Bristol’s month in jazz – June 2025

Yes indeed, there’s a lot of excellent ivory-tinkling on the menu this month, topped (of course) by the sold-out (of course) Brad Meldhau (St George’s, Mon 23). But if you didn’t get your foot in that door don’t despair – you can still catch some great piano jazz among the myriad treats coming soon.

Contemporary piano trio M.S.K. have been quietly gathering steam at the Tobacco Factory (Sun 1) with Rachel Kerry stretching out into cinematic sweeps of improvisation, while the great Yetii trio returns to their Greenbank roots (Thur 19) with a Radiohead-themed session.

We see much more of ebullient young pianist Elliot Galvin (pictured at top) hereabouts since he moved nearby, especially with Alex Merritt’s quartet, but there’s a rare chance to catch a solo set at this month’s Fringe In The Round night (Fringe, Tue 3). By contrast Danish pianist Esben Tjalve makes his Bristol debut at the Beacon (Thur 26) with his international Red Kite quintet including fellow Dane Jasper Høiby’s awesome bass playing.

Let’s talk reeds – and let’s start with Satori, tenor saxophonist Josephine Davies’ fine project now grown to a quartet with pianist Alcyona Mick joining Dave Whitford’s bass and James Maddren drumming. It’s a great creative showcase, well suited to the contemplative possibilities of a lunchtime slot at St George’s (Fri 13). Which would give you time to head over to the Greenbank for lively tenor player Dan Newberry’s quartet gig (Fri 13), featuring Yetii’s rhythm pairing of Ashley John Young (bass) and Alex Goodyear (drums). If that’s too much sax action, however, there’s also guitarist James Chadwick in a trio gig at Fishponds’ Crafty Egg on the same night.

Very much up-and-coming tenor player Greg Sterland’s trio Trinomika play the Stag & Hounds Sunday session (Sun 1) and also feature at The Flamingo Club night (Grain Barge, Tue 10), while hard-bopping tenor and soprano player (and hardworking bastion of the Canteen’s jazz sessions) Craig Crofton brings his trio to The Fringe ((Thur 12).

The Bebop Club takes its regular summer break but rounds off another top quality year with Australian powerhouse Brandon Allen (Thur 19) in an all-star quintet including (hardworking bastion of the Bebop Club) Andy Hague on trumpet.

There’s a wide range of jazz vocal style to sample in June, sadly three on the same day – Thursday 5th. It’s a tough choice between acclaimed jazz singer Fini Bearman (Bebop Club), returning to touring with a new album of original songs reflecting her experience of motherhood, Hattie Whitehead honouring Joni Mitchell in Hejira (Lost Horizon) – also featuring great guitarist Pete Oxley – and the ethereal songs of Snowpoet with vocalist Lauren Kinsella (St George’s) with support from the trumpet/cello duo JOW.

Happily there’s no such clash for Liane Carroll (Tobacco Factory, Sat 21) when she comes for the latest of the Bristol Jazz Festival’s Jazz In The Loft gigs. Liane will also be giving a vocal masterclass at the venue on Sunday morning, courtesy of the Bristol Jazz Workshop. Contemporary a cappella ensemble The Tryani Collective are a highlight of The Canteen’s month (Thur 12).

Only one FringeJazz gig at the Bristol Music Club this month but it’s a corker: Tony Orrell’s Big Top (Wed 4) in an interesting new line-up. Formerly a double-drummer quintet this version only has Tony on the kit but gains formidable improviser Raph Clarkson on trombone alongside the similarly free-minded Jake McMurchie (sax), Riaan Vosloo (bass) and Dan Moore on keyboards.

Riaan features at another intriguing debut: the Fairfield House Ethio-Jazz Project (Fringe, Wed 18), named for Bath’s Rastafarian centre donated by Haile Selassie himself. Since the demise of Tezeta we’ve lacked a great band exploring the distinctive modes and rhythms of Ethiopian jazz and this new quintet – including Tezeta vibraphone player Harriet Riley – is a promising successor.

