New London Jazz: From Underground to Center Stage
Between 2015 and 2018, a new energy pulsed through London’s basements and youth-club jam sessions. Out of the shadowy corners of the capital, a fresh, rebellious form of jazz began to emerge. One that was raw, cross-genre, and unconcerned with convention. Now in 2025, the scene that once thrived in obscurity commands international attention, led by a cohort of groundbreaking artists who have reshaped jazz for a new generation.
Ezra Collective
Ezra Collective epitomizes the celebratory spirit of the movement. Once staples of underground showcases, they now turn major festival stages into euphoric block parties. Their Glastonbury 2025 set on The Other Stage was a fever pitch of jazz, Afrobeat, and hip-hop energy, elevated by surprise appearances from Jorja Smith, Loyle Carner, and Kojey Radical. The group’s dynamic presence proves that jazz can still move bodies as well as minds.
Yussef Dayes
A drummer whose performances are as visual as they are musical, Yussef Dayes has redefined the role of percussion in jazz. His Glastonbury 2025 West Holts set was a genre-blurring spectacle, merging hip-hop rhythms, electronic textures, and spiritual improvisation into a powerful narrative he dubs "Black Classical Music." But Dayes is also known for taking jazz to unexpected places…literally. His breathtaking live performance in front of Mount Fuji, captured in a cinematic YouTube film shot in Japan, blends meditative visuals with virtuosic drumming, showcasing his global vision and fearless creativity. From the grassroots to the global, Dayes has become a conduit for the avant-garde.
Alfa Mist
From uploading lo-fi jazz-inflected beats to YouTube in the mid-2010s to preparing for his biggest stage yet, Alfa Mist's journey is a parable of DIY artistry and quiet determination. This November, he will take to the iconic Royal Albert Hall, a testament to the staying power of his introspective, cinematic sound. Though the venue is grand, his music (deeply emotive and unmistakably personal) remains rooted in the intimate essence that first defined his work.
KOKOROKO
KOKOROKO emerged as one of the most thrilling live acts in the new jazz wave. Their Boiler Room London jam, centered around the now-iconic "Abusey Junction," transformed a late-night session into a global touchstone. By blending Afrobeat roots with London’s rhythmic pulse, KOKOROKO deliver a sound that feels both ancestral and urgent, inviting audiences around the world into their world.
Nubya Garcia
An early alumnus of the transformative Tomorrow’s Warriors program, saxophonist Nubya Garcia has become a defining voice of the scene. Her NPR Tiny Desk Concert distills her talent into pure form: lush tone, adventurous phrasing, and an undeniable command of her instrument. Garcia's journey from community workshops to Mercury Prize recognition signals a broader shift in what jazz can be: inclusive, innovative, and immediate.
Moses Boyd
Producer-drummer Moses Boyd channels London’s pulse through his approach to jazz. His Mercury-nominated album Dark Matter became a defining statement of the new wave, fusing jazz with grime, electronica, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. At the 2020 Mercury Prize Awards, Boyd’s performance of “Stranger Than Fiction”, featuring four synchronized drummers and dramatic lighting, captured the track’s surreal energy and established him as a powerful visual and sonic force. The album, and its accompanying performance, cemented Boyd’s role as a genre-blurring innovator who reimagines jazz as an immersive, contemporary experience.
These six artists exemplify how London’s once-underground jazz scene has not only entered the spotlight but redefined it. What began in shadow-lit rooms now fills concert halls and festival fields. New London Jazz now stands as the lifeblood of a global movement, breathing new vitality into the genre and inspiring the next wave to follow.
