If New York still represents the stronghold of traditional American jazz, London and its surrounding areas have become fertile ground for a “new jazz” capable of bringing together older and younger generations of listeners — yes, millennials included. British creativity is thriving at an extraordinary level, perhaps also because it has absorbed influences from across Europe: many musicians from countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy have settled in the UK in search of fresh artistic energy. The British scene, with London at its epicentre, is in constant ferment, both musically and culturally. In many ways, this stands in stark contrast to what is currently happening in the United States, increasingly overshadowed by other social, political and cultural concerns.
Let’s begin with a recently published book: Unapologetic Expression: The Inside Story of the UK Jazz Explosion by André Marmot. It is undoubtedly an excellent work — yet already outdated the moment it reached bookstores. Music scenes evolve at astonishing speed today, especially given the technologies now available both for listening to and producing music.
The book nevertheless makes one thing abundantly clear: the remarkable amount of fresh and compelling music produced by the UK jazz scene over the last decade. Names such as United Vibrations, Steam Down, Total Refreshment Centre, Jazz Re:freshed, Tomorrow’s Warriors, Sheila Maurice-Grey, Dave Okumu, Poppy Ajudha, Jason Yarde and Emma-Jean Thackray are just a few examples of the vitality of this movement.
To be clear, this is neither a critique of Marmot’s book nor an attempt to expand or correct it. The aim here is simply to provide an overview of the British scene and to highlight the new musical languages currently emerging from the United Kingdom — developments that, unfortunately, still receive limited attention from many Italian promoters, who continue to prioritise whatever arrives from the United States, even when it feels exhausted or creatively worn out.
Contemporary British jazz has developed a new identity: one capable of combining historical solidity and tradition with fresher, more dynamic sounds that resonate strongly with younger audiences. There is little point in remaining conservative forever — especially when the results are this compelling. Beautiful music, sophisticated arrangements and musicians with astonishing technical command: the London scene is overflowing with talent.
As if to confirm this idea, Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective — a remarkable group blending Afrobeat, calypso, reggae, hip-hop, soul and jazz — offered perhaps the clearest possible definition of the scene: “Is the music you play jazz? I don’t know, and honestly I don’t really care. One thing is certain: it’s the sound of London.” There is very little to add to that. London possesses a jazz sound that is difficult to hear elsewhere — unless one prefers endless post-Parker technical exercises, reheated pre-war swing or the inconclusive serialism emerging from certain overhyped scenes.
Some names have already become internationally recognised, beginning with Nubya Garcia, the Camden Town-born saxophonist and composer of Guyanese and Trinidadian heritage, who has already appeared at several Italian festivals. Her success parallels that of artists such as Alpha Mist, Shabaka Hutchings, The Comet Is Coming, Theon Cross and Sons of Kemet.
Yet these artists represent only the visible tip of the iceberg. Beneath them lies an entire underground ecosystem — already celebrated elsewhere, but still largely unknown to Italian jazz audiences.
One of the first organisations that deserves attention is Jazz Re:freshed, whose very name encapsulates its philosophy. It is not officially a collective, yet it operates very much like one. More than simply a record label, Jazz Re:freshed has become an exceptional platform for artist development and promotion. Since its founding in 2003, it has played a crucial role in helping British musicians build audiences while also supporting the marketing, merchandising and showcase aspects of their careers. Its roster includes artists such as Ezra Collective, Nubya Garcia, Seed Ensemble and trombonist Rosie Turton, alongside rising figures such as pianist Ashley Henry, who appeared at JazzMi several years ago with a sound capable of merging jazz, beat music, hip-hop and grime into something genuinely fresh and disruptive.
Also worth discovering is Work Money Death, a sextet from Leeds led by saxophonist Tony Burkill and bassist Neil Innes. Their music revives the elegance, atmosphere and sonic language of spiritual jazz in the tradition of Pharoah Sanders. Both their 2022 album Thought, Action, Reaction, Interaction and the more recent People of the Fast Flowing River are highly recommended, especially for their expansive compositions, which often feel almost cinematic in conception.
And speaking of Pharoah Sanders, it would be impossible not to mention the talent of Floating Points — born Samuel Shepherd in 1986 — who collaborated with the legendary Arkansas saxophonist and the London Symphony Orchestra on one of the true masterpieces of recent years: Promises (2021), a nine-movement suite combining spiritual jazz, contemporary minimalism and electronic production. At the end of last year, the British multi-instrumentalist released Cascade, a fluid and elegant work, even if somewhat less surprising.
Closely connected to this neo-spiritual jazz sensibility is saxophonist and composer Jasmine Myra, who recently released her new album Rising. It is highly recommended listening, alongside her previous record Horizons.
Remaining within the realm of reeds and spiritual jazz, the music of Chip Wickham also deserves particular attention. Originally from Brighton and frequently travelling between Spain and the Middle East, Wickham has developed a sound that beautifully merges tradition — recalling figures such as Yusef Lateef and Rahsaan Roland Kirk — with downtempo textures in the spirit of Jazzanova and Robert Glasper.
