Jazz Stroud is more than a weekend of music. It is a platform for grassroots creativity and a celebration of the new wave of UK jazz. Rooted in Stroud, the festival brings artists, audiences and local culture together in a way that is intimate, curious and alive.

We believe the future of jazz is shaped not only by established names, but by artists who are innovating, experimenting and redefining the sound of the genre. Jazz Stroud is dedicated to creating space for emerging and regional talent alongside respected performers, offering audiences the chance to discover music in motion rather than in retrospect. In a festival landscape often driven by scale and headlines, we choose connection, discovery and creative depth.

We’re a non-profit charity. Every ticket sold and every donation made helps fund our emerging talent development work right here in Stroud. Our commitment is long-term. We are building a cultural platform that supports musicians, listeners and creative communities well beyond the festival weekend.

Events at St Laurence Church:

Saturday 11 April

Bex Burch / 1.30 – 2.20 pm

Whether combining the rhythmic timbres of wood, metal and audience claps or duetting with the atmospheric and elegiac echoed sounds of water dripping into a metal basin, Bex Burch is a composer, percussionist, instrument maker and improviser who emphasises space, repetition and aspects of chaos. These themes characterise an ongoing approach she describes as “messy minimalism”.

Bel Cobain / 3.10 – 4pm

Bel Cobain, the enigmatic songstress hailing from the heart of East London, evokes a mystique reminiscent of musical luminaries like Pink Floyd and Kate Bush. Her journey, steeped in introspection, finds its zenith upon the stage where she reveals her most authentic self, bathed in contentment and confidence.

Singh/Osbourn/Brumello / 4.45 -5.45pm

Three fearless musicians join forces for the first time as a trio to carve out a vivid, slow‑burning journey through ambient jazz, expansive sound design and improvisation that pushes into spiritual territory. Sound artist and beatboxer Jason Singh, saxophonist and flautist Tamar Osborn, and bassist Rosa Brunello build a powerful, joyful sound world where acoustic and electronic textures collide, stretch and transform—inviting audiences into an immersive realm of deep listening, presence and creative intensity.

The Vernon Spring / 6.30 – 7.30pm

The Vernon Spring is the recording project of North London-born musician Sam Beste, whose journey traces various arcs across jazz, soul, ambient, and songwriting modes. Beste’s earliest exposure to music came from his father’s eclectic record collection, which ranged from Thelonius Monk to Bob Dylan, D’Angelo to Luigi Nono. Beste’s dedication and talent placed him in Amy Winehouse’s orbit, whom he accompanied as her live pianist for the majority of her ascendent career.

Sunday 12 April

Allexa Nava / 1.30 – 2.20pm

Allexa Nava is a saxophonist, flautist and composer, originally from Peru and currently residing in London. She has already graced the stages of some of the most significant festivals in the UK, including Glastonbury We Out Here, Wilderness, and Brainchild. She has also performed at some of the most prestigious venues in London and Paris including Ronnie Scotts, Barbican & Duc de Lombards.

Let Spin / 3.10 – 4pm

Let Spin are a cutting edge post-jazz quartet comprised of players at the forefront of the vibrant UK contemporary music scene. Their incendiary live shows conjure a mean mix of musical styles with a focus on improvisation for exploring new ground. I am Alien, the band’s latest and strongest record to date, captures the chemistry and curiosity of a band that lives for adventure.

Laura Jurd (Quartet) / 4.45 – 5.45

One of the most distinctive voices in jazz and improvised music, Mercury-nominated Laura Jurd‘s unique approach to the trumpet is celebrated in the work that she creates. A past BBC New Generation Artist, Laura’s love of folk traditions can often be heard in her music, alongside her background in classical composition. The result is a melodic world full of compelling twists and turns, whilst retaining a grounded sense of familiarity.