Sara Dowling
Line-up: Sara Dowling – voice Liam Dunachie – piano Dario Di Lecce – bass Steve Brown – drums Sara Dowling is a jazz singer who is deeply inspired by the…
Sat 12 December 2020
Fri 11 December 2020
Alexandra Ridout trio
Line-up: Alexandra Ridout – trumpet Luca Caruso – drums Freddie Jensen – bass Special guest: Joey Curreri – trumpet Alexandra Ridout returns to the Vortex with her own trio featuring Luca…
Thu 10 December 2020
Jazz Connective – AlinaHipHarp Quintet
Internationally renowned harpist Alina Bzhezhinska has a strong reputation for innovation. This time she creates a unique sound on the harp with effect pedals and electronics, featuring the innovative trumpeter…
Wed 09 December 2020
Trish Clowes Trio – Replay
Replay an intimate set from saxophonist and composer Trish Clowes which was recorded back in September this year. Trish is joined by her friends Chris Montague and Ross Stanley for what…
Vortex discussion 34 – Leader with or versus the group?
This week’s discussion on Zoom focuses on the balance between group leadership and team interaction to evolve music in jazz and improvised music. The special guest will be Tom Challenger,…
Tue 08 December 2020
Bruno Heinen Trio with Alex Hitchcock Replay
Make sure to tune in on Tuesday the 8th December to re-watch Bruno Heinen’s gig at the Vortex from our re-opening weekend! Featuring Andrea Di Biase, Gene Calderazzo and Alex…
Mon 07 December 2020
Stone-Lonergan/ Glaser/ Simpson/ Hayhurst Replay
Don’t miss the chance to catch-up on this fantastic performance from our reopening night at the club last Friday 4th December!
Sat 05 December 2020
Bruno Heinen Trio with Alex Hitchcock
Line-up: Bruno Heinen – Piano Andrea Di Biase – Bass Gene Calderazzo – Drums Featuring – Alex Hitchcock – Tenor Saxophone Bruno Heinen’s music has been described by the Guardian…
Fri 04 December 2020
Stone-Lonergan/ Glaser/ Simpson/ Hayhurst
Line-up: Riley Stone-Lonergan – Tenor Saxophone Rick Simpson – Piano Will Glaser – Drums Oli Hayhurst – Bass A band of four friends who started having regular informal sessions over…
Thu 03 December 2020
Blow The Fuse On Air presents Carol Grimes
Line-up: Carol Grimes – vocals Annie Whitehead – trombone Deirdre Cartwright – guitar Alison Rayner – bass Winston Clifford – drums Donate here Blow the Fuse ‘On Air’ is a…
Wed 02 December 2020
Vortex discussion 33- Creativity. Nature or nurture?
Weekly discussion, led by Vortex director Oliver Weindling, focuses this week on the topic of creativity and where it comes from.
Sun 29 November 2020
Roella Oloro Trio – Live Stream
Line-up: Roella Oloro – Alto Saxophone and Piano Ezekiel Ajie – Bass Andee Liu – Drums Roella Oloro is a British composer and multi-instrumentalist of Nigerian and Jamaican descent. Her…
Thu 26 November 2020
Words and Art – Ben Rogers, Nikki Heinen and Aurelie Freoua
This month’s Words and Art, curated by Nicki Heinen and once again with live art from Aurelie Freoua is broadcast live on Zoom. And audiences can watch online. Colourful –…
Ivo Neame Trio – Replay
Replay one of the first gigs we put on after re-opening in September – British pianist Ivo Neame featuring Tom Farmer on bass and James Maddren on Drums. The event…
Wed 25 November 2020
Vortex discussion 32 – “Who are the new tastemakers?”
