Kings Place Will Launch Autumn/Winter 2026 Jazz Season With Dave Holland, Bill Laurance, and More
New commissions and premieres will include Fergus McCreadie's Flight Pass and Dave Holland's Vital Spark.
This Autumn/Winter, Kings Place will present a season of jazz performances featuring internationally acclaimed artists, exclusive premieres and major new collaborations, underlining the venue's growing reputation as one of London's leading destinations for live jazz. With one of its most expansive EFG London Jazz Festival programmes to date, alongside year-round programming spanning established International Artists and emerging UK talent, Kings Place continues to expand its commitment to presenting jazz in all its forms.
Opening the season on Sunday September 20th, Scottish saxophonist and composer Matt Carmichael joins the Kings Place Jazz Orchestra for a special performance showcasing his acclaimed blend of contemporary jazz and Scottish folk traditions. Praised by BBC Music Magazine as "a distinctive new voice in a crowded scene", Carmichael has emerged as one of the most compelling young artists in British jazz, known for his deeply melodic and emotionally resonant compositions.
The performance marks an important chapter in the development of the Kings Place Jazz Orchestra (KPJO), the venue's ambitious resident ensemble founded in 2025 by arranger and composer Callum Au, producer and Jazz Programmer Hannah Hutton and Kings Place Artistic Director Sam McShane. Bringing together leading UK jazz and big band musicians alongside rising young artists, KPJO was created to bring the immersive power of large ensemble jazz to the heart of a contemporary arts centre. Through open rehearsals, educational initiatives and a dedicated Young Artist Platform offering paid opportunities to early-career musicians, the orchestra aims to nurture the next generation of jazz talent while championing ambitious new writing and collaborations. More than a resident ensemble, KPJO represents a long-term investment in the future of jazz at Kings Place.
On Sunday November 1st, Kings Place hosts the closing concert of London Piano Festival 2026 with pianist, composer and original Snarky Puppy member Bill Laurance. A multi-Grammy Award-winning musician whose work moves effortlessly between jazz, classical and contemporary music, Laurance has built an acclaimed solo career alongside collaborations with artists including David Crosby, Terence Blanchard, Jacob Collier, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, Metropole Orkest and WDR Big Band.
As part of Kings Place's biggest-ever EFG London Jazz Festival programme, Mercury Prize-shortlisted pianist Fergus McCreadie will present the London premiere of Flight Pass on Friday November 13th - a bold new commission co-created with Chamber Music Scotland and Kings Place. Fusing jazz improvisation with the textures and storytelling of Scottish folk music, McCreadie has established himself as one of the UK's most distinctive musical voices. Flight Pass expands that world into a new chamber setting while retaining the melodic clarity, rhythmic energy and sense of place that define his work.
Kings Place's EFG London Jazz Festival programme will also feature a major new project from legendary bassist and composer Dave Holland on Sunday November 22nd. Presented as part of the venue's Edition Records Series, Vital Spark sees Holland, Norma Winstone and the London Vocal Project celebrate the music of the late Kenny Wheeler through a collection of his final compositions. Featuring new lyrics by Winstone and arrangements by Pete Churchill, the project offers a rare opportunity to experience previously unheard works by one of the most singular and influential figures in modern jazz.
The Autumn/Winter season at Kings Place also includes performances from Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet, Emma Rawicz's CLOUDWALKER featuring Philip Dizack, Beyond Category & Jeru The Damaja: Honouring Duke Ellington, Kaidi Akinnibi x Mackwood, DREAMSCAPES, Jonny Mansfield Quartet featuring Emmanuel Michael, the Polish Jazz Festival, alongside further artist announcements to come.
Performance Lineup
Sunday 20 September
Kings Place Jazz Orchestra featuring Matt Carmichael
Hall One, 4.30pm
Sunday 1 November
Bill Laurance (Closing Concert - London Piano Festival)
Hall One, 7.30pm
Friday 13 November
Fergus McCreadie - Flight Pass (EFG London Jazz Festival)
Hall One, 7.30pm
Sunday 22 November
Dave Holland, Norma Winstone & London Vocal Project - Vital Spark (Edition Records Series / EFG London Jazz Festival)
Hall One, 7.30pm
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