The ever-exploratory Cotham Club also has a fusion project (Cotham Parish Church, Fri 27) when Palestinian singer and player of the 7-string baglama Zaid Hilal joins world-jazz combo BEJE.

There’s a whole lot of swing coming, with suave crooner Marvin Muoneke working extremely hard this month. Not only is he at The Architect (Wed 4), the Fringe (Thur 5) and the Fringe again – with Jack Calloway – (Wed 25) but also he’s the featured vocalist for Celebrating Sammy Davis Jr (St George’s, Fri 20). For the latter he’s fronting the Down For The Count Big Band – a powerful combination of brass and strings – and you can bet they do a fine version of Mr Bojangles. St George’s has another stage-packing night that weekend when the City of Bristol Choir perform their Summer Jazz and Soul set (Sun 22).

There’s a highly ambitious changeover at the Hall on Friday 13th when the 20-piece Bristol Hornstars provide the support set for Zurich’s ETH/UZH Big Band. Who’d be a sound tech? Happily for the Tobacco Factory John Prescott and Capitol Swing (Sun 15) are a much more compact trio line-up, while Ruby Jazz (6 O’Clock Gin at The Glassboat, Fri 13) are an equally straightforward quartet. Oh – and Capitol Swing are also at the lovely Beeses tea garden (Fri 6).

Getting into the more straight ahead grooving territory, the Head Rush Brass Band bring New Orleans to Canteen (Fri 6) and there’s a trio of Hammond-driven outfits across the month. First up, John Paul Gard powers up Manuals of Fire at The Old Fish Market (Sun 1), then Ruth Hammond leads the Hopkins-Hammond Trio with guest trumpeter Gary Alesbrook for fireworks at the Bebop Club (Thur 12) and guitarist Martin Mexme brings his Organ Trio to The Fringe (Thur 19).

Denny Ilett unpacks his swinging jazz guitar at The Fringe (Wed 11) in a duo with soulful jazz singer Victoria Klewin and Victoria is also supporting an interesting extension of the blues-rooted Slimline Shufflers as they head to N’Orlins with a 3-piece horn section (Mr Wolf’s, Fri 13) .

Heading off to the wilder side, the remarkable post-everything guitar trio MSSV hit the Exchange (Thur 12) with local experimental heroes Omega Institute in support. The Cube has a specially eclectic programme including the weightless ambience of Marconi Union (Sat 14), Irish electro-folkery artist RÓIS with Canadian ex-pat experimental balladeer Eric Chenaux (Fri 13) and New York’s bewilderingly post-mediaeval Extra Life (Mon 23).

Postclassical Assembly bring contemporary classical composer and multi-media artist Tom Gimson to the Wardrobe Theatre (Wed 11) and Windmill Hill City Farm host an interdisciplinary synaesthesia-focused Sunhaze event (Sat 7).

The improv scene starts promptly with the Broken Numbers afternoon set at The Exchange (Sun 1) followed briskly by the SWIG session at the Star & Dove (Mon 2), with this month’s guest being the young trumpeter Celeste Cantor-Stevens. Then Liquid Library have another of their Free Jazz Gachapon nights (Dark Horse, Thur 5) and Elmer’s Arms host their free jazz session Byrfyfyr (Sat 7).

And then there’s jam … The Green Rooms now have a weekly Jazz Sundays ‘open mic’ (from Sun 1), and Mr Wolf’s have their Donut Filler (Wednesday’s). The Stag & Hounds have only released one date: Greg Sterland’s Trinomika trio (Sun 1) so check for further info. Love Inn has its Outer Edges Beat Jam (Tue 3).

The Fringe has the usual: Hot Club Jam (Mon 2), Peanut Butter Jam (Mon 9), Jazz Rapport Jam (Mon 16) and the Seed Sessions (Mon 30).

The Canteen has: Stone Cold Funk Jam (Tue 3, 17), Canteen Jazz Session (Wed 4), Slapdash (Tue 10), Beat Cleaver (Mon 16), Canteen Latin Session (Wed 18), Kole Tang (Tue 24).