Named after a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting and inspired by the artists multi-faceted stylistic approach - known for its raw, expressive, and dynamic qualities, blending street art with neo-expressionism to create bold, thought-provoking work. The Exu make layered, intense, creative & beautiful, thought provoking, genre fluid improvised music.

The trio brazenly draw their musical influences from the worlds of free jazz, grunge, death metal, hip hop, bebop, & experimental music. Kane says ‘we are the sum of our record collections, the films we have seen, the books we have read. It all goes into the mix to make our music.’
Kane & Mainwaring share the compositional duties while young Norwegian drummer Emil Karlsen brings versatile, intricate textures and groove. Mainwaring (of Mercury Prize-nominated Roller Trio) blends fiery and sensitive saxophone approaches with playful edge, while double bassist Dave Kane ignites each performance with cathartic, heartfelt energy that lingers long after the final note.

James Mainwaring - Saxophones
Dave Kane - Double Bass
Emil Karlsen - Drums

Alto saxophonist and composer Alice Leggett brings her highly anticipated debut album, Birdsong, to the UK. Originally from Cardiff and now based in Amsterdam, Alice is a rising star in the European jazz scene. An active performer at venues like the Bimhuis, she collaborates with leading Netherlands based musicians including, Teis Semey, Chaerin Im, and Tijs Klaassen.

Previously based in London, Alice performed regularly with The Calum Gourlay Big Band, Mark Lockheart's Days on Earth, and her own quartet featuring Rick Simpson, Calum Gourlay and Will Glaser. She has appeared at iconic UK stages such as Ronnie Scotts and The Southbank Centre, earning recognition from JazzWise magazine as 'One to Watch' in 2020.

Birdsong captures Alice’s journey across Cardiff, London, New York, and Amsterdam, reflecting on belonging, community, and life’s unpredictable beauty. The album features her quartet—Chaerin Im (piano), Tijs Klaassen (bass), Wouter Kühne (drums)—alongside special guests Alex Hitchcock (tenor saxophone) and Alistair Payne (trumpet). Recorded at Fattoria Musica Studios and released on ZenneZ Records, Birdsong showcases Alice’s lyrical compositions, rich storytelling, and vibrant improvisation.

'With a technical fluidity on his instrument, and strong connection to various forms of improvised music, James has built a reputation as one of the most in demand bassists in the country, drawing on his many influences to develop a sound that is stylish, virtuosic and captivating. “His tone big and resonant, his time keeping immaculate and his solos highly dexterous and consistently engaging” (The Jazz Mann). His extensive performance CV shows collaborations with notable artists such as Paul Dunmall, Jay Phelps, Mark Lockett, Neil Yates, Roger Manins, Xhosa Cole, Alex Clarke, Greg Abate, and many more.

With firm roots in bebop and the jazz tradition, James is heavily influenced by Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, Charlie Haden, and other pioneering bassists, as well as current greats including Larry Grenadier and Robert Landferman. He draws inspiration from modern and contemporary music, as well as his experience on the free improv scene, in his approach to improvising and writing music. In 2018, James was a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician Award, performing at the Queen-Elizabeth Hall with Gwilym Simcock and Asaf Sirkis.

The past 2-3 years have seen James step forward as a band leader, composing for a variety of ensembles. After touring with his trio in Autumn 2023, he started focusing on his quartet for which he wrote the suite of music ‘Songs from an Imaginary Childhood’. This music was a commission from the Jazz Central Mentorship Programme and features Alex Western-King (Saxophone), Nick Manz (Piano) and Matthew Holmes (Drums). The compositions took inspiration from the juxtaposition of seeing the world from a child’s perspective and that of an adult’s, focusing on specific examples personal to James. This music was recorded in 2024 and is set to be released as James’s first record as a leader in 2025.'

Bass - James Owston
Sax - Alex Western-King
Piano - Nick Manz
Drums - Matthew Holmes

Khachapuri – a Georgian dish of baked bread with cheese inside, a household staple often served at a Supra (party or feast).

Vato Klemera’s Khachapuri is a celebration of Georgian folk and film music, colliding songs from his childhood with raucous improvisation, original compositions, and jazz-as-boundary-pushing. You are cordially invited to the Supra, come raise your glasses to long life, health, and happiness!

Vato Klemera – Piano + compositions
Harry Brown – Alto Saxophone
Sam Freshwater – Tenor/Soprano Saxophone
Dave Sear – Trombone
Amy Coates – Double Bass
Andrew Duncan – Drums

Trombonist Dave Sear brings his sextet to Digbeth Jazz

Tomorrow's New Quartet is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting jazz bands emerging from the British scene. Taking inspiration from Chick Corea's 'Return To Forever' and Keith Jarrett's 'European Quartet', Tomorrow's New Quartet has been thrilling audiences all over the country with its engaging brand of modern jazz. Led by drummer / composer Rod Oughton, the band released its debut album 'All Together, Now!' on the Ubuntu Music label in 2022. Following a successful launch tour, which culminated in a sold-out show at Pizza Express Dean Street, the album was named 'Editor's Choice' by Jazzwise Magazine, and dubbed 'very fresh' by Jumoké Fashola on BBC Radio 3. The band features several young heavyweights from the next generation of British jazz, namely Tom Smith on Sax, Sam Watts on piano and Flo Moore on electric bass.

