Kicking off Cheltenham Festivals' milestone 80th year, Cheltenham Jazz Festival has just revealed its lineup for 2025.
With performances from the most exciting up-and-coming jazz musicians from around the world, to soul, rock and pop royalty, music fans won't want to miss it.
Starting on Wednesday 30 April 2025, the six-day celebration of jazz and it's wide-reaching influences spans venues including Cheltenham Town Hall, Parabola Arts Centre, Dunkertons Taproom and the Festival Village at Montpellier Gardens, with over 60 artists taking to the stage across the early May bank holiday weekend.
Here's our highlights from this year's lineup...
Who is playing at Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2025?
BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter Katie Melua gets the festival started with a performance in the Big Top on Wednesday 30; then on Thursday 1, Lady Nade sings Nina Simone at Dunkertons Taproom, multi-award-winning Bristol blues powerhouse Elles Bailey teams up with UK Blues Challenge winner Alice Armstrong for a double headline show in the Arena, while Lulu brings her 60s-inspired show Champagne with Lulu to the Big Top.
Headlining the Big Top on Friday 2, there's a special edition of the Soul Jazz Summit with the Guy Barker Big Band and BBC Concert Orchestra, accompanied by Curtis Stigers, Emeli Sandé, Lisa Stansfield, Lucy-Anne Daniels, Lulu, Tommy Blaize and Vanessa Haynes.
Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and Jazz Festival regular Corinne Bailey Rae with Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra play the Big Top on Saturday 3; while Ezra Collective pianist Joe Armon-Jones performs in the Arena; and Miles Davis collaborator Billy Cobham hits the stage at Cheltenham Town Hall; with the festival's first family events taking place at the Festival Village, too.
Grammy nominees Amadou & Mariam, soul legend Beverley Knight and multi-million-selling pop star David Gray all perform in the Big Top on Sunday 4; with Dutty Moonshine Big Band on the Arena stage and trailblazing saxophonist Nubya Garcia at Cheltenham Town Hall. Then closing out the festival on Monday 5, The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, the Buena Vista All Stars and Macy Gray all take to the Big Top, with local saxophonist Kim Cypher in the Arena.
The Parabola Arts Centre is home to an exciting lineup of up-and-coming artists from Cheltenham Festivals' year-round talent development programme; Hotel Du Vin hosts the wildly popular late night jazz jams; while the eclectic ... Around Town programme sees talented local musicians performing pop-up shows at pubs, bars and venues across Cheltenham.
When is Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2025?
Cheltenham Jazz Festival takes place from Wednesday
30 April until Monday 5 May 2025.
When do tickets go on sale for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2025?
Some events are on sale already, with all events on general sale from Wednesday 5 March 2025.
For more information, see Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
