RNCM at Manchester Jazz Festival
Manchester Jazz Festival hits Manchester in May, bringing 10 days of live performance and special events to the city from Fri 15 May to Sun 24 May.
The RNCM is extremely proud to see so many of our current students, alumni, and tutors among the world-quality musicians in the line-up.
Highlights for the RNCM community include:
Alumni Ben Jackson (tenor saxophone) and George Hardwick (trombone) with their high energy brass ensemble Hijack Horns at Matt & Phreds on Fri 15 May (9.30pm, Standing tickets: free, Seated: £7-£10).
Popular Music student and one-to-watch Elin Grace comes to First Street’s Ask Garden Stage with her band on Sat 16 May (4.30pm, free).
Popular Music alum Zac Hemming (drums) joins Ghanaian-Mancunian classical guitarist Rory A. Green at the MJF outdoor Main Stage on First Street on Sun 17 May (1pm, free).
The sound world that is Femme De La Femme, featuring RNCM alumni Jasmine Brown (saxophonist) and Roz Fearnehough (trombone), plus students Roisin Fleming (keys) and Pop’s Izzy MacMahon (drums), brings its celebration of femininity through classical, jazz, soul, R&B, cabaret, and poetry to First Street’s Ask Garden Stage on Sun 17 May (1.45pm, free).
Roz Fearnehough also joins Ben Cottrell’s Big Ideas jazz ensemble at the Carlton Club, Ben Moss on trombone and drummer Josh Savage on Mon 18 May (8pm, from £12).
Saxophone alumni Tom Thorp performs with George King (piano) in MJF’s Beat the James series at Band on the Wall’s Copper Bar on Tue 19 May (6pm, from £12.50).
Deputy Head of Popular Music Stuart McCallum plays The Carlton Club, in Whalley Range, on Tue 19 May (8pm, £15).
Pop alum Amy Griffiths fronts five-piece fusion collective Calico on vocal and guitar, with Tommy Sarosi on bass, at Band on the Wall’s Copper Bar on Thu 21 May (6.30pm, free).
Harpist and former postgrad student Lucy Nolan performs with Lullaby – Sonic Cradle at Oldham Coliseum Theatre on Thu 21 May (7.30pm, from £12).
Pop bassist Alex Bresh comes to Matt & Phreds with his band Beyond the Blue on Thu 21 May (8pm, free).
Drummer Izzy MacMahon returns with The GreensKeepers Jam at Stage & Radio on Fri 22 May (7pm, free).
Composition alum Carmel Smickersgill brings her sound-based free improvisation duo with tenor saxophonist Andy Scott to Stoller Hall (Carole Nash Hall) on Fri 22 May (8pm, £15).
And trombonist Roz Fearnehough is back for a set at Band on the Wall’s Copper Bar with Thiara Collective for two back-to-back performances on Fri 22 May (9.30pm and 10.45pm, Free)
The RNCM is also a host venue for two key concerts during the opening and closing weekends. On Sat 16 May, Cassie’s Kinoshi’s seed. comes to the RNCM Theatre with a new line up of Cassie Kinoshi (alto saxophone), Deji Ijishakin (saxophone) / Jack Banjo Courtney and Joseph Oti (trumpets, Joe Bristow (trombone), Hanna Mbuya (tuba), Shirley Tetteh (guitar), Deschanel Gordonpiano (keyboards), Rio Kai (bass), Lukas Akintaya (drums), and Nik Nak (turntables). In the closing weekend, on Sat 23 May, we’re visited by Tony Kofi & Denys Baptiste Quintet with their new production Legacy – Coltrane and Cannonball, paying tribute to the legendary partnership of Julian “Cannonball” Adderley and John Coltrane.
30 April 2026