This week’s discussion focuses on how we now can find out who to listen to – rely on algorithms, playlists, blogs, podcasts? In the past, we had newspaper reviews and…
Tue 24 November 2020
Grass Roots online – MA
The November edition of Grass Roots welcomes Ma – a young musical triumvirate whose influences include jazz, hip-hop and rock with a soupcon of drum & bass. The band’s name…
Sun 22 November 2020
Olie Brice Trio – Live Stream
Today 4PM Line-up: Olie Brice – double bass Tom Challenger – tenor sax Will Glaser – drums Tune in to watch three of the UKs most innovative improvisers. Featuring a…
Thu 19 November 2020
Renell Shaw Replays – The Windrush Suite and Echo in the Bones
Re-watch Renell Shaw’s highly successful and inspiring compositions the Windrush Suite and Echo in the Bones, a new body of work by composer and arranger Renell Shaw, supported by the…
Wed 18 November 2020
Vortex discussion 31 – Saxophone Massive
In 2006, as the opening event of the London Jazz Festival, we celebrated the opening of Gillett Square with our Saxophone Massive event – 200 saxophonists event. In this week’s…
Tue 17 November 2020
In Conversation with… John Etheridge & Laurie Taylor
In Conversation With… is a new series of informal chats between a musician and another. Our inaugural conversation kicks off with academic, broadcaster and Radio 4 presenter of Thinking Aloud Laurie Taylor, in conversation with guitarist, composer John Etheridge.
Wed 11 November 2020
Vortex discussion 30 – Improvisation as a way to life (with special guest Michael Rüsenberg)
Oliver Weindling, Director at the Vortex, leads an informal discussion on Zoom about improvisation beyond jazz. Open to all – listen or get involved. Improvisation is no just relevant to…
Wed 04 November 2020
Vortex discussion 29 – how do musicians and artists get themselves seen and heard?
An open discussion, hosted by Oliver Weindling, considering how musicians might get heard and heard about in this new environment.
Sat 31 October 2020
Rachael Cohen Trio
Line-up: Rachael Cohen – Alto Sax Joe Downard – Bass Jason Brown – Drums Rachael Cohen presents her international Trio featuring Joe Downard on double Bass and New York drummer…
Echo in the Bones
A new suite of music specially created for Black History Month….
Improv Nights
“IMPROV NIGHTS” is a regular event at The Vortex Jazz Club – Downstairs curated by London-based drummer and percussionist Stefano Ancora.
Fri 30 October 2020
Warmer Than Blood
A new trio from critically acclaimed composer and guitarist Chris Montague (Troyka, Squarepusher) bringing pianist and ECM recording artist, Kit Downes and renowned electric bassist, Ruth Goller (acoustic Ladyland, Melt Yourself Down, Let Spin).
Wed 28 October 2020
Vortex discussion 28 – How do we judge quality?
We are seeing great music and performances appear online – either via Youtube or other videos – or streaming with the likes of Soundcloud, Bandcamp and Spotify 🙁 So how…
Sat 24 October 2020
Fini Bearman – La Loba
Singer-songwriter & multi-instrumentalist Fini Bearman’s brand new album, La Loba (out 9th October), has already received glowing praise, including 4 ****’s and ‘Editors Choice’ from Jazzwise – ‘La Loba marks…
Fri 23 October 2020
Ant Law Trio
Line-up: Ant Law – Guitar James Maddren – drums Tom Farmer – bass Join us this Friday to watch British guitarist Ant Law play original music from the Vortex. Featuring…
Thu 22 October 2020
Words and Art
This month’s Words and Art, curated by Nicki Heinen and once again with live art from Aurelie Freoua is once again broadcast live on Zoom. Sasha Dugdale Sasha Dugdale has…
Wed 21 October 2020
Vortex discussion 27- Keeping up morale
This week’s discussion is about keeping up morale! With the outlook increasingly uncertain for a proper return to live music and social interaction, and money increasingly stretched for many, we…
Sat 17 October 2020
John Etheridge’s Blue Spirits Trio
The Blue Spirits Trio John is leading tonight is a classic guitar-led jazz organ trio and showcases the bluesier side of John’s musical repertoire. With Pete Whittaker on organ, a superb accompanist as well as soloist and in demand drummer George Double.
