Bristol’s month in jazz – March 2026

My word – what a lot is happening on the jazz front this month! But first – a gig a tad outside our catchment area deserves special mention: The Bristol Hornstars will be at the Pizza Express in Soho (Sat 7). It’s one of the top jazz venues in the UK and a feather in the cap for the hot young combo. Good work! Also Improv’s Greatest Hits aka IGH have moved to the Star & Dove for their 1000 Legs event (Fri 13), adding to the South West Improvisers Group aka SWIG monthly session at the same venue which this month features Jake McMurchie (Mon 2).

And another special mention goes to bassist, bandleader and composer Riaan Vosloo whose excellent Uphill Game quartet (featuring Get The Blessing’s Pete Judge and the aforementioned Jake McMurchie) is at Jazz at the Bristol Music Club (Wed 4). He pops up again at a new Manouche jam at Spirited (Tues 10) with Maccaferri guitarists Chris Nesbitt and Lewis Tredinnick, returns to Jazz at BMC (Wed 18) with his brilliant all-star quintet Commotion joined by top trumpeter Laura Jurd then rounds off the month back at Spirited (Sun 29) with the Uphill Game foursome. They should all be cracking gigs and the same goes for another bassist/bandleader Chris Jones whose Fleur Carnivore sextet is this month’s Brilliant Corners act at The Fringe (Tue 31). Named after a fabulous live album of Carla Bley’s the band is a celebration of her highly distinctive (and brilliant) compositions.

The excellent range of jazz guitar gigs continues, starting with contemporary stylist Dan Waldman (Old Fish Market, Sun 1) and ex-Monkey Chuckle axeman Mark Lawrence in the funky-jazz quartet Every Day (Canteen, Wed 4). The Bebop score maximum points for snagging Paris-based Finnish guitar star Jonas Metsäkylä (Thur 5) who comes with hot pianist Eddie Gripper’s Trio. Over at the Bell they’ll welcome Courtney Pine sideman of longstanding Cameron Pierre (Mon 9) whose classic style has a distinct Caribbean tinge at times.

The Bebop also has the Joe Steels Group (Thur 12), a rising quintet from the North East getting rave reviews. Metheny-inspired Matt Hopkins will be at The Old Fish Market (Sun 15) and earlier that afternoon you can catch the Rendezblues Jazz Ensemble – the duo of vocalist Maya Bovill and guitarist Stuart Oliver – at Spirited. Singer Ellie Hopkins is combining with the guitar-led Adam Stokes Trio for a Tribute to Hoagy Carmichael in St George’s Glass Room (Wed 25) and jazz guitar fans can catch Nathan Smith’s new trio Still Interfere at Cafe Kino (Fri 27).

There’s a storming Fringe In The Round session in prospect with Leeds powerhouse trio The Exu (Fringe, Tue 3) – a fearsome improvisatory tussle between James Mainwaring’s tenor, Dave Kane’s bass and Emil Karlsen drumming. Equally creative (but possibly more restrained) Jazzata welcomes star US saxophonist Greg Osby with Vein Trio drummer Florian Arbenz in their quartet with pianist Ivo Neame and French bass player Francois Moutin (Sun 15). Popular tenor and soprano player Craig Crofton gets the chance to celebrate his hero the mighty John Coltrane at St George’s (Wed 18) with his quartet. Unsurprisingly that’s already sold out, but other reed-wrestling highlights at The Old Fish Market include SAOCO Collective tenor player Martin Kern (Sun 8), the versatile Kevin Figes (Sun 22) and equally versatile Luke Annesley (Sun 29). Strange Brew will welcome enigmatic pop-jazz saxophonist Ronald Langestraat (Sun 8) – a cult figure from the 80s post-disco dance world in Holland.

Saxophonist Mark Lockheart joins fellow Perfect Houseplant and pianist Huw Warren in the latter’s Cowbois and Shepherds quartet (Jazz at Bristol Music Club, Wed 11) – that’s a fine combination of empathetic players, as is Alex Veitch’s Scandi-influenced piano trio Yetii who have their popular monthly night at The Greenbank (Thur 5). That same night over in Spirited pianist John Baggott’s Invisible Apples duo with Pete Judge’s trumpet explore John’s compositions and the next night (Fri 6) John Law and John Lloyd’s Naissance duo are joined by Al Swainger’s bass guitar for the March Ppianissimo session. Drummer Matt Stockham Brown manages to catch Uber-busy Hammond maestro Jonny Henderson to revive their Osmoid duo at Spirited (Sun 1) with flamboyant trumpeter Jonny Bruce joining pianist and composer Tom Berge there the following week (Sun 8). Young trumpeter Matthew Hill leads fresh-faced modernist quartet Sungrass at Canteen (Wed 11).

There’s a rare lunchtime treat at St George’s (Fri 13) with the elegant duo of Tori Freestone’s poised tenor sax and Alcyona Mick’s lyrical piano – their 2023 album Make One Little Room An Everywhere was deservedly highly acclaimed. Then the Bebop Club has a brace of piano-led evenings, starting with Shades of Shearing (Thur 19), pianist Nick Tomalin’s tribute to the great player and composer that replicates Shearing’s quintet with guitar and vibes. The following week (Thur 26) pianist Dave Jones’ 2 Down and 1 Across quintet plays his tribute to Kenny Garrett’s 1997 album Songbook.

