Royal Albert Hall Announces Late Night Jazz — First Season Line-Up for 2026
Image Credit Fabrice Bourgelle
If your idea of a good night ends with live music and low lights the Royal Albert Hall’s Late Night Jazz series is calling.
Following a standout 2025 programme, the Hall has just unveiled the first season of Late Night Jazz for 2026, featuring 11 late-night shows running from January through April in the intimate surrounds of the Elgar Room. Expect a vibrant snapshot of the London jazz scene right now — from bold big band energy and future-facing jazz fusion, to neo-soul collectives and boundary-pushing live performance.
A season that celebrates the spectrum of jazz
Image courtesy The Royal Albert Hall
The 2026 programme is about range: 13-piece big band ensembles, eight-piece neo-soul outfits, and stripped-back solo artistry sit side-by-side — all designed to spotlight the richness of jazz and the artists shaping it today.
Speaking on the announcement, Matt Todd, Director of Programming at the Royal Albert Hall, described this season as a continuation of the Hall’s commitment to championing both heritage and innovation — bringing in artists who honour jazz’s roots, while also platforming those who are writing new rules.
Highlights from the 2026 line-up
The season begins with a celebration of one of music’s most iconic voices. On Thursday 22 January, The Sam Every (little) Big Band opens the year by reimagining the timeless catalogue of Ella Fitzgerald, recreating her greatest hits through brand new arrangements.
A week later, Arjuna Oakes takes the stage (Thursday 29 January) with his genre-blending mix of soul, jazz, electronica and funk, following the success of his debut album While I’m Distracted.
February continues with artists pushing the live experience into exciting territory. Robyn’s Rocket arrives on Tuesday 3 February, bringing an “inclusive-conscious” show that showcases experimental musicians from the learning disability and autism art scene, featuring her distinctive “space trumpet” — a looping, effects-driven instrument that builds layered, atmospheric soundscapes in real time.
Then, for a Valentine’s Day with a difference, Sophia Thakur performs on Saturday 14 February, blending jazz with poetry and rhythm — fresh from her debut single My City and praise from the BBC, who dubbed her “the poet of this generation.”
Later in the month, you’ll find futuristic fusion from ORII COMMUNITY (Thursday 19 February) alongside special guest Hillarynx, followed by Tom Ford (Thursday 26 February) presenting material from his upcoming debut album goodbye, forever — reinterpreted as a stripped-back trio with nods to ’80s post-punk and new wave.
March brings a trio of standout moments, beginning with The Forever Presence on Thursday 5 March — the first of three shows curated by Sarathy Korwar, drawing on the tradition of spiritual jazz and weaving in ambient electronics and contemporary classical textures.
On Thursday 12 March, Gigi Wilde brings her “raw, honest, cinematic” sound to the Elgar Room with her full band, weaving storytelling and musical history into one evening of performance.
And on Thursday 19 March, acclaimed talent development charity Tomorrow’s Warriors presents two all-female ensembles — jazz-fusion, funk and R&B outfit Frontline, plus eight-piece group Ankora — alongside a special DJ set from award-winning composer Romarna Campbell, as part of the Hall’s wider International Women’s Day celebrations.
Rounding off March, The Egyptian Jazz Projekt lands on Monday 30 March, reworking the studio and film music of legendary Egyptian vocalist Abdel Halim Hafez (from the 1950s and ’60s) through a fresh jazz and Latino lens.
Finally, the series concludes with Orchard on Thursday 9 April — an eight-piece neo-soul group celebrating their second EP, known for warm horn lines, heavy grooves and bold improvisation.
How to get tickets
Tickets for all other Late Night Jazz shows are available now via the Royal Albert Hall website.
