May Day Jam Circuit

This May, Soho swings back into action with a celebration of jam culture — past, present and future. The May Day Jam Circuit brings together London’s finest improvisers, rising stars, and scene-makers for four unforgettable nights across Alfie’s and Piano Bar Soho.

Each jam is open to all. No hierarchy, no headliners — just the spark of real-time creativity and the chance to be part of something happening in the moment. Whether you’re blowing your first chorus or just soaking it in with a drink in hand, this is the jam, as it always was: honest, unpredictable, electric.

THE CIRCUIT

The circuit opens on Wednesday 07 May at Alfie’s Soho with Jammers of Silk St., hosted by Guildhall-led collective Happy Garden, known for their lush, nu-jazz textures and Afro-Cuban pulse. On Thursday, the energy shifts into groove territory with LA Jrums hosting the West Coast Fusion Jam at Alfie’s — think Dilla, live — while over at Piano Bar Soho, bebop guitarist Andrea Rinciari leads a fearless jam packed with hard-swinging changes and real-deal attitude.

Swing Meets Strings

Friday doubles up with two takes on tradition. At Piano Bar, Matt Holborn brings a violin-led swing revival to life with Django’s Hot Club Jam, blending old-world charm with modern fluency. Meanwhile, Alfie’s hosts The Soho Songbook Jam led by Australian vocalist Louise Messenger, offering a velvet-lined journey through jazz standards with theatrical flair and vintage class.

The Grand Finale

Saturday 10 May is pure fire. Andy Davies, one of the UK’s premier horn players and a longtime Ronnie Scott’s host, leads The Horn Section Jam at Alfie’s — an open call to blowers and brass of all stripes. Across the street, Pablo Barrios brings the Jam in Havana to Piano Bar with a night of Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and thunderous piano lines that close the circuit in style.

A DISCOVERY PLATFORM FOR A NEW GENERATION

This is more than a gig. It’s a discovery platform built from the bandstand up.
Each jam is filmed and shared through soho.live/jam, giving artists the chance to be seen, heard, and scouted — not by metrics, but by music.

A REVIVAL IN FULL SWING

The May Day Jam Circuit launches a new chapter for grassroots discovery in Soho — with the weekly Soho Jazz Jam returning every Thursday at Alfie’s Soho.

These aren’t showcases. They’re living laboratories where music is made on the spot, mentorships are born, and futures are forged in front of an audience. The circuit is just the beginning.

Part of Soho Live Music Club’s celebration of 100 Years of Grassroots Discovery. For a century, Soho has been the beating heart of music and culture — a place where passion takes centre stage and magic happens nightly.