Roseanne Hanley

In a nutshellMusician-run, basement jazz club-cum-restaurant. Where is it?Lots Road, Chelsea, not far from the Fulham border. What’s the vibe?Relaxed and welcoming. Cosy tables pointed toward the stage add to the friendly atmosphere: it feels more like you’re hanging out with the musicians rather than being at a formal gig – very cool. What makes it a great venue?The club owner, Steve Rubie, programmes music seven nights a week and places importance on supporting and showcasing the best of the British jazz scene. The programme is varied which makes it the perfect place to check out the latest jazz stars. What’s the booze situation?Non-members can only buy alcohol if they are eating a meal (members can drink without eating). The food is pretty good and reasonably priced, though, so it’s worth it. What’s good and coming up soon?The club celebrates its thirtieth anniversary at its Lots Road location next month and there’s a special anniversary programme from May 16 to 27. It’s a great line-up, but Sunday May 20 looks especially good: three of the UK’s finest jazz vocalists – Ian Shaw, Polly Gibbons and Liane Carroll – will be in attendance.

As one of the world’s great jazz cities, London is a great place to catch live jazz. From huge international stars to new talent and the annual EFG London Jazz Festival, London’s jazz venues have got it all. Here are our top picks from London’s calendar of upcoming jazz events.

The EFG London Jazz Festival is simply enormous: 2,070 artists, 317 gigs, 52 venues. Now in its twenty-fourth year, the festival is home to both rising stars and jazz royalty. Let us guide you through ten of the best events on in the capital this month.  RECOMMENDED: Our guide to the EFG London Jazz Festival 2016 

Now in its twenty-fourth year, London Jazz Festival has evolved into an internationally renowned celebration of jazz, featuring international greats, top-notch improv and hot new talent. Here's our pick of the best events in the London Jazz Festival 2016 line-up...  RECOMMENDED: the best jazz events in London.

In a nutshell...It’s London’s legendary jazz club. Where is it?Frith Street, Soho – you’ll see the famous neon sign outside. What’s the vibe?It’s got a proper old school jazz club feel, wonderfully dark and decadent. There are long booth-style seats each side and tables in the middle, all pointed toward that iconic stage. There really isn’t anywhere like it – a visit to Ronnie’s is quite rightly on a lot of people’s bucket list. What makes it a great venue?The late Ronnie Scott opened the club in 1959 and since then just about every jazz musician of note has performed there – seriously, even Miles Davis and Count Basie graced the Ronnie’s stage. They have a Late Late Show most nights – well worth checking out because it’s where the musicians hang out and you never know who’s in town and might sit in. Stevie Wonder joined a jam session back in 2012, and he's back in town to play British Summer Time in July, so you never know… What’s the booze situation?Fine wine and cocktails. Our favourite is the espresso martini, which comes in at £10.75 – worth every penny, as it’s one of the best around and a must if you’re staying for the Late Late Show. Of course, you could always order a bottle of Dom Pérignon 1975 for a cool £1,300! Finally, what happens to all the coats left in the cloakroom?After a couple of months they donate to them to charity – the campaigning jazz singer Ian Shaw took the most recent bundle to the Calais Jungle. Previous: So you’ve never been to… The Lexington?

Fancy some free jazz? The EFG London Jazz Festival returns from November 13-22 2015 with over 300 gigs across the city. Don’t let a lack of funds hold you back: there are plenty of free shows at LJF to get you grooving for gratis. Here’s our pick of the best. Read more about the EFG London Jazz Festival 2015.

Phronesis are a jazz trio headed up by Danish bassist Jasper Høiby and completed by Swedish drummer Anton Eger and British pianist Ivo Neame. They’re each hugely impressive individually, but together, with Høiby’s grooves, Eger’s fervent drums and Neame’s melodic lines, they are genuinely formidable.They’re also arguably at the forefront of modern progressive jazz trios – certainly equals to their US counterparts, The Bad Plus. Phronesis’ sound has evolved from bands like EST (the hugely respected Swedish trio that was led by the late pianist Esbjörn Svensson), but their music is truly their own, balanced and skilled, and instantly recognisable. Theirs is the kind of jazz that’s thoughtful, crafted and frenetic. At Cadogan Hall they’ll be launching their new album, ‘Parallax’, recorded at Abbey Road.

