Liverpool International Jazz Festival 2025 line-up confirmed
Liverpool International Jazz Festival returns to the city this month with a packed programme of gigs, film and visual arts.
The 12th annual festival takes place from February 20-23 at the Capstone Theatre and other city centre venues.
And this year it includes concerts by bands and individuals including the Darius Brubeck Quartet, Rekesh Chauhan and Kousic Sen, the Neil Cowley Trio, Dorian Ford and Emma Rawicz.
The festival opens on Thursday, February 20 with an appearance by the Darius Brubeck Quartet. Brubeck is the son of the late Dave Brubeck and has enjoyed great success as a pianist, composer and innovative educator in his own right.
His quartet also includes saxophonist Dave O’Higgins, bassist Matt Ridley and South African drummer, educator and composer Wesley Gibbens.
That is followed at lunchtime on Friday, February 21 by the screening of the film Playing the Changes – Tracking Darius Brubeck which will be followed by a Q&A with the musician, his wife Cathy and director Michiel ten Kleij.
February 21 also sees a performance from Swiss drummer and percussionist Florian Arbenz and five of the UK’s most exciting jazz talents.
And Parrjazz presents its Mutant Jazz night at Rough Trade on Hanover Street, celebrating the emerging talent from across Liverpool’s live jazz spectrum and exposing them to new audiences.
Top: Saxophonist and composer Emma Rawicz.
On Saturday, February 22, Milap and LIJF present Beyond Roots, an afternoon of music featuring the extraordinary talents of versatile, multi-award-winning British pianist and composer Rekesh Chauhan and internationally renowned tabla maestro Kousic Sen.
And a trio of free concerts will also take place at The Cornerstone Theatre on Liverpool Hope's Creative Campus, with support from Arts Council England; The Weave at 3.30pm, The Return of Samjoko at 4.45pm and Sweet Beans at 6pm.
The Neil Cowley Trio returns to the jazz scene after a seven-year break with a new album, Entity, and festival audiences will have a chance to enjoy hearing its tracks played live in a concert at the Capstone Theatre on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile for those wanting to carry on partying, the festival is collaborating with Parrjazz and one of Liverpool’s coolest small venues, Commune, based in Constance Street.
Above: The Neil Cowley Trio.
The final day of the festival, Sunday, February 23, has been designated Liverpool Sax Day and will feature workshops, masterclasses, and performances from UK sax star Emma Rawicz and also from the North’s leading jazz tenor player and educator Dean Masser.
In the afternoon, internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Dorian Ford will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Keith Jarrett’s legendary improvised 1975 Köln Concert with a unique performance.
And an evening concert by award-winning young saxophonist and composer Emma Rawicz brings the 2025 festival to a close.
Liverpool International Jazz Festival (LIJF) was established in 2013 by Liverpool Hope University.
The emphasis of the festival is on contemporary instrumental jazz in a variety of styles with a focus on presenting work from an international selection of world class artists, taking audience members on a musical journey that traverses numerous genres and cross-genres.
Liverpool International Jazz Festival runs from February 20-23. More details and tickets HERE