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John Ellis Band

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

John Ellis keyboards, vocals / Grant Russell double bass / Jimbo Breen drums / Rick Weedon percussion 

John Ellis is a maverick musician, writer, and producer from the North of England. He performs with his own bands and Manchester compatriots Honeyfeet and Baked A La Ska. His adventures have led to contributions to the work of many well-established artists, both live and on record, including Corinne Bailey Rae, Tom Jones, Lily Allen, The Cinematic Orchestra, Alabaster Deplume, James Yorkston, and John Squire. 

He has also spent the last 20 years producing and writing music at his studio, Limefield in Manchester. 

John performed at the very first mjf in 1996, closing the event with a performance by his Big Bang. Having been featured at many mjfs since, as one of Manchester’s most cherished creative people, we’re delighted- he is appearing at mjf30. 

“Either there are a lot of Mancunians in London who are following Manchester’s thriving jazz underground, or the charisma of singer/pianist John Ellis’s Big Bang has reached those parts of the population most localised jazz phenomena don’t reach.” – John Fordham The Guardian 

Please note the Great Manchester Run is taking place on Sunday 18th May between the hours of 9 – 12 pm. Please allow for extra travel time during this period. 

Date: sunday 18 may

Time: 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Price: Free

Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Amy Thatcher accordion / Francesca Knowles percussion 

mjf partners with Jazz North to present a showcase of the latest northern artists to be selected for the groundbreaking touring programme Northern Line. 

‘Envelope-pushing’ accordion and percussion duo Thatcher and Knowles return to mjf as they continue to defy the preconceptions of what their instruments can do, breaking with tradition while tactfully adopting it as a foundation for playful experimentation. Their sensitive and dynamic live show incorporates drums, synths, keys and vocals in an unapologetic brew of colourful and creative composition. Their debut album ‘Emergency of the Female Kind’ showcases a spectrum of humanness and the pair’s undaunted attitude to kicking off a genre revolution, and in 2025 they bring exciting new music to the forefront. 

‘Brimming with invention and energy. Together they’re dynamite’ – The Crack 

Please note the Great Manchester Run is taking place on Sunday 18th May between the hours of 9 – 12 pm. Please allow for extra travel time during this period. 

Date: sunday 18 may

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:15 pm

Price: Free

mjf2025 piano trail walking tour with FMWT

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Corn Exchange

After two years of sold-out tours, Free Manchester Walking Tours are back, following manchester jazz festival’s famous piano trail across the city centre… 

A first for Manchester: a walking tour accompanied by a live band, Sherpa K! 

Free Manchester Walking Tours are going to follow manchester jazz festival’s famous piano trail across the city centre, exploring the fabulous interiors of Manchester’s theatres, art galleries and music venues, as well as uncovering secret street art and learning about the origins of a famous Manchester fruit drink and its artists. There are two piano trail walking tours with an additional tour taking place Saturday 17 May from 12pm-2pm. 

Sherpa K

(Joshua Val Martin, Josh Dawson, Adam Summers, David Martin and Jez Dolan)

Meet Sherpa K – the makers of art-folk with a knowing twink; boasting a musical arsenal from saxophone and flute to piano and double bass, the five Sherpas are on a mission to confuse, charm, and promote universal joy.  

Please note tickets go off sale for this event via mjf at 11am on the day of the trail. 

WHERE TO MEET AND WHEN 

Meet Josh near the piano inside the Corn Exchange. The tour will start promptly at 12pm and last approximately for 2 hours. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water! 

FREE MANCHESTER WALKING TOURS: 

Free Manchester Walking Tours (www.fmwt.co.uk) was set up nearly a decade ago, by storyteller, History MA graduate and Mancunian Josh. They’ve since grown into a small team dedicated to sharing Manchester’s story with the world. They run a tour every day at 11am from the Alan Turing Memorial, as well as offering specialised LGBT+ and Northern Quarter walking tours. 

Kids go free, but please select a ticket, one per child attending. Please note children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. 

Date: sunday 18 may

Time: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Price: £10 for adults, free for children

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