Celebrating Dexter Gordon. Kirk Lightsey from Detroit, Michigan is regarded as one of the greatest pianists of today’s jazz scene worldwide. He is a pianist of immense accomplishment and versatility who worked with major…

Celebrating Dexter Gordon. Kirk Lightsey from Detroit, Michigan is regarded as one of the greatest pianists of today’s jazz scene worldwide. He is a pianist of immense accomplishment and versatility who worked with major…

Mopomoso plays host to John Russell’s annual free improvisation get together. Running over three days and featuring 14 musicians from seven countries Fete Quaqua promises a continuously unfolding programme of…

Mopomoso plays host to John Russell’s annual free improvisation get together. Running over three days and featuring 14 musicians from seven countries Fete Quaqua promises a continuously unfolding programme of…

Led by Seddik Zebiri on oud and vocals, Seeds of Creation is an irresistibly danceable with an urban edge deeply steeped in North African traditional vibes. Always a success when…

Mopomoso plays host to John Russell’s annual free improvisation get together. Running over three days and featuring 14 musicians from seven countries Fete Quaqua promises a continuously unfolding programme of…

Led by one of our favourite drummers, Mark Fletcher,  Fletch’s Brew makes a rare appearance outside Ronnie Scott’s where they play weeklly. The band plays funky jazz originals and also…

Internationally renowned drummer Mark Sanders and rising star pianist Elliot Galvin come together to perform two sets of freely improvised music. This performance will be recorded and released on the…

A major force in European improvising, Saxophonist Evan Parker has collaborated with everyone from Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley & Anthony Braxton, to Scott Walker, Robert Wyatt and Squarepusher. He is one of…

An Afro Venezuelan Jazz Project led by Aleph Aguiar. The main focus of “Pataruco” is to fuse the folklore from Venezuela with the vocabulary of Jazz and contemporary music to…

“Confirms Moholo-Moholo’s presence on the scene as a blast of fresh air.” John Fordham, The Guardian The great Louis Moholo-Moholo returns to the UK from South Africa for one of…

Known for its wild, totally free evenings of challenging and up-lifting improvisations which have consistently united a cross cultural and cross generational posse of players, Freedom pursues the promise of legendary associations…

  London based Brazilian born guitarist and composer Filipe Monteiro, whose music combines his South American roots with the creativity of jazz, is an exciting adventure of musical styles opened…

Esther Bennett, popular singer on the London Jazz scene, celebrates her birthday tonight singing a selection of songs from her CD  “Just in Time”  (produced, recorded and engineered by Ian Shaw,…

Pete Wareham is an old friend of the Vortex, his Acoustic Ladyland being the first band to play in our current venue in Dalston. Now best known as the leader…

A key musician, whom we are delighted to welcome back for a rare quartet gig, his first for 3 years. He performs with an exceptional line-up: Kit Downes (piano), Ruth…

Alexandre Herer – Fender Rhodes; Julien Pontvianne – tenor saxophone; Olivier Laisney – trumpet; Thibault Perriard – drums ; Oliver Degabriele – electric bass It’s particularly exciting for us to have a new collective arrive for the first time.…

Thrill to the great Latin musicianship of this group led by master percussionist, Williams Cumberbache. Williams has collaborated with the likes of The Cure, Sierra Maestra (Cuba), Eddie Palmieri (Puerto Rico),…

A great drummer, most often known here for his work with father Stan, works today with the stars of tomorrow. An English and clean version of Art Blakey? Martin Shaw…

Back for their annual Vortex Workshop. An exciting blend of music from twenty horns, featuring jazz, african and latin grooves, under the leadership of trombone virtuoso Annie Whitehead and supported…

The Kamao Quartet take their inspiration from the legacy of the great Django Reinhardt and traditional Manouche and Romani music. Fronted by singer and guitarist Jean de Talhouet, the band…

