Blue Note will open the doors to its first U.K. venue on Sept. 23, marking the legendary jazz club brand’s arrival in London with a headline residency from Grammy-winner Robert Glasper.
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The 250-capacity venue, located in Covent Garden, will launch on what would have been jazz icon John Coltrane’s 100th birthday. Glasper will perform the club’s opening shows on Sept. 23 and 24 before returning for a seven-date stint later in the year (Nov. 13 – 27) as part of the venue’s inaugural program.
Pianist and record producer Glasper, whose last release was 2024 live album Keys To The City Volume One, has also been named creative ambassador for Blue Note London, a role that will see him help shape the artistic direction of the new club. “London has been a big supporter in my career from the very beginning, and I’ve always had so much respect for the musical culture of the U.K.,” he said in a statement.
“Starting this new club is about creating a space where jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and everything in between can meet, evolve, and surprise people.”
Other artists confirmed for the opening season include Erykah Badu, Jamie Cullum, jazz saxophonist Nubya Garcia, Yussef Dayes, Afrobeat collective KOKOROKO and east London singer and rapper Hak Baker, with additional acts to be announced.
Blue Note Entertainment Group has operated venues in cities including New York, Washington D.C., Sao Paulo, Los Angeles, Milan, Tokyo and Shanghai, but the London club represents its first U.K. outpost.
The main room will host two nightly performances at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., with the venue operating until 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Tickets for the first wave of shows go on general sale Aug. 14, following member and venue presales beginning Aug. 12. For further ticketing and line-up information, head to Blue Note London’s official website.
Tsion Bensusan, co-owner of Blue Note Entertainment Group, said: “Bringing Blue Note to London is something we’ve envisioned for many years, and opening our doors here marks one of the most significant milestones in our company’s history. Our hope is that Blue Note London becomes more than a venue – it becomes a home for musicians, a gathering place for the community and an integral part of London’s cultural landscape.”
Nick Lewis, Blue Note London’s director of music and programming, added: “Bringing Blue Note to London is a real landmark moment, not only for our team but for the city’s rich musical history. We’ll be welcoming some of the greatest jazz artists worldwide whilst shining a light on our exceptional emerging homegrown U.K. jazz scene which has been on fire in recent years!
“Audiences will experience the very best of jazz and adjacent genres, nightly in the heart of London. We look forward to making a significant and meaningful contribution to the U.K. live music scene.”
