Way back in the 1970s, the London Borough of Camden had the enlightened idea of adding a Jazz Week to their long-established Camden Festival. Over the following fifteen or more years, the Camden Jazz Week was held at several venues around the borough – the Roundhouse, Shaw Theatre, Logan Hall, Bloomsbury Theatre, the Forum - both as part of the spring Festival, and in some years, adding an Autumn week as well. Although the Capital Jazz Festival brought the familiar round of touring American stars to the city in the summer, Camden Jazz occupied an essential place in the London jazz scene, introducing key international figures, including many of the emerging Europeans, and always committed to UK artists, with an active commissioning policy.

With the active support of London Arts Board (now Arts Council England), Serious - who had for some years produced the Camden weeks - engineered a transition that saw the evolution of a London Jazz Festival in 1992. Taking the mix of international and British artists - and a commitment to education activity - that had been at the heart of the Camden weeks, the new Festival began to spread its wings, with the intention of celebrating the place of jazz in a city that was becoming at ease with its rich cultural diversity, and drawing in the venues across London that present the music, week in, week out, throughout the year.

Visit www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk for further details.

London Jazz Festival Highlights

Arun Ghosh at the London Jazz Festival
Friday 11 November 2011 @ 5:30pm
Southbank Centre / Clore Ballroom
Belvedere Road
London SE1 8XX
0844 875 0073
Tickets: Free

Charismatic clarinettist Arun Ghosh has been taking the live scene by storm with his vibrant fusion of Indian themes and club culture grooves, all spiked with heat-of-the-moment improvisation. Updating the rich lineage of the Indo-jazz sound with 21st century attitude and energy, Ghosh and his exciting live band perform hypnotic music from his latest album, Primal Odyssey.

Zakir Hussain: Masters of Percussion
Friday 11 November 2011 @ 7:30pm
Southbank Centre / Royal Festival Hall
Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
Box Office: 0844 875 0073
Tickets: £30, £25, £20, £15, £10 +bkg

An awe-inspiring night of percussion mastery from the world’s greatest living tabla player, Zakir Hussain, who is joined by the cream of Indian percussionists. Son of legendary Indian percussionist Ustad Alla Rakha (Ravi Shankar’s tabla player), Zakir Hussain has worked with George Harrison, Charles Lloyd, John McLaughlin and the Grateful Dead among many others, continuing to explore the links between jazz and Indian music – connections that were first established in the 1960s.

There will be no interval in this performance.

Zakir Hussain, Tabla, Rakesh Chaurasia, Bansuri, Sabir Khan, Sarangi, Sridar Parthasarathy, Mridangam & Kanjira, Navin Sharma, Dholak, T.H.V. Umashankar, Ghatam

Arun Ghosh: Indo-jazz improv Workshop.
Saturday 12 November 2011 @10:30am
Southbank Centre / Level 5 Function Room
Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
0844 875 0073
Tickets: £5 + bkg
Ages 11–16.

Arun Ghosh leads an Indo-jazz improv Workshop. For all instrumentalists. Bring your own instrument. Approx 90 mins. Booking essential.

Soumik Datta
Tuesday 15 November 2011 @7:30pm
Rich Mix
35-47 Bethnal Green Road
London E1 6LA
020 7613 7498

Acclaimed British composer and Sarod virtuoso Soumik Datta merges Indian improvisation with Western classical sensibilities, carving a distinctive style that has garnered broad acclaim. Aside from his solo performances, he has also collaborated and performed with Nitin Sawhney, Talvin Singh, Beyoncé, Akram Khan and Bill Bailey

Arun Ghosh
Wednesday 16 November 2011 @6:30pm
National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich
London SE10 9NF
T: 020 8312 6565
Tickets: Free (Booking Essential)

This performance marks the opening of the new East India Company Gallery Traders and features music from Arun Ghosh, Sanchita Farruque and Arifa Hafiz. A rare opportunity to explore the historic setting of The National Martime Museum after hours.

Arun Ghosh
Thursday 17 November 2011 @6:00pm
Ray's Jazz @ Foyles
113-119 Charing Cross Rd
London , WC2H 0EB
020 7440 3205
Tickets: Free

Charismatic clarinettist Arun Ghosh has been taking the live scene by storm with his vibrant fusion of Indian themes and club culture grooves, all spiked with heat-of-the-moment improvisation. Updating the rich lineage of the Indo-jazz sound with 21st century attitude and energy, Ghosh and his exciting live band perform hypnotic music from his latest album, Primal Odyssey.

Global Sounds with Arun Ghosh
Sunday 20 November @12noon
The Vortex Jazz Club
11 Gillett Square, London N16 8AZ
Tickets: Free

This year’s London Jazz Festival in association with BBC Radio 3, welcomes a special showcase of music created by British Asian clarinettist and composer Arun Ghosh, with Morpeth School’s big band - Urban Playground. Bringing fresh arrangements of Arun’s forthcoming release, 'Primal Odyssey' and album 'Northern Namaste', the performance highlights the incredible wealth of young talent in East London and is a forerunner to a larger performance during London 2012 Cultural Olympiad celebrations.

Visit www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk for further details.