The EFG Elements Series is always one of the highlights and is made up of four shows, carefully chosen to reflect EFG and the Festival’s underlying principles - to foster innovation and collaboration, to work with passion, and to be driven by quality and excellence. It also reinforces our shared commitment to emerging young artists and the creation of new music.
To mark the launch of this year’s EFG Elements Series, Richard Thomas, Head of UK Region, EFG International said: “Each year, together with Festival organisers Serious, we hand-pick four shows that exemplify the richness and diversity of the Festival programme. This year, more than ever, we want to celebrate the energy and life that are inherent to jazz and live music in general. To echo our own values, we are particularly keen to feature artists with a strong focus on collaboration and that represent the next generation of talent”.
The four EFG Elements Series shows for 2021 are:
Jazz Voice, Friday 12 November, Royal Festival Hall
This year’s signature opening night gala kicks off the Festival in style. Joining Guy Barker and the EFG London Jazz Festival Orchestra as they perform classics of jazz from the world of film, are guest singers Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Aynur, Ego Ella May, Georgia Cecile, Sachal Vasandani and saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, plus more names soon to be revealed.
Dave Holland and John Scofield, Sunday 14 November, Cadogan Hall
Legendary guitarist John Scofield and bassist Dave Holland have joined forces to perform as a duo and play original compositions from their repertoire, with a selection of jazz classics added to the mix.
What’s Going On: Nu Civilisation Orchestra, Thursday 18 November, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Marvin Gaye’s landmark album ‘What’s Going On’ goes down in music history as an artistic masterpiece. Still relevant in its 50th year, the EFG London Jazz Festival presents a special evening celebrating this iconic recording, with the 24-piece Nu Civilisation Orchestra, guest singers and a performance from spoken word artist Colin Salmon.
Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita, Friday 19 November, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Legendary Cuban pianist and Grammy-nominated musician, composer and band leader, Omar Sosa, has joined forces with award winning composer and virtuoso Seckou Keita,
for a special collaboration to celebrate their critically acclaimed new album ‘Transparent Water’.
Pelin Opcin, Director, EFG London Jazz Festival, gave us an additional insight into what it takes to create a memorable Festival programme:
“Every year, we aim to provide our audiences with some unique musical moments that go beyond a conventional series of touring projects. At its heart, the Festival always has a core of shows people long to see, and we have a tradition of celebrating jazz milestones. Then, we actively initiate new collaborations or commissions and look for the most exciting mix of creative talent, whether that’s a global jazz icon, or discovering the next generation of home grown artists.
We want people to experience something new or distinctive and this year’s EFG Elements Series is a perfect illustration of that. For example, Dave Holland and John Scofield Duo is a very rare performance, and possibly this show will be our sole opportunity to see these two jazz giants in such an intimate setting; Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita is an exceptional collaboration, and Nu Civilisation Orchestra’s ‘What’s Going On’ takes Marvin Gaye’s ground-breaking global masterpiece and recreates it through the lens of British musicians.
By blending it all together we can make sure we honour the spirit of the Festival and continue to be a creative hub, not just for jazz, but all those other genres it inspires. That’s what continues to motivate us”.
EFG has been a committed supporter of the EFG London Jazz Festival since 2008 and became the headline sponsor in 2013 in a partnership that was then extended to 2023. We celebrate and aspire to share the distinctive qualities that make jazz such an exceptional art form, embracing creativity, innovation, diversity and collaboration.
This year’s Festival will run from Friday 12 to Sunday, 21 November 2021 and you can find the full line-up on the event website here.