Doors: 1.00pm Music: 1.00pm

The JazzLeeds presentation at the Welcome to Leeds Stage, part of Leeds Jazz Festival is a family friendly, open air, free stage on Cookridge Street. It takes place on bank holiday Monday 29th May 1-8pm.

Situated between The Light and Henry Moore Institute, the stage has its own seating area, with food and drink on hand throughout the day.

Jazz Leeds will preset an eclectic mix of the best of jazz from the evet changing and developing Leeds Jazz scene. Start time is 1pm, finish at 8pm. Free

 1pm Leeds University Big band

Big Band swing, funk, pop and jazz

The ever-popular Leeds University Union Big Band perform a wide variety of dance band/big band repertoire including swing, funk, pop and jazz.

2pm –Big Bamboo  

Old school hot dance music from the Caribbean islands

Big Bamboo play Rumba, Choro, Mento, Beguine and Merengue – in an acoustic and improvised style reminiscent of New Orleans jazz. Clarinettist Richard Ormrod grew up with the rich, lyrical sound of early Caribbean music and has been playing in this style for thirty five years. Trombonist Will Osborne is passionate about early calypso and beguine and, together, they lead Big Bamboo on a tour through the first half of the 20th Century, across several seas, and through multiple musical traditions rooted in early jazz and hot dance.

Richard Ormrod – clarinet, bell, guiro, Adrian Knowles – double bass, Jonny Flockton – electric guitar, Sam Bell – congas, pandeiro, Will Osborne – trombone, Matthew Shallcross – maracas, guiro, bells, triangle

 3pm Alex Fisher Trio

Straight-ahead jazz from the Great American Songbook

The Alex Fisher Trio is led by saxophonist, clarinettist and composer Alex Fisher. Having begun performing on tenor sax at age 13, with a foundation in jazz and the music of the Great American Songbook, Alex now enjoys regularly performing and recording on saxes from soprano to bass – as well as clarinet, and bass and contrabass clarinets – in a multitude of musical styles in his home city of Leeds and around the UK.

 4pm Los Trapaceros

The latin music of Brazilian maestros

Drummer and vibist John Settle is now carving out a new career – as a trombonist! Los Traceperos will be playing the latin music of Brazilian maestros such as trombonist Raul de Souza With – John Settle on trombone, Mike Conliffe keys, Emlyn Vaughan bass, Brendan Bache drums Joe Redgrave percussion

 5pm Amon Ra

Miles Davis’ electric jazz fusion, John Coltrane’s spiritual jazz

Amon Ra is a large community of musicians  who have been appearing at live shows around Leeds  for the past 3 years in different combinations. Led by trumpeter Samuel Ehret-Pickett, they play an exciting fusion of energetic solos, pulsating rhythms, electronic noise, free improvisation incorporating the Butch Morris’ Conduction method. Inspired by the music of Miles Davis’ electric jazz fusion, John Coltrane’s avant garde jazz, the ethio-jazz of Mulatu Astatke, and the spiritual world music of Don Cherry, they bring together jazz, rock, world music, afrobeat, drum & bass and cosmic funk into one big Amon Ra musical melting pot.

“Amon Ra channel Sun Ra into now and beyond with their cosmic blend of free-jazz and heavy grooves” – Fusebox

 “Bleeping synths, treacly bass, atonal reverberating horns and intense percussion suggest a restless, inquisitive spirit” – furtherdot.com

 “This UK- based group exhibits a Magma / Zeuhl influence influence in its bass lines and keyboard tone, but an electric Miles feel with the inclusion of trumpet” – Avant Music News

 6pm: Fee

Jazz, Pop, Neo-soul and RnB, with afrobeat grooves

Fee Buckton is a trumpet player and vocalist, whose music is an intricate blend of Jazz, Pop, Neo-soul and RnB, with some afrobeat grooves intertwined. She is inspired not only by her jazz training, but by the incredible musicians and songwriters she’s had the pleasure of working and performing with in Leeds. She gigs regularly around the country with numerous bands, and is now excited to share her own music with the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL0kvh5xsU0

 7pm Oba-Oba x Catimba

Bossa nova, samba, and latin jazz

The lively quintet Catimba and soulful Oba-Oba duo are coming together for a special gig that will transport you straight to the nearest tropical coast. Each band brings a unique flavour of Brazilian and Afro-Latin music, drawing from different eras to create a vibrant and diverse sound. With their shared passion for spreading sunny, warm vibes, expect a set filled with infectious rhythms, joyful energy, and the spirit of Summer. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable celebration of music and culture. Raquel Alvaro (vocals and percussion), Wayne Pollock (piano and synth), Jose Canha (electric bass), Joe Redgrave (percussion and cuica) and Brendan Bache (drums)

 

The Welcome to Leeds stage is sponsored by LeedsBID alongside New Citizens and with backline support from Eiger Studios. JazzLeeds are promotion all the music as part of their contribution to this years Leeds Jazz Festival 2025

Free