Improvisation Nights
“IMPROV NIGHTS” is a regular event at The Vortex Jazz Club – Downstairs curated by London-based drummer and percussionist Stefano Ancora. LIVE DUO and TRIO sets of improvised music, with…
Fri 16 October 2020
Songs of Innocence
Line-up: Nikolaj Torp Larsen – piano Tom Herbert – bass Corrie Dick – drums Blessing the Vortex for the very first time are the casually ferocious trio of Nikolaj Torp…
Wed 14 October 2020
Vortex discussion 26 – “Further fostering resilience living online and in socially distanced performance”
In the times that we are in, it is unlikely that many line-ups will exist until things clear up. Big bands? International collaborations? Bands from elsewhere playing, say, in the…
Sun 11 October 2020
Evan Parker, John Edwards, Mark Sander – Live at Sands Studios
Line-up: Evan Parker – Saxophones John Edwards – Double Bass Mark Sanders – Drums Join us on the 11th October for the Vortex’s return to Sands Films Studio, bringing you a…
Sat 10 October 2020
Tony Kofi’s Sphinx Trio
Line-up: Tony Kofi – Alto saxophone Larry Bartley – Double bass Rod Youngs – Drums Together they perform the music of one of jazz’s most distinctive original voices in a…
Fri 09 October 2020
Calum Gourlay’s Obvious Trio
Line-up: Calum Gourlay – bass Helena Kay – tenor sax James Maddren – drums A special first time trio gig with Calum’s long time collaborators Helena Kay and James Maddren.…
Wed 07 October 2020
Vortex discussion 25. Livestreaming. Necessary? Evil?
Livestreaming has started at the Vortex. Should it be developed for the long term or be just a temporary until things ‘get back to normal’?
Sat 03 October 2020
Emre / Idris / Liran
Line-up: Liran Donin – Bass Idris Rahman – Saxophone Emre Ramazangolu – Drums Idris Rahman and Emre Ramazangolu are the founder members of Ill Considered along side Liran Donin (Ledbib, 1000Boats) creating freely improvised music, based loosely…
Fri 02 October 2020
Nikki Yeoh – Solo Gemini
SOLD OUT Line-up: Nikki Yeoh – Solo piano concert Since her emergence on the British jazz scene in the mid 90s pianist Nikki Yeoh has proved to be an improviser,…
Wed 30 September 2020
Vortex discussion 24 – where and how can we hear the music now?
Discussing ways that we may be able to find more opportunities for musicians to play and audiences to experience the music.
Sat 26 September 2020
Ivo Neame Trio
Line-up: Ivo Neame – piano Tom Farmer – bass James Maddren – drums Over the last ten years, Ivo Neame has led ensembles that have performed all over Europe at…
Fri 25 September 2020
Trish Clowes trio
Line-up: Trish Clowes – saxophone Chris Montague – guitar Ross Stanley – organ Trish Clowes is joined by her friends Chris Montague and Ross Stanley for a special night of…
Wed 23 September 2020
Vortex discussion 23 – helping the new creativity to be seen and heard
With more limited concerts around (both in terms of size and numbers), and even those honouring musicians who lost gigs during the first phase of lockdown, how do we encourage…
Sat 19 September 2020
Shirley Smart trio
Trailblazing cellist Shirley Smart is recognized as one of the UKs most versatile and creative string players. Her acclaimed album ‘Long Story Short’ showcases the vast array of her musical…
Fri 18 September 2020
Brigitte Beraha / Barry Green
Line-up: Brigitte Beraha – voice Barry Green – piano More info coming soon… Instructions for audience members – please read Welcome back to the Vortex. Please note that we’ve implemented the…
Wed 16 September 2020
VORTEX DISCUSSION 22 – BRINGING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE (TO THE MUSIC)
We see regularly musicians bringing nature to affect and influence their music. Such as Kate Shortt at Freedom this week, Tom Challenger at Marsden and Hyelim Kim in Korea. Sometimes…
Sat 12 September 2020
Alina Bzhezhinska Trio
Line-up: Alina Bzhezhinska – harp Tony Kofi – saxophones Julie Walkington – double bass Internationally renowned harpist ALINA BZHEZHINSKA, award-winning jazz saxophonist TONY KOFI and world class bassist JULIE WALKINGTON…
Fri 11 September 2020
Tom Cawley Trio
Line-up: Tom Cawley – piano Sam Burgess – bass Chris Higginbottom – drums Acclaimed pianist and composer Tom Cawley presents original tunes and idiosyncratic interpretations of jazz standards. With long-time…