A new era for London jazz: Kings Place launches orchestra and boundary-pushing autumn season
Kings Place will debut its new Jazz Orchestra in November 2025, while Michael Mwenso curates a dynamic series mixing music, conversation and community.
Kings Place is setting the tone for a bold autumn of jazz in London, launching a new resident orchestra and a season of performances designed to reflect the full spectrum of the genre – from reimagined Gershwin to ancestral soul, Polish improvisation to icy Nordic minimalism.
At the centre of the programme is the newly formed Kings Place Jazz Orchestra (KPJO), a project-based ensemble handpicked and directed by award-winning composer, arranger and trombonist Callum Au. The orchestra will make its debut on 2 November 2025 with a concert reinterpreting the music of George Gershwin, including a new arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue.
Positioned as both a performance powerhouse and a mentoring platform, the KPJO blends established UK jazz musicians with emerging talent. It aims to become a fixture in the UK jazz landscape while serving as an educational and inspirational resource for young artists. The ensemble was co-founded by Au, producer Hannah Hutton, and Kings Place artistic director Sam McShane.
Alongside the orchestra’s debut, Kings Place has announced the return of Michael Mwenso as guest curator with a new series titled Soul Assembly. Described as a space where music meets conversation, Soul Assembly opens on 3 October with a celebration of Miles Davis featuring Jay Phelps and Ammar Kalia. Other events in the series include Sisters of Soul, a family-focused exploration of Black female vocalists (16 Nov), and a festive performance with Michael Mwenso and the Shakes titled Funky Soulful Christmas (18 Dec).
Elsewhere, the season showcases a diverse and international slate. Highlights include:
- Julian Joseph and Zoe Rahman leading The Sounds of Our Next Generation at the London Piano Festival (12 Oct), spotlighting rising stars in British jazz
- The Polish Jazz Festival, hosted for the first time at Kings Place, featuring the Marcin Wasilewski Trio (15 Sept) and trumpeter Piotr Wojtasik with his Quintet (27 Sept)
- Australian jazz guitarist Frank Gambale performing with his ‘All-Star’ group and guest pianist Andrew McCormack (5 Oct)
- The return of Sultan Stevenson, performing with his trio on 31 October, following critical acclaim for his recent debut album
- An experimental set from the Terje Isungset Ice Quartet (23 Nov), playing sculpted instruments made entirely from ice
- Jazz interpretations of Stephen Sondheim classics by Ian Shaw (27 Nov)
The autumn also includes new material from Jack Jennings and Omar Puente (17 Oct) and a performance from Quercus – the trio of June Tabor, Iain Ballamy and Huw Warren blending jazz with folk and reimagined standards (19 Oct).
Thirteen performances will run between September and December, showcasing a broad stretch of jazz voices, traditions and experiments. It’s a confident statement from a venue that continues to champion musical diversity and quality in equal measure.
Further information and booking for all events is available via kingsplace.co.uk.
Elena Leo is the Culture & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.