We distil the best of the 2,000 artists and 350 shows still on sale that make up this annual jazz-a-palooza... 1. Let Soweto Kinch take you back to 1919The incredible UK jazz wizard debuts his new project, ‘The Black Peril’, which revisits a time of monumental social change. EartH. Nov 22. 2. Celebrate 100 years of the BauhausCreated around the Bau.Haus.Klang project, this event sees musicians Michael Wollny, Émile Parisien, Leafcutter John and others mark the centenary of the Bauhaus.Barbican. Nov 24. 3. Go to a mini-festival within a festivalThe Royal Docks area in Newham hosts a weekend of jazz gigs, workshops, and installations that includes a trail of free shows.Various Newham venues. Nov 23-24. 4. Discover if your toddler can jamJazz for Toddlers is one of the festival’s annual highlights. This year Juliet Kelly and Tony Kofi will lead kids aged two to five through an introduction to the wonderful world of jazz.Various venues. Fri Nov 15-Nov 24. 5. Hear the best of vocal jazzThe festival kicks off with its usual celebratory Jazz Voice event. This year’s line-up includes Corinne Bailey Rae, Jalen N’Gonda and Cherise Adams-Burnett.Royal Festival Hall. Fri Nov 15. 6. Catch a true jazz chanteuse Sublime vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant performs from her latest album ‘The Window’ with pianist Sullivan Fortner. The evening opens with support from The McCormack & Yarde Duo.Barbican. Sat Nov 16. 7. Watch a rock singer take on jazzChrissie Hynde shows off the latest string to her

Ten days, 350 performers and 60 venues… The 25th year of LJF is simply huge! So we’ve whittled it down to the best shows you can still book tickets for. Soothsayers + Arun Ghosh Sextet + Lokkhi TerraAfrodub, sounds from Bangladesh, Lagos and new music from highly talented clarinettist Arun Ghosh and his latest album ‘But Where Are You Really From?’ This is the gig to check out if you want to hear some superb global jazz sounds.Sat Nov 11. Rich Mix. Karin Krog and John SurmanHighly respected jazz veterans, vocalist Karin Krog and saxophonist John Surman make a rare club performance. Both have decades of experience, making them respected masters of the genre. This is a great opportunity to hear them perform together in an intimate setting.Mon Nov 13. Pizza Express Jazz Club. Ben L’Oncle Soul + Julia BielBlue Note soul man Ben L’Oncle performs from his debut, ‘Under My Skin’ alongside soul revue classics. He’s great, but this gig is worth checking out for the support alone – Julia Biel is hands down one of the most beguiling vocalists around. Empowering and hypnotic, she’ll blow you away – trust us.Nov 15. Cadogan Hall. Zara McFarlane + Gabriel RoyalLaunching her latest album, Zara McFarlane takes to the east London stage to show just why she’s one of the most exciting new jazz talents in the capital. Support comes from singer and cellist Gabriel Royal who makes his UK debut.Nov 15. Rich Mix. Emilia Martensson and FriendsFolk-inflected vocalist Emilia Martensson brings together

You’d need a good reason to venture into the weird, shiny, banking metropolis that is Canary Wharf on a weekend, right? Here’s one for you: to check out the stellar sounds at this weekend’s Canary Wharf Jazz Festival. Held in Canada Square Park, this annual event is free (not free as in avant-garde jazz – free as in zero pennies) and well worth checking out. Here are four essential acts to catch. Sons Of Kemet Led by clarinetist and sax star Shabaka Hutchings, SOK are a stonkingly good band. There’s a double-drum dream team, who add rhythmical wizardry to dub, New Orleans, African and Caribbean sounds, combined with blistering improv. Don’t miss them on Friday at 8.30pm. Peter Edwards Trio Pianist Peter Edwards lines up at 3.15pm on Saturday with bassist Max Luthert and drummer Eddie Hicks to play top-notch, elegant jazz. Expect sophisticated arrangements with intelligent solos from this rising talent who impressed with his debut album.  Eska © Jaroslav Moravec She’s worked with big names including Grace Jones, Bobby McFerrin and Zero 7, but it’s singing solo where Eska truly shines. Hers is a powerful, soulful voice, complementing music that has hints of folk, soul and afrobeat, all delivered with a jazz sensibility. Hear the whole package at 6.45pm on Saturday. Yazz Ahmed © Emile Holba Trumpeter Ahmed is one of the most talented jazz musicians around. Quietly confident, her tone is sublime and her technique second to none. At 1.30pm on Sunday she’ll lead her Family Hafla