The EFG London Jazz Festival is merely weeks away – the capital feels ready to burst with anticipation for what’s to come. No doubt jazz enthusiasts have already booked their tickets to their favourite artist’s shows… but those with their finger on their pulse will be heading to Guildhall School of Music & Drama for the Guildhall Jazz Festival – a five-day, free festival within a festival showcasing world-class jazz artists and students side by side.
Curated by the Guildhall team, led by Head of Jazz Dr Jo Lawry, this year’s Guildhall Jazz Festival features two exciting parallel artist residencies: Cuban/American pianist and composer Fabian Almazan, and GRAMMY award-winning bassist and composer, Linda May Han Oh.
Photo credits Shervin Lainez (LMHO)/ publicity photo (FA)
On Thursday 20 November, The Guildhall Jazz Orchestra and Almazan will perform his celebrated ‘Alcanza Suite’, directed by Lawry. The suite has been reimagined for jazz orchestra with arrangements written by Guildhall student arrangers and composers. This exciting collaboration will be preceded by a public discussion between Lawry and Almazan on Tuesday 18 November at 6pm, as part of the Barbican’s ‘Fragile Earth’ series, exploring climate awareness and music.
Based in New York, May Han Oh has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Pat Metheny, Kenny Barron, Joe Lovano and Terri Lyne Carrington. On Friday 21, May Han Oh will be presenting a wide range of original compositions with the Guildhall Improvisors Ensemble, a malleable small jazz outfit of talented students.
Audiences are lucky to be able to see these incredible collaborations for free, however the behind-the-scenes interactions and rehearsals that are taking place between Almazan, May Han Oh and the Guildhall jazz students are truly invaluable. Dr Jo Lawry recounts some feedback that she received from a student at the beginning of her term as Head of Jazz.
“At Guildhall I don’t feel like they are preparing me for my career, I feel like my career has already started.”
Guildhall Jazz Festival resonates with this energy, inviting students to step into their careers and empowering them not only with the opportunity to collaborate with top jazz artists, but also with music business classes to help them navigate the requirements of being a working jazz musician.
“It gives them the experience of leading a band or co-leading a band, but also the business experience of applying for a festival. It’s real world.”
Guildhall Jazz Festival features afternoon student showcases, selected based on a music business class project where students were required to submit a festival application, provide artist assets and demonstrate business professionalism as well as artistic merit. These will be some of the most exciting showcases in the festival and of course, all are free to attend.
On Saturday 22 November, there is a Junior Guildhall Big Band takeover in the afternoon directed by Ollie Western, with evening performances from NYJO directed by Sam Eastmond (performing John Zorn’s ‘Masada’ with special permission), and a 9pm show by Finn Genockey’s London Intercollegiate Jazz Orchestra. LIJO is the newest big band to hit the London scene, made up of current and recently graduated Guildhall School, Royal Academy of Music and Trinity students. Genockey established the band as part of his Guildhall fellowship, with the full support and encouragement of the Jazz faculty.
“Guildhall, Trinity and RAM will form the bedrock of what the London scene is going to be in the next several decades. It’s exciting to be part of fostering those close professional relationships that are already happening in a really important and active way while they’re still undergrads and recently graduated.”
Other headline shows include The Alexandra Ridout Quartet on Tuesday the 18th, with an opening set from Ridout’s younger brother, Lester, who is a current undergrad student studying jazz drumming at Guildhall School.
Jacqui Dankworth celebrates the release of her new album, ‘Windmills’ on Friday 21st at 5pm and the Guildhall Jazz Orchestra celebrates the 50th anniversary of Neil Ardley’s ‘Kaleidoscope of Rainbows” on Sunday 23rd at 3:30pm, directed by Scott Stroman and featuring Binker Golding. Kinetika Bloco and Harry Trevillion’s Cityscape with strings featuring Intalekt will close out the festival.
“It’s completely bananas!” exclaims Lawry at the sheer volume of creative projects Guildhall will be hosting during their Jazz Festival. “It’s got something for everyone”
All talks, workshops and performances are completely free.
FULL LISTINGS – 2025 GUILDHALL JAZZ FESTIVAL
Wednesday 18 November 2025
Workshop with The Alexandra Ridout Quartet
Fabian Almazan in Conversation with Jo Lawry
The Alexandra Ridout Quartet
Thursday 20 November 2025
Fabian Almazan with Guildhall Jazz Orchestra
Afternoon Showcases
Friday 21 November 2025
Jacqui Dankworth
Linda May Han Oh with Guildhall Improvisers Ensemble
Afternoon Showcases
Saturday 22 November 2025
NYJO with Sam Eastmond
Junior Guildhall Big Band
Sunday 23 November 2025
Harry Trevillion’s ‘Cityscape’ & Kinetika Bloco
Guildhall Jazz Orchestra presents ‘Kaleidoscope of Rainbows’
Guildhall Jazz Festival, in partnership with EFG London Jazz Festival, takes place on 18, 20, 21, 22 & 23 November 2025 in Milton Court Concert Hall, Guildhall School of Music & Drama (EC2Y 9BH). All events are free, no tickets required – just turn up to enjoy the music.
