Manchester Jazz Festival 2025 | Who to see
- Alyssa Speight
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
As Made in Manchester, our music documentary exploring the beating heart of Northern creativity, rolls cameras across the city this year, there’s no better place to begin than the Manchester Jazz Festival 2025. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, mjf is a living, breathing testament to the city’s spirit of experimentation, resilience, and pure love for music.
We’ll be at the opening weekender at First Street from May 16–18, capturing moments, chatting with artists and fans, and diving deep into what makes this festival so special. And as we search for stories that define the city’s sound, we’ve picked five unmissable artists on this year’s mjf line-up who perfectly embody the festival’s blend of musical excellence and forward-thinking artistry.
1. Steam Down
If there’s one act guaranteed to bring bountiful energy and communal spirit to the stage, it’s Steam Down. A collective from South-East London known for their explosive live shows, Steam Down fuses jazz with grime, Afrobeat, and future soul in a way that feels urgent and alive. Their improvisational sessions are musical journeys that blur the line between performer and audience. Expect the First Street stage to turn into a full-on celebration of rhythm, identity, and innovation.
2. Yazz Ahmed Quartet
Bahraini-British trumpeter Yazz Ahmed brings a beautiful fusion of Arabic folk, electronica, and jazz to MJF this year. Her music creates what she calls “Psychedelic Arabic Jazz”, and it’s both cerebral and soulful. Albums like Polyhymnia and La Saboteuse have placed her firmly at the forefront of global jazz innovation. We’re keen to capture Yazz’s process on how she uses sound to explore themes of identity, femininity, and heritage. We absolutely love her most recent album A Paradise In The Hold - Give it a listen & watch below 👇
3. Emma Rawicz & Gwilym Simcock
Emma Rawicz, a fast-rising saxophonist and composer, teams up with veteran pianist Gwilym Simcock for what’s sure to be a masterclass in dynamic interplay and harmonic depth. At just 21, Rawicz has already turned heads with her fierce technique and compositional vision in her debut album Incantation is a standout in modern UK jazz. Simcock, a former Pat Metheny Group pianist, brings maturity and finesse to the collaboration. Make sure to listen to their joint album Big Visit and our fave track "His Great Adventure" below 👇
4. Camilla George Quartet
Saxophonist Camilla George brings a powerful blend of West African rhythms, hard bop, and contemporary jazz to the mjf stage this year. Her music is as political as it is joyful, and albums like The People Could Fly and Ibio-Ibio tackle themes of slavery, spirituality, and cultural resilience while maintaining an infectious groove. George’s quartet is known for tight musicianship and fierce improvisation, anchored by her bold, lyrical saxophone voice. For Made in Manchester, her performance offers a compelling narrative about music as both resistance and celebration. She’s a storyteller—and we’re here to listen.
5. John Helliwell’s Super Big Tramp Band
For fans of both jazz and classic rock, John Helliwell’s Super Big Tramp Band is an unmissable crossover moment. Best known as the saxophonist for legendary British rock band Supertramp, Helliwell reimagines the group’s iconic catalogue through a big-band jazz lens. Think “The Logical Song” with a horn section and swing sensibility. It’s both a nostalgia trip and a showcase of musical reinvention. This is a project steeped in Manchester roots and musical evolution, and we’re excited to capture how Helliwell bridges past and present in such a uniquely local way.
Spotlight on Manchester Talent
Throughout the festival, we’ll be keeping an eye out for Manchester-based artists—those shaping the city’s jazz voice in clubs, collectives, and late-night jam sessions. Whether it’s a set at Matt & Phreds, a surprise piano trail performance, or an emerging talent on the festival fringe, Made in Manchester is about capturing the voices that define now.
If you’re performing, filming, or just soaking up the sounds, come find us at First Street or drop us a message. We’re here to tell Manchester’s musical story, and we might just want to tell yours too.
🎟️ Tickets & Info
Tickets for the Manchester Jazz Festival 2025 are now on sale, with prices starting from £9.50. Many events, including the entire opening weekend at First Street, are free to attend. You can browse the full programme and purchase tickets directly via the official festival site: manchesterjazz.com. For those looking to support the festival further, becoming an mjf Friend offers perks like priority booking and discounts on selected events.
We cannot wait for this years instalment, heres to 30 more years of Manchester Jazz Festival.
As always, we will see you at the front!
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