From finishing off our Spring term for Under 18s at Woolwich Works, to celebrating the launch the NYJO Network Digital Hub, the past few weeks have been full of musical activity. We’ve been on the road too: taking our ensembles of Emerging Professionals to Birmingham, London and Cardiff for our Masada with Sam Eastmond. Check out more of our highlights detailed below.
Levels with Sunshine the Afrooist
The return of NYJO’s jazz residency at Peckham Levels was truly heart-warming. Singer and educator Sunshine the Afrooist led a mesmerised audience through a set of original, bold and spiritual music, showcasing inspired solos from each of our Emerging Professional performers. Bringing her signature soothing vocals to the stage, group and individual improvisation was guided under Sunshine’s mentorship and care. The post-show jam featured some very fun Latin-Jazz break downs from the percussion section and soulful contributions from the talented crowd!
Masada comes to Ronnie Scott’s
Midway through our UK wide Masada tour with Sam Eastmond, our 17-piece NYJO ensemble, stopped off at legendary Jazz venue Ronnie Scott’s to perform to a roomful of esteemed guests. Amongst them: HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and Dame Celia Imrie! Playing John Zorn’s repertoire masterfully, our young musician’s enthusiasm was both clear and contagious. Read our full blog review of the evening here.
Collaborative Workshop in Newcastle and performance with Theon Cross
Developing musical ideas with young people aged 13-18 in Newcastle, NYJO spent 3 days working towards a project that went on to be performed at star tuba-player Theon Cross’s gig at Cobalt Studios on 20th March. This outreach work would not have been possible without the support of NYJO Lead Educator Milli Rose, and NYJO Emerging Professional musicians Isabella Zufolo, Benji Arnold and Jai Patel.
Upcoming Events:
NYJO’s CEO Yvette Griffiths speaks at the Brick Lane Jazz Conference, London
Mentoring Sessions with Women in Jazz
Thurs 23 April, 6pm
Juju’s, Ely’s Yard, London
Join us for these informative structured mentoring sessions, in a speed-networking format, promoting access and professional development within the music industry. Our CEO Yvette Griffith OBE will appear alongside other mentors including: Alison Farmery (Help Musicians), Fred Bolza (Founder of Jazz label, New Soil), Alexandria Carr (Jazz & Contemporary Music Programmer) and Lou Paley (Director & Founder, Women in Jazz).
Money Talks: Demystifying Money for Jazz and Arts Projects
Fri 24 April, 11:30am
Flow State Hub, Ely’s Yard, London
With a panel moderated by Anthony Olanipekun (Founder, Soul Surge Wellness CIC), our experts will be debunking some of the misconceptions and barriers to securing funding in the arts. Join them for a behind the scenes look at how jazz and independent arts events are financed — and top tips for applicants seeking grants and funding for new concepts.
NYJO X Steam Down, Brick Lane Jazz Festival
Sat 25 April, 5.15pm
Village Underground, London
As part of the iconic Brick Lane Jazz Festival in East London, Steam Down collective will perform alongside NYJO Emerging Professionals for a fantastic Big Band experience. In their own words, Steam Down say:
“There’s something deeply nostalgic about this one – in April 2019 we stood on this same stage presenting. The Steam Down Orchestra, and exactly seven years later we’re returning to bring you a very special big band performance with NYJO bringing the story forward while honouring where it all began.”
NYJO presents: Jazz in the Crypt with Ecliptica
Thursday 14 May, 9pm
The Crypt, Sinfonia Smith Square, London
Isabella Zufolo, our talented Emerging Professional alto-sax player performs with her quartet Ecliptica. Having formed at Leeds but with roots in London, this will be a homecoming gig filled with original compositions blending Afro-Cuban rhythms, jazz standards, and inventive covers. If you haven’t been to Jazz in the Crypt before, this is your chance to check out this stunning and secret venue hidden in the heart of Westminster.
NYJO presents: A Tribute to Abdullah Ibrahim at The Norwich Jazz Festival
Tuesday 19 May, 8pm
EPIC Studios, Norwich
This May an large ensembles of our NYJO Emerging Professionals will play a tribute to the great Abdullah Ibrahim. Amongst a stellar line-up of contemporary movers and shakers, get your tickets to the esteemed Norwich Jazz Festival whilst they last!
More Announcements:
FREE FOR ONE MONTH **NYJO Learning: Network Hub **
Following our fresh launch of the Network Digital Hub, an curated online platform that teaches best practice in music education, we are offering a free trial for the month of April 2026. If you are interested in growing your skills as a jazz educator, in music teacher training and general professional development, then be sure to take a peek at our resources! Complete with detailed session plans, deep dives into topics like ‘Music and Mental Heath’ and ‘Music and Masculinity’ the Hub is an exciting contribution to the current jazz education provision.
More details about how to access your free trial here.
NYJO Alumni Conversations: Steve Sidwell
Amongst NYJOs stellar alumni is Steve Sidwell: Grammy award winning composer, arranger and trumpeter. This month, he took the time to chat with our Comms Coordinator Sofi for a fascinating insight into his decade-spanning international career, and the part that NYJO played in kickstarting it.
