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The world-famous New York jazz club Blue Note will open its first UK venue in London next month.
Located in the basement of St Martins Lane hotel, Covent Garden, the club promises the best of British jazz alongside world-class international artists, with a programme featuring emerging and established talent.
Founded in Greenwich Village, New York City, in 1981, Blue Note has since expanded across the US and into Japan, China, Brazil and Italy. The London venue will be its first in the UK.
Robert Glasper, the Grammy-winning US pianist, producer and songwriter, will headline the grand opening on 23 September, marking the the centenary of the influential US saxophonist, bandleader and composer John Coltrane.
“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 UK past and present,” Glasper said.
“There is a deep love for music that pushes boundaries and Blue Note has always been a home for that same spirit. 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.
“I’m excited to build something in London that feels intimate, fearless and alive – a place where artists can take chances and audiences can experience the music up close.”
The venue will feature two performance spaces. Its 250-capacity main room will stage two shows each night and remain open until 1am from Monday to Saturday, and until midnight on Sundays. Tickets for the first run of shows will go on general sale on 14 August.
A second, 100-capacity room, B-Side, supporting emerging British talent, is due to open later this year.
Tsion Bensusan, the co-owner of Blue Note Entertainment Group, described the opening as a “significant milestone”, adding: “London has always been one of the world’s great music capitals, with an extraordinary jazz heritage and an incredibly diverse creative community,.
“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.”
Performances and residencies will include the neo-soul singer Erykah Badu, jazz-pop pianist and songwriter Jamie Cullum, award-winning saxophonist and composer Nubya Garcia, drummer Yussef Dayes, afrobeat collective Kokoroko and rapper Hak Baker.
The club will also host occasional surprise performances by leading artists, giving audiences the chance to experience internationally renowned musicians in an intimate setting – a hallmark of Blue Note venues worldwide.
