keys solo. The whole arrangement is packed with weaves and turns, filling the room with cheer and appreciation.
Speaking with Allexa Nava, she talks about the theme of her No Language EP: “It’s a call back to when I first started playing jazz. When I came to this country—I didn’t know about jazz, I had to start from zero. She talks about studying jazz at university and how it was difficult when lecturers told her she had “no language” but reiterates: “It changed me for the better as a student”.
One of the songs she played was Recordes – fully produced by Allexa on her EP – the track has a different feel to the other songs on the EP. Revolving around the plucked bassline, it featured pulsing horn lines, a bluesy keys solo and an emphasis on the collaboration. Nava feels assured and strong in her craft. She credited her label Jazz Refreshed on the gig, joyfully exclaiming: “Thanks for giving me the chance to play my music and for all the support!”
Bina performed at 93 Feet East. The vocal soundscape she provides melds so perfectly with the instrumentation; melodies sliding throughout the entire chord. There was a more commercial, accessible, soul feel, with songs like Inside Out ringing out a catchy chorus melody. The vocalist’s outfit stood out covered in big jewellery and earthy, brown feathers in her hair – she both looked and sounded the part.
Tendayi and friends brought another soulful vibe to the line-up. “We’re about to take you on an experimental journey,” said Tendayi, as the crowd bops in unison. Groove-laden keys underpin the repetitive lyrical rapper as the bass resounds heavy descending lines. A huge wave of sound built as the late-night show reached its midpoint: “In this band, we focus on the musicianship” he says, “Just cause I’m a rapper doesn’t make me the star of the show, these guys are the stars of the show”.
The band were formed from a jam at NTS Loft – Patterns weekly and similarly, many of the artists throughout the festival share this ‘collective’ band concept. Lots are regulars at the Brick Lane Jazz venues: 91 Living Room, Rough Trade East, Juju’s, 93 Feet East, Cafe 1001, Rich Mix, Brick Lane Tap Room, Village Underground, Big Chill and Signature Brew.
With the London jazz scene blossoming and this new wave of nu-jazz and electronic fusion emerging, Brick Lane Jazz Festival continues to thrive, highlighting the incredible, emerging RnB, neo-soul and jazz talent in London’s East end.
