Emma-Jean Thackray and MRCY to Headline Brick Lane Jazz Festival 2027

The East London festival returns from 22 to 25 April, with Novelist, Jayahadadream and Yazz Ahmed also among the first artists announced.

Brick Lane Jazz Festival has announced the first artists for its 2027 edition, with Emma-Jean Thackray and MRCY set to headline. The festival returns to East London from 22 to 25 April, adding a fourth day for the first time with a Thursday show at Village Underground.

The first wave also includes Novelist, Jayahadadream, Dana & Alden, and a joint performance from Yazz Ahmed and BODUR. Elsewhere on the bill are Marie Dahlstrøm, Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers, Auntie Flo, Joe Webb Trio, Kotoa, Kazdoura and The Vernon Spring & Ari Balouzian. The shows will take place across venues within walking distance of the festival’s hub at the Truman Brewery.

Brick Lane Jazz Festival began across four venues in 2022 and has since grown to 12 stages around Brick Lane and Shoreditch. Its 2026 edition sold out, while last year saw the introduction of a conference programme alongside the live music. The festival will again work with Jazz re and Tomorrow’s Warriors in 2027, and several spaces, including Café 1001, 93 Feet East, The Big Chill and The Brick Lane Tap Room, will be open without a ticket.

‘Every year I’m blown away by the talent coming out of this city and this country,’ says festival founder Juliet Kennedy. ‘Emma-Jean Thackray and MRCY sum up the spirit of UK jazz for me: homegrown artists who’ve each built a sound that’s completely their own.’

Early bird day tickets start at £19.50 and are available through the festival website.