Saxophonist Amy Gamlen debuts her new UK quartet with some of London’s finest musicians – Sam Watts (piano), Dave Whitford (bass) and Matt Fishwick (drums), with special guest Steve Fishwick on…

Freestone’s new trio has been gaining great attention for her as of late. Comprised of long-time musical associates in uber-creative drummer Tim Giles and the highly original bassist Dave Manington,…

Tori Handsley (harp), Ruth Goller (bass), Moses Boyd (drums). A new trio led by the dynamic harpist Tori Handsley, known for her work with the likes of Nigel Kennedy as…

One of Britain’s wittiest but also most moving vocalists, Ian Shaw continues his monthly residency with a delicious blend of mirth and melody.

Steve Melling’s credentials show him to be one of the leading pianists of his generation here. He never leaves one bored and constantly surprises, thus giving great pleaure. Within the…

Larry Bartley (bass), Ed Jones, Tony Kofi (saxes), Rod Youngs (drums) Unsuprisingly for such a stellar line-up with an imaginative lyrical bass like Larry, this is a classy band, playing…

Geoff Gascoyne leads a great young band in the music of the iconic Yellowjackets. Bringing to the music the life and attitude of 2015 London. Geoff Gascoyne – electric bass…

White Flower is a recently formed trio featuring Sylvia Schmidt on vocals, Will Newell on violin and Seb Silas on soprano saxophone. The trio explores the ensemble potential of combining…

‘DOLLYman is a jazz/classical/rock collective. The five members are all composers and performers and their music takes in jazz leanings, wild and free improvisation, adventurous classical and delicately weird rock.…

Dogma The Vortex is always keen to give opportunities for our audiences to hear what is happening all over Europe. Italy is no exception. Dogma is a new forward-looking project…

” Winner of the “Best Jazz Vocalist Category” in the 2013 British Jazz Awards, Wardell is noted for her vocal improvisations and vocalese lyrics to instrumental solos. Anita will be…

Liane Carroll is one of the UK’s most outstanding jazz singers. She began her career at the age of 15, and since then has recorded numerous acclaimed albums, headlined at…

Seen regularly as the mainstay of so many bands at the Vortex, it is great to give this guitarist a chance to lead his own group here. His unique composition…

Maybe a new singer for some, but already Jessica has great experience – NYJO, Trinity College of Music (where her tutors included Martin Speake, Brigitte Beraha, Simon Purcell, Nia Lynn…

Alison Rayner bass Buster Birch drums Deirdre Cartwright guitar Diane McLoughlin saxophones Steve Lodder piano ARQ, led by bass player Alison Rayner, play “deliciously upbeat, groovy and thoughtful jazz” (Jazz UK…

Overground Collective A welcome return for a great big band, just getting its new release ready. Paulo Dias Duarte is an award-winning Portuguese composer, based in London since 2003. Paulo’s…

Our monthly ‘loft’ groove night, ably curated by Orphy Robinson and Cleveland Watkiss, continues

The Guildhall Jazz Band is recognised as one of Europe’s top student jazz orchestras. Five-time winner of the BBC Big Band contest, it has performed with Kenny Wheeler, Billy Cobham, Norma Winstone,…

London-born Norma Winstone first attracted attention in the late sixties when she shared the bill at Ronnie Scott’s club with Roland Kirk. Although she began her career singing jazz standards,…

STEVE NOBLE / drums Steve Noble is London’s leading drummer, a fearless and constantly inventive improviser whose super-precise, ultra-propulsive and hyper-detailed playing has galvanized encounters with Derek Bailey, Matthew Shipp,…

Splice image by Emile Holba All human Loop is around. A rare opportunity to have some of the Loop travellers back in London. A Loop Collective night featuring Splice: Splice’s raison…

“Modern, hectic and gleefully bizarre.” (London Jazz).This original group are all composers with influences as far-reaching as Rage Against The Machine, Bill Frisell and Middle Eastern folk music. Expect some…