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Date: Sunday 24 May

Tara Lily

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Growing up in Peckham as part of a British Bengali family has given Tara Lily a highly personal perspective on music and global culture. She has spent her life absorbing a multitude of sounds and genres from her surroundings, from electronica to jazz, RnB and traditional Bengali folk music.

From training on piano and voice at Trinity Laban Conservatoire to learning Indian classical music, the resulting blend of sounds, and her deep understanding of the worlds from which they originate, has caught the attention of tastemakers Gilles Peterson, Iggy Pop, Jamie Cullum and Motown Records UK, who signed Tara as their first British artist.

Tara is a musical anomaly: a formidable talent who celebrates strength and power in her music. 2025 saw her joining King Krule on stage at the Apollo Theatre, supporting RAYE at the Royal Albert Hall and touring extensively around Asia, with a standout performance on the main stage at Sunsplash Goa.

With shows at Glastonbury, We Out Here, and Wilderness behind her, Tara toured North America supporting British-Indian singer-songwriter Dhruv, notably at Irving Palace, New York and The Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles; she brings her group to Band on the Wall for this matinee show, her mjf debut.

Please note this is a seated event with limited standing.

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Price: from £13 (*plus fees)

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Dilettante

Aviva Studios (The Social)

Francesca Pidgeon vocals, alto saxophone, guitar, loop pedal / Kate Pham backing vocals, guitar, percussion, synthesizer / Aaron Collins-Wood bass, keyboards / Jack Mee drums

Dilettante is the art-pop brainchild of multi-instrumentalist and former BC Camplight member Francesca Pidgeon.

Based in the North of England, Dilettante has supported Caribou, Self Esteem and Philip Selway (Radiohead) with her intricately looped sax and fuzzy guitar riffs. The live quintet has sold out headline shows across England, plus festival appearances at SXSW (Texas, US), Pop Montreal, NXNE (Toronto), Kendal Calling, Deershed, Live at Leeds, Focus Wales and The Great Escape and mjf.

The sophomore album Life of The Party’ was released earlier in 2025 on EMI North and led to plaudits and live sessions from 6Music DJs Marc Riley, Huw Stephens and Iggy Pop.

“A dazzlingly skewed pop-vision” **** – MOJO

“Groove-laden misfit art-pop worth rooting for” – Uncut

“The freshest pop aficionado gracing the circuit. Dilettante’s set is an exceptional performance piece.” – NARC

“A multi-instrumentalist maelstrom.” – Electronic Sound Magazine

“A CBGB Zooey Deschanel making art-rock as magnificent as the genre has ever been. Fizzing with life and invention, a steely forward gaze under a 00s indie fringe, a Manic Pixie Dream Terminator.” – Under The Radar

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Price: Free

Caraway

Aviva Studios (The Social)

Polly Meyrick vocals, saxophone, clarinet / Tom Valentine keyboards, vocals / Dom Cramp trumpet, synthesizer, MPC / James Simpson guitar / Paul Hopkins double bass, synth bass / Kyle Edwards drums

Sometimes stripped bare, sometimes hard-hitting, Caraway’s songs tell stories of today’s world – from conversations with strangers to body memory, freight ships and NHS waiting lists.

Soul-stirring and cinematic, they blend poetic lyrics with rich soundscapes, foley samples, intricate rhythms, double bass grooves and sultry horn lines. Fronted by Polly Meyrick, Caraway fuses jazz and neo-soul with the twists and turns of their global folk influences. They merge electronic and organic sounds, resonating with artists like Bonobo, Submotion Orchestra, This Is The Kit, Ezra Collective and Portico Quartet.

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Price: Free

Flo/ra

Band on the Wall (Copper Bar Stage)

Flo Taylor alto saxophone / Sol Christopher guitar / Callum Greenaway keyboards / Woody Hayden double bass / Louis Berthoud drums

Flo/ra is a genre-blurring jazz quintet led by Leeds saxophonist/composer Flo Taylor (Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band, Goddess Collective).  

With performances at Hyde Park Book Club and Lancaster Jazz Festival behind them, the band’s sound is crafted, varied and evolving: at times heavy and distorted, at others gentle and fragile. Their music draws on spiritual jazz, classical, folk, drum’n’bass and chant music, defying classification, and reflecting Flo’s own resistance to stereotypes as a neurodivergent queer person.  

Flo’s honest and open on-stage demeanour captures their approach to music: an invitation to listeners to be part of it, to come as you are, and to join the band on a journey through sometimes difficult concerns – grief, loss and overwhelm – but also brighter themes of finding community and belonging. 

