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.