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Venue: mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

David Kayode

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

David Kayode saxophone / Emily Tran piano / Marlon Hibbert steel pan / Nathan Dawkins bass / Ayo Salawu drums / Emma Marsh percussion 

Hailing from North-West London and having spent his recent years studying in Manchester, tenor saxophonist David Kayode is fast becoming one of the most compelling new voices in UK jazz.  

Steeped in the sounds of reggae, Ghanaian highlife and the rhythms of his childhood home, Kayode channels a rich musical heritage through the expressive power of the saxophone. Here to open mjf2026, he teases new music from his debut EP Ade Kayode.  

A graduate of Tomorrow’s Warriors, Kayode honed his craft under the mentorship of Gary Crosby OBE and Camilla George, an evolution that has defined his warm, commanding sound and expressive improvisations.  

Kayode’s artistry balances deep respect for the jazz tradition with a forward-looking spirit, delivering groove-driven performances that weave carnival energy and West African rhythms into the language of modern jazz. His collaborations already span an impressive range, from Ni Maxine to Afro-rock pioneers Osibisa and Moses Boyd.  

Kayode is also founder of Purple Collective, an artist-led platform and events movement dedicated to building space for diasporic creativity through jams, collaborations and community gatherings.  

His practice extends into education and cultural engagement, including mentoring young musicians and delivering workshops.  

With a sound rooted in heritage but driven by innovation, Kayode represents the next wave of British jazz: bold, groove-infused, and unapologetically original. 

Watch a clip from David’s most recent album, HERE. 

Photography Credit: Ella B Shoots 

Date: friday 15 may

Time: 6:00 pm - 7:15 pm

Price: Free

Charlie Cooper & The CCs

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Charlie Cooper vocals / Jake Stentiford guitar / Liam Morson keyboards / Alex Pearson bass / Laurie Agnew drums

A familiar presence on the Manchester music scene, Charlie Cooper is known for her formidable rich voice, classically-crafted songwriting and energetic performances with her masterful band, The CC’s.  

A singer-songwriter shaped by soul, groove and jazz influences, Charlie expertly weaves together elements of jazz, soul and blues, drawing inspiration from the classic songwriting of Burt Bacharach and Carole King, whilst delivering performances with a Motown and Stax vibe and innate musicality.  

Charlie headlined back in mjf2014; after a decade of collaboration and songwriting, the band returns to play this year’s opening night, with a stack of new material – bold, big hearted and built for the stage. 

Date: friday 15 may

Time: 8:15 pm - 9:45 pm

Price: Free

Unfurl

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Olivia Moore violin / Jim Faulkner guitar / Gavin Barras bass / John Ball tabla

Celebrating their 20th year in 2026, Unfurl achieves a melange of styles by faithfully blending Indian traditional music and jazz. Conjuring expressive musical images inspired by the earth and nature, they take the listener on a sublime, uplifting journey, crafting folky melodies that sit atop a rhythmic bed of the cross-rhythms and syncopations of the Indian subcontinent.

Unfurl’s music is influenced by legendary Indian musicians Kala Ramnath and Zakir Hussain and by John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra. With a finely-tuned balance of tight arrangements and expansive improvisatory sections, the group generates a fluidity of playing that gives each performance a spontaneity and freshness of its own.

Unfurl performances have been enthusiastically received at many theatres and jazz festivals across the country – including Manchester, Marsden, Marlborough, Brecon and London – cultivating a well-deserved reputation for their direct connectivity with audiences.

Their mjf show will feature pieces from a new EP release, along with music from the acclaimed Sleeping Giants album.

“…musical subtlety and refinement with a real sense of musical adventure and exploration,” Liverpool Jazz Festival.

Date: saturday 16 may

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:10 pm

Price: Free

Out Front

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Nick Malcolm trumpet / Jason Yarde alto saxophone / Jake McMurchie tenor saxophone / Olie Brice double bass / Dave Smith drums

A UK jazz super group from Bristol and London, Out Front originally formed to play the music of two of jazz’s greatest ‘inside-outside’ composers: Booker Little and Andrew Hill. With roots anchored in the work of these two masters, they now present entirely original music composed by the various members of the band.

For mjf2026, they showcase music from their debut album, Buried Webs. Spearheaded by the rich frontline of three horns, the band draws on years of collective experience at the highest level of jazz and improvised music, exploring a full spectrum of possibilities, from joyous straight-ahead playing to the most open of improvisations.

Date: saturday 16 may

Time: 5:30 pm - 6:40 pm

Price: Free

Hang Linton

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Hang Linton vocals, guitar, harmonica, sampler, synthesisers

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

A fearless sonic force, Hang Linton is a boundary-pushing artist from Leeds, fusing avant-funk, dance-punk, psych-rock and breakbeats into a raw and unapologetic sound. Armed with a sampler, synths and an unrelenting energy, Linton dismantles the polished and predictable, channelling the spirit of DIY counterculture with every performance. 

Explosive, chaotic, and fiercely authentic, Hang Linton brings a live show that’s part protest, part party, a cathartic release that challenges convention and demands your attention. 