 

Photography credit: Ginny Koppenhol 

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Price: Free

Band on the Wall Jazz Workshop Band

Band on the Wall (The Copper Bar)

Band on the Wall’s Jazz Workshop is the longest running of its kind in Manchester. 

Taught and directed by renowned saxophonist Munch Manship, it has become a creative hub for amateur jazz musicians from across the northwest who are passionate about the music and get together to play on a regular basis. 

For this festival gig, the workshop’s band will be performing some of the hottest and coolest numbers from the giants of jazz, at Manchester’s iconic music venue. 

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Price: Free

mjf Wrap Party Jam ft. Ed Kainyek Quartet

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Matt & Phreds

Ed Kainyek saxophone / George King piano / Grant Russell bass / Colin Lamont drums

And just like that, mjf2026 will draw to a close… but not until we go out the only way we know how… one last Wrap Party Jam featuring The Ed Kainyek Quartet. 

A legend on the Manchester jazz scene, Ed Kainyek has helped launched the career of many local artists, often giving them their start right here at Matt & Phreds. His own gigs embrace a range of styles from pop and soul to hard swing and Latin. 

With the house band playing the first set (8-8:45pm), the stage is then open for musicians of any level to get up and play a tune or two with the band and other jammers (9:15-11pm). Whether you’ve been a part of mjf’s line up throughout the festival and fancy one more hoorah, or if you’re a musician who wants to put their mark on the festival, this is for you. 

More of a listener than a player? No problem, come and get cosy, and watch the night unfold. With genres surrounding jazz, blues, soul, funk, and pop – anything goes, and anything could happen. 

Did we mention it’s a bank holiday…? See you on the dance floor! 

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Price: Free

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mjf2026 Piano Trail Walking Tour with FMWT

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Victoria Train Station

Please note tickets go off sale for this event via mjf at 10am on the day of the trail. 

After three years of sold-out tours, the piano trail walking tours are back, following manchester jazz festival’s famous piano trail across the city centre… accompanied by live band, Sherpa K! 

Josh (FMWT) will follow the mjf 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 – one on Sunday 17 May and one on Sunday 24 May, running from 11am-1pm.

The tours include pop-up performances by 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.

Kids go free, but please select a ticket, one per child attending. Please note that children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult and due to the use of some strong language during the tour, parent/carer discretion is advised. 

£2 of every ticket will automatically be donated to our Play it Forward: Street Piano Fund, working to maintain the upkeep of our pianos throughout the city. Learn more here: https://manchesterjazz.com/play-it-forward 

WHERE TO MEET AND WHEN 

Meet Josh near the piano underneath the departure boards inside Manchester Victoria Station. The tour will start promptly at 11am and last approximately 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. 

 

Photography Credit: Jeni Illingworth 

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Price: £12 for adults, children go free

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Satnam Galsian: Love or Sacrifice

Aviva Studios (The Social)

Satnam Galsian: Love or Sacrifice 

Reimagining women’s roles in Punjabi folklore 

Satnam Galsian presents the vibrant premiere of a brand new mjf originals work, commissioned by Oldham Coliseum Theatre (as part of Khushi Festival), The Old Courts Wigan and mjf.

Satnam Galsian is a groundbreaking British Asian singer-songwriter and progressive folk artist whose music blends the rich tradition of Punjabi folk with contemporary, feminist storytelling. Through her distinctive sound, Satnam reimagines the vibrant narratives of her heritage, responding to traditional Punjabi songs through a modern and empowering lens.

For this premiere, Satnam has created Love or Sacrifice, a new piece that explores themes of gender roles and the expectations of women in South Asian culture. Her songs are deeply rooted in her personal experiences, drawing on her own journey of identity, belonging, and empowerment. Challenging the notions of how love is portrayed in Punjabi folklore tales, Satnam explores the complexities of navigating multiple cultural worlds and the strength that comes from embracing one’s true self.

With two self-released Eps, Fragmented Truth and Sahiban, Satnam has begun to carve out her own space on the folk music scene. She was a recipient of the Alan James Creative Bursary and an Opera North Resonance residency, both of which have allowed her to expand her artistic vision and deepen her musical craft. Satnam is also part of Kinaara, a cross-genre trio that blends Punjabi folk songs, original compositions and Celtic music. An artist who is redefining what it means to carry forward Punjabi folk music, Satnam Galsian continues to break boundaries and amplify voices often left unheard.

mjf gratefully acknowledges support from Sound UK towards the production of this event

Photography Credit: Libby Greenwood. 

