Centred on the Brunel Goods Shed and a cluster of smaller spaces around town, the festival again promises ‘cutting‑edge UK jazz’, with a focus on grassroots creativity and a clear route for young local players to get on stage.
Headliners announced so far include Seed, Marysia Osu, Danalogue, Neffa T, Neue Grafik, Allysha Joy, Falle Nioke, New Regency Orchestra, Laura Jurd (Quartet), Bel Cobain, Let Spin and Ancient Infinity Orchestra.
The bill deliberately blurs the lines between jazz, electronic music and global sounds, with artists such as Footshooter, Joicey Collective, Analogue Lounge, Santa Leticia, Lovellious and Medina underlining that club culture, improvisation and bass‑heavy sets are still central to the festival’s identity.
More acts are promised closer to April, so there is still room for a few curveballs or late local additions.
The format remains simple and accessible: one all‑access weekend ticket allows entry to every show, with indoor and outdoor stages and events running late into the night.
The Friday night (April 10) will see a Womad takeover, featuring Falle Nioke and the New Regency Orchestra.
The New Regency Orchestra is an 18‑piece Afro‑Cuban big band inspired by the musical melting pot of 1950s New York.
Their sound ranges from the early 1950s work of René Hernandez and Tito Puente through to the 1970s salsa of Rafael Labasta and Orlando Marin.
Sharing the bill is Falle Nioke.
Originally from Guinea Conakry, he spent years travelling across West Africa, singing with a troupe and absorbing a wide range of regional rhythms before settling in Britain.
Over the past four years, he has worked with producers including Ghost Culture, Sir Was, Congo Natty and Johan Hugo.
Also taking place during the weekend are two contrasting but neatly complementary sets from Moina Moin and Laura Jurd.
On Saturday, April 11, audio-visual artist and DJ Moina Moin brings a gloriously unruly mix of styles, splicing together folklore, cumbia, Afro‑Latin grooves, warped electronica and even the odd audiobook oddity.
A self‑confessed magpie of squelches and rubber‑ball rhythms, Moina treats the decks a bit like a performance space, in the same spirit as her work with Mermaid Chunky.
Expect a free‑wheeling, anything‑goes set that feels closer to a surreal collage than a conventional DJ mix.
Tickets for the jazz festival are available via the Jazz Stroud website.