Photography Credit: Laura Lulika

Date: sunday 17 may

Time: 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Price: Free

SwanNek

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Mollie Birmingham vocals / Olly Styles tenor saxophone / Jacob Egglestone guitar / Alexa K Palmer Campiglia cello / Findlay Hewitson keyboards / Jake Baines bass / John Hirst drums 

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

SwanNek is a boundary-pushing contemporary jazz collective from Newcastle upon Tyne, renowned for crafting music that celebrates the people and places closest to their hearts. 

SwanNek draw deeply from their own experiences, weaving personal stories into a dynamic and powerfully emotive sound: a fusion that reflects the rich and diverse musical identity of their hometown.  

Their emotive, innovative and welcoming live shows have drawn praise from Radio 3’s Soweto Kinch and BBC Introducing’s Shakk (“a collective of musical superheroes”), consistently attracting an eclectic and ever-growing fanbase. 

“Innovative. Dynamic. A combustion of musical talent.” – Glasshouse ICM 

Date: sunday 17 may

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:15 pm

Price: Free

Ancient Infinity Orchestra

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Ozzy Moysey double bass / Joel Stedman flute, bass clarinet, congas / Matt Cliffe flute, alto flute, tenor saxophone / Khemi Shabazz oboe / Jacob Rider alto saxophone / Hugh Vincent piano / Elliot Roffe double bass / John Arnesen drums

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

Ancient Infinity Orchestra emerged in the North of England as a joyous, communal force, rooted in collective music-making and shared intention. Led by Leeds-based composer-double bassist Ozzy Moysey, the ensemble weaves melody, with expansive, uplifting improvisation, creating music that feels both intimate and cosmic.  

Their latest recording, It’s Always About Love, blossoms with warmth, texture, and emotional depth, shaped by a rich palette of acoustic sounds and open-hearted collaboration. Affiliated with jazz, folk, classical, and devotional music traditions, the Orchestra offers generous, healing music that invites listeners into a shared experience of unity, openness, and joy. 

Photography Credit: Solomon Charles-Kelly 

Date: sunday 17 may

Time: 7:00 pm - 7:45 pm

Price: Free

Rivkala

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Rivkala vocals / Faye Maccalman saxophones, clarinet / Billy Bradshaw trumpet / Ben Lawrence keyboards / Luke Elgie guitar / Katy Trigger double bass, bass guitar / Mark Johnson drums

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

Self-proclaimed showgirl Rivkala – along with her esteemed band – blends jazz, soul, funk, and klezmer to build the twisted world of the Crushed Velvet cabaret bar, where she delivers biting yet playful social commentaries. The Mancunian singer-songwriter has made the North East her home over the past seven years, working across a range of projects and co-founding Jam Sandwich, an improvised contemporary jazz jam. 

Winner of Youth Music Video of the Year (2025), Youth Music Ones to Watch (2026), BBC Introducing: One to Watch (2025), and Drake Music’s Emergent Artist (2023), Rivkala delivered exhilarating performances in 2025 for BBC Proms (broadcast on Radio 3’s ‘Round Midnight), MOBO Fringe, Sofar Sounds, SXSW Roadshow and TV features for BBC Look North and ITV Tyne Tees. 

Date: sunday 17 may

Time: 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm

Price: Free

Rory A. Green

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Rory A. Green classical guitar / Eleanor Colee tenor saxophone / Zac Hemming drums

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

Ghanaian-English guitarist, composer and producer Rory A. Green, inspired by his mixed heritage background, uses the sensitivity of acoustic instruments combined with infectious rhythms to create heavily layered, atmospheric environments for his music. 

With his dynamic, conversational approach to the guitar and improvisation, Rory has been using music to tell stories and captivate audiences in his hometown of Manchester and across the UK, sharing stages with Laura Misch, Kessoncoda and Marysia Osu. 

Photography Credit: VALETTE

 

Date: sunday 17 may

Time: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm

Price: Free

Orchestra Mambo International

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Jonny Enright trombone / Claritzel Miyares, Carlos Peña vocals / Olivia Cuttill, Victor Estevez, Chris Williamson trumpets / Ben Powling baritone saxophone / John Settle vibraphone / Andrzej Baranek keyboards / Simon Edwards bass / Luis Tumbamilian bongos / Sam Bell congas / Jimmy Le Messurier timbales

Orchestra Mambo International is a 13-piece formed in 2024 by salsa DJ Lubi Jovanovic (DJ Lubi) and salsa/mambo trombonist Jonny Enright (Grupo X). They play classic mambo, salsa dura and Afro-Cuban jazz inspired by Latin music legends Tito Puente, Machito, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, Ray Barretto and Tito Rodriguez. The line-up features musicians from Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Spain and Brazil and UK players based in Manchester, Liverpool, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Edinburgh and London.

OMI are bringing mambo to a whole new young generation of UK listeners – and not just from the salsa dance scene. The band are celebrated for their exciting live performances, amongst them Leeds Jazz Festival, Music Port Festival and Glastonbury and on Cerys Matthews’ BBC6 Music show in session from the legendary Maida Vale Studios.

Their five single releases of original mambo, Latin jazz and cha cha have been supported by Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Craig Charles, Jamz Supernova, Don Letts and Cerys Matthews, as well as by Jazz FM, One Jazz and Worldwide FM. Their debut album is destined for release this summer.

Date: saturday 16 may

Time: 7:45 pm - 9:00 pm

Price: Free