"A terrific performance from a hugely talented quartet" The Jazz Mann; "A quartet for today as well as tomorrow" Jazzwise

Rod Oughton - Drums, Vocals
Tom Smith - Sax
Sam Watts - Piano
Flo Moore - Bass

A dynamic, compact version of Billy Marrows' critically acclaimed 12-piece chamber-jazz ensemble, the Grande Família Sextet features a powerful combination of three horns, guitar and an explosive rhythm section.

This gig is the final date of Grande Família's spring 2025 tour, celebrating the release of their second album 'The Penelope Album Live', out on Discus Music on 28th March. The record captures their emotionally charged 2024 performance at Pizza Express Jazz Club in London, which sold out two months in advance and received a full standing ovation.

Grande Família was formed to record Billy's debut album, ‘Penelope', as a surprise for his mum during her struggle with pancreatic cancer. Released in her memory in early 2024, it has raised over £5,400 for World Child Cancer. This gig will also feature lots of new music, inspired by the likes of Weather Report, Gil Evans and Loose Tubes.

Billy Marrows is an award-winning guitarist and composer, receiving both the small and large ensemble categories of the Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition. An alumnus of the Royal Academy of Music, he also studied on the Metropole Orkest Arrangers Workshop with Vince Mendoza. The Grande Família Sextet features highly creative outstanding musicians who have worked with artists such as Mark Lockheart, Chelsea Carmichael, Ben van Gelder Corey Wong and Jordan Rakei.

Grande Família Sextet’s recent EP,’ Mount Tibidabo’ received ★★★★ Jazzwise, praising Marrows for playing “with such lyrical melodicism...you can't help but be seduced into his charmed word”.

“A triumph...Marrows has created a spectacular new ensemble” Jazz Views

“An exhilaratingly original sound, at once intimate and expansive” ★★★★ Editor's Choice, Jazzwise (Penelope album)

“Melodic and distinctive” ★★★★ All About Jazz

MIKE SOPER trumpet

TOM RIDOUT soprano/tenor saxophone/recorder

OLLI MARTIN trombone/bass trombone

BILLY MARROWS guitar

FLO MOORE electric bass

ROD OUGHTON drums

James and Lewis Borland combine fraternal forces to form BORLAND BROS.

Matt Cook is a London based Tenor Saxophonist that has been described in JazzJournal Magazine as ‘Spectacular’ as well as likened to maestro saxophonists such as Wayne Shorter (London Jazz News 2020) and Mark Turner (Marlbank 2024).

Matt established his quintet whilst at The Royal Academy of Music in London combining some of the most creative young musicians on the London Jazz Scene. ‘I wanted to bring four very different musical voices together that could each bring their own style and flair to the music.’

Matt’s eclectic compositional influences range from modern jazz contemporaries such as Immanuel Wilkins and Ambrose Akinmusire, to older pioneers such as John Coltrane and Joe Henderson. He is not afraid to bypass genre, with flavours from 20th Century classical composers like Messiaen and Ravel and even nods to alternative rock bands such as Radiohead. Repetition is a key part of Matt’s compositions, a technique he draws from spiritual jazz, creating meditative and transcendent moments.

Expect memorable melodies, expansive improvisations and deeply moving harmonic progressions.

‘A Boundary Pushing Saxophonist’ – Camden New Journal

‘Spectacular contributions from Matt Cook on tenor’-JazzJournal

‘Two sets of Cook’s very strong originals went over very well and further mark this talented pool of musicians as ones to watch!’ – London Jazz Guitar Society

‘Wonderfully understated playing' - Jazzwise

Matt Cook - Tenor Sax
Karim Saber - Guitar
Reuben Goldmark - Piano
John Jones - Bass
Kai MacRae - Drums

Composer and Arranger Ed Puddick brings his Brum Big Band to Digbeth Jazz

Sixways incorporates elements of small and large-ensemble jazz and combines forward-thinking composition in the mould of Kenny Wheeler, Maria Schneider and John Hollenbeck, free improvisation, and elements from other music beyond jazz such as Radiohead and Adrienne Lenker (Big Thief).

Young drummer on the move brings his Debut Album band to Digbeth Jazz as part of their Album Tour 

- Rasmus Sørensen DK, Piano
 - Nico Klöffer DE, Double Bass
 - Josh Short UK, Trumpet
 - Finn Genockey UK, Drums and Compositions

TDE Promotions collaborates with Digbeth Jazz to bring you Liam Noble.