An interesting trio of drummer-led gigs starts with Clive Deamer joining fellow Get The Blessing trumpeter Pete Judge in the latter’s duo JOW, also featuring cellist James Gow. That’s an intriguing acoustic challenge. Equally intriguing hip drummer and producer Richard Spaven is the guest of the JFS (Mr Wolf’s, Tue 17) – will it be a solo show? And then there’s Latin-jazz powerhouse percussionist Dave Betts whose all-star Collective comes to Karolina’s Jazz Club (Crafty Egg, Fishponds, Sat 21). For more Latin action there’s the Canteen’s Latin Descarga session of course (Tue 17) and The Bell has the vibrant Starlings quartet (Wed 18) warming the stage up for top salsa action from Jim Blomfield’s SAOCO Collective (Mon 23). Then, a week later, The Bell has Eddie Parker (Mon 30), flautist and synth player extraordinaire, who has been ploughing an impressive and individual jazz rock furrow since the heady days of Loose Tubes in the 80s.

Producer/keyboard player Alfa Mist brings Roulette,his ambitious stage show featuring his regular band plus The Black Snow Orchestra, guest vocalists and guitarist Jamie Leeming in support, to the Beacon for two nights (Mon 23/Tue 24). It’s a rich mix of soulful neo-classical and hard nosed hip-hop flavoured jazz that went down well at The Albert Hall last year. JFS have nu-soul/funk jazzers Tanhai Collective (Tue 3) and Strange Brew have the exuberant TC & The Groove Family (Thur 19) – both likely to pull a big crowd. Similarly FringeJazz favourite James Morton revives his memorable Groove Den sessions for one night at Jazz at Bristol Music Club (Wed 25) – expect meteoric alto sax and properly grooving jazz funk, which is also the trademark of the Brass Junkies (Greenbank, Sun 1) and Manor Funk who headline a night at Mr Wolf’s (Sat 14) with popsters The Juice and new fusion combo Impossible Conversations.

Swing-wise, cool vocalist Marvin Muoneké is at Fringe (Thur 5)and Spirited have the aforementioned Manouche Jam (Tues 10) while The Bell are looking forward to Brighton trio Django Chutney (Wed 16) and the Gin Bowlers (Wed 25). The Canteen have the Tight Lipped Combo (Thur 12) and gypsy swing’ from Jelly Roll (Wed 18) and the Swing Sunday – With Cake! session has skiffle-swing duo Devil’s Doorbell (Redcatch Community Garden). And yes, there is homemade cake. Swinging guitarist and vocalist Joe Trudgeon has his Trio at Spirited (Sun 22) and brings his trad Trudgen’s Jazz Troubadours to the Sugar Loaf (Thur 12).

If ambience is your thing there’s a whole lot of it gently bidding for your attention this month. Arnolfini (Thur 19) have PUNK/T SPATIAL #1 an immersive exploration of ‘DIY spatial sonics’ from vocalist Nik Rawlings, processed guitarist Duncan Speakman and ‘spectral drone wave’ artist Natalia Mamcarczyk. Strange Brew kick off the month with a Dreamhaze night of immersive soundscapes headed by Ishq (Sun 1) followed by ‘folk jazz minimalism’ from the Blue Lake Quartet headlining on Thur 5. That’s the same night as the Golden Lion have ambient drone merchants A-Sun Amissa headlining in conjunction with poet Lauren Mason, and Scottish neo-classical-meets-jazz composer Andrew Wasylyk will have full orchestration for his performance at The Beacon (Wed 11). The Beacon also has its Piano Day 2026 (Sun 29), a triple concert of contemporary classical piano music including the filmic Poppy Ackroyd. Then there’s Ultimae Records mainman AES Dana, aka French producer Vincent Villuis, bringing his ‘enveloping fusion of downtempo, IDM, ambient techno and progressive trance’ to Lost Horizon (Thur 26). Pretty cool stuff, all of it.

Is there anyone left who still asks”What? The snooker player?” on learning that one Steve Davis is performing electronica? Steve’s been busy as DJ, performer and producer for several years and his longstanding improvisatory modular synth partnership with Gaz Williams is a much-anticipated treat. They come to Cafe Kino (Mon 23). Kino also hosts similarly experimental electronics from duo Kelpy Cathedral (Mon 2) and noisier experimentalists Rattle headline a night at the Cafe (Tue 3). PanOrama is an A/V tribute to the legendary electronic music pioneer Daphne Oram at Kit Form (Sat 7) to celebrate International Women’s Day with Berlin-based Japanese sound artist Popon accompanying BEEF artist Laura Phillips’ special A/V set. Dutch electronic producer Bby Eco and ‘secret band’ Cyst are at Strange Brew (Sat 7) where Austrian electro-sample jazz artist Jan Jelinek headlines on Fri 13, the same night that EatSleep’s ‘deconstructed club’ music tops the bill at The Croft. Experimental electronics Tom Val’s Orion Music Workshop is headliner at The Cube’s Les Disques Omnison night (Mon 16).

And there’s the jams, of course, but don’t forget you can find a complete calendar of jazz in the city at Bristol Jazz Live.

Jam sessions:

Stag & Hounds – Sunday session led by guest artists. Old England – Community Jam Collective on Tuesdays.Mr Wolf’s – Donut Filler Jam on Wednesdays.

Fringe has Hot Club Jam (Mon 2), Jazz Rapport Jam (Sun 8), Peanut Butter Jam (Mon 9), Jazz Rendezvous Jam (Mon 16), Let’s Talk Jam (SEED Session) (Mon 30)

Canteen has Beat Cleaver Cypher Space (Mon 2, Mon 16), Riddim Reggae jam (Tue 3), Canteen Jazz Session (Tue 10), Latin Descarga (Tue 17)

The Cube has the Free Jazz Gachapon (Thur 5). Attic Bar has Suntrap Nu-Jazz Jam (Thur 12, Thur 26). Jam Jar has The Door Is Ajar (Sat 28). Cafe Grounded Fishponds has Hot Jazz Jam (Thur 26)