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Price: Free

Women in Jazz Photography: Her Frame. Her Sound

Aviva Studios (The Social)

The exhibition takes place in The Social at Aviva Studios. Check here for opening hours.

Bringing together inspirational women from across the globe, the award-winning organisation Women in Jazz Media presents an exclusive photography exhibition: Women in Jazz Photography: Her Frame. Her Sound 

Celebrating women working in jazz behind and in front of the camera, the exhibition showcases inspirational moments in jazz captured by some of the remarkable female photographers leading the way in jazz photography. Exhibiting legends such as Geri Allen, Abbey Lincoln, Alice Coltrane, Nina Simone and contemporary artists Lakecia Benjamin, Nubya Garcia and Brandee Younger, this is the first exhibition of its kind.  

With award-winning photographers from South Africa, New York, Poland and the United Kingdom, this breathtaking exhibition features the work of Monika S Jakubowksa, Vuyo Giba, Tatiana Gorilovsky, Enid Farber and Kasia Ociepa. 

The exhibition launched in April 2025 at London’s award-winning Karamel Club, going on to visit the Black Mountain Jazz Festival in Abergavenny, and continues to the Highworth Jazz Festival in June. 

 The Photographers 

Enid Farber resides in New York City and has been photographing mostly jazz musicians since 1979 but her work includes artists from a variety of genres, including Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Ray Charles, Bob Marley, Charlie Watts, Diana Ross, Bono and Celia Cruz who have all appeared before her lens. 

Vuyo Giba is a South African -based photographer, writer, and creative professional dedicated to preserving South African jazz heritage. Her work spans jazz, abstract, and lifestyle photography, capturing evocative narratives through imagery. With experience in film production, research, and project coordination, she collaborates with artists and communities to document and celebrate cultural stories. 

Tatiana Gorilovsky is a London-based photographer specializing in music photography, particularly jazz. She has captured the dynamic spirit of the genre for renowned venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express, 606 and others, as well as festivals including the EFG London Jazz Festival and Love Supreme Festival. Tatiana loves experimenting with long exposure and multiple exposure to capture the sounds, rhythm and energy of Jazz. Her images are held in the National Jazz Archive and have been featured in prominent publications such as Jazzwise Magazine, The Times, The Guardian, Financial Times, Billboard, UK Jazz News, The Independent, Time Out London and others.  

Kasia Ociepa is a Wales-based photographer specializing in jazz, events, weddings, and portrait photography, with a deep love for fine art photography. Originally from Poland, she moved to the UK in 2006 and transitioned from garden design to professional photography during lockdown. As the resident photographer for Black Mountain Jazz Club, she has documented the club’s vibrant jazz scene, with her images used by musicians for album covers, press materials, and social media. Kasia sees photography as storytelling, capturing the energy and emotion of live music, and she is always happy to collaborate with musicians and event organizers. 

The award-winning photographer Monika S Jakubowska is renowned across the world.  As the in-house photographer for prestigious London venues, Ronnie Scott’s and Kings Place, she has captured award winning images of legends and is the photographer of choice by many artists. Her portfolio is vast and includes Jeff Goldblum, Genesis, Macy Gray, John Legend, Jazz royalty Dee Dee Bridgewater, George Clinton and Courtney Pine to name a few. Darius Brubeck included Monika’s photographer in his foreword to the brilliant book Sight Readings: Photographers and American Jazz, which was nominated for book of the year by the jazz Journalist Association. 

Date: friday 15 may

Price: Free

China Moses

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Glowing in the mjf2026 headline spotlight, singer, songwriter and producer China Moses evolves her artistry in truth. Defiantly real, her music resists what so many labels and critics desire: category. She captivates listeners with her deep pocket, sensitivity and wit, drawing inspiration from endless styles in the expansive lineage of Black American music.  

Frank and fearless, China’s songs document fleeting emotional states and extended narratives, often leaning into self-reflection both in lyric and phrasing. Her voice is a satin ribbon wrapped around a crackling flame. Listeners fortunate to observe her in live performance know the depth of her song interpretation. In a moment, she can revolve a world.  

The Los Angeles-born artist turned life-long Parisian has performed all over the world and appeared in international television and film projects, including a cult episode of Moesha: Songs in the Key of Strife, and The Lion King (The Circle of Life), as well as theatre roles as Sally Bowles in Cabaret and Billie Holiday in Cafe Society Swing.  

“She commands the stage from the moment she makes her entrance” — The Times UK 

Photography Credit: Alexandre Lacombe 

Precise start and finish times for this event are liable to change; for details, please check the mjf website on the day. 

Date: sunday 24 may

Time: 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Price: from £23 (*plus fees)

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