Review – The Jazz Cafe Festival: A New Favourite in South London
Yesterday, Burgess Park in South London hosted the inaugural Jazz Cafe Festival: an exhilarating combination of music, community, and culture. The sun was shining, the atmosphere electric, and a lively eclectic mix of people. It also took place at the perfect spot in Southeast London-easily accessible for the audience, and thus with that promise of openness and friendliness.
Spread across four distinct areas, each with something different in store, the festival was cleverly organized. While some of the biggest acts came alive on the Parkway main stage, much more experimental stuff happened in the intimacy of The Plant Room. Meanwhile, The Dome and Four Corners danced the nights away to highoctane DJ sets.
This went down on the runway, where festival-goers’ styles ran the gamut from vintage-inspired jazz to trending streetwear. The diversity of fashion was just right for the broad range of musical styles and added to the inclusive, feel-good atmosphere.
Some of the best performances took place on the Parkway main stage. The Buena Vista Social Club All Stars astonished the crowd with their Latin jazz version of Coldplay’s “Clocks”. The Cuban rhythms and the recognizable melody had the crowd dancing and cheering like crazy. Eliza brought a smooth neo-soul set to the Parkway stage, joined by two vocal dancers, making it visually appealing and great to hear as well.
The likes of Rapsody and The Alchemist brought in a different blend of underground hip-hop in The Plant Room, giving the fans a more intimate, close-up experience. Meanwhile, the dance zones kept the party in full swing. Among the standout performances were the high-energy contribution of DJ Jordss to the crowd at The Dome and the legendary Gilles Peterson, bringing the night home at Four Corners with an incredible mix of jazz, funk, and dance that kept the crowd dancing under the stars.
Teething problems aside, as with most first events, there were a few along the way. Minor delays and organisational issues cropped up during the day, but the odd teething problem is expected at any first-time festival. Despite this, the overwhelming positivity of the day far outweighed any minor inconveniences. It was an uplifting spirit, quality of music, and all-around vibe that ensured these small glitches didn’t spoil the enjoyment.
The evening was brought to a euphoric close with Gilles Peterson’s fantastic set at Four Corners, followed by a mesmeric performance from Nils Frahm on the Parkway main stage, whose hypnotic blend of jazz and electronic music created the perfect atmosphere to wrap up the event.
For a first-time festival, the Jazz Cafe Festival has firmly established itself as a must-attend event in the summer calendar. Apart from minor first-year hiccups, the positives were overwhelming, with the day’s diverse and dynamic celebration of music simply beautiful. If this debut is anything to go by, then next summer’s Jazz Cafe Festival promises to be big and even better. Following this successful beginning, you can mark this as a date in 2025 that you’ll not want to miss.
