With over 20,000 music-fans getting in the festival swing every year, Cheltenham has become one of the country’s best-loved jazz festivals!

The festival site in Montpellier Gardens at the heart of Cheltenham is the perfect place to soak up an outstanding festival atmosphere. Featuring a feast of free outdoor music, a selection of food and drink stalls, and fun family activities – it’s the only place to be over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Jazz in the Gardens 2026 free stage line-up

WEDNESDAY 29th APRIL 2026

6 – 6.45pm - Sam Swancott
Sam Swancott is bringing sass and soul to the Free Stage with energy silky vocals and enough guitar riffs to keep you dancing. Over the past year, Sam has taken to the stage at the O2 Institute and been shortlisted for major UK festivals, making her one to watch.

7 – 7.45pm - Das Gruve
Five flawlessly funky friends from Cheltenham turning pop classics into dance-floor gold. Fancy hearing Adele in the style of Chic? Or Maroon 5 with a Latin twist?

8 – 9pm - Beatroot
A nine-piece bucket of funk with a side of rock: Beatroot serve up a smörgåsbord of original grooves and horn-blasting tunes

THURSDAY 30th APRIL 2026

5.45 – 6.45pm - Poppy Baker
Poppy Baker’s unique jazz-infused songs straddle soul, R&B and indie with melodies that cut straight to the heart. Her influences include Eva Cassidy, Laufey and Stacey Ryan.

7 – 8pm - Kevin Davy White
As of January 2026, Kevin Davy White is in the Netherlands preparing for an upcoming theatre tour portraying B.B. King, a role that resonates deeply with his blues roots and performance style. Alongside the tour, he is launching a new chapter of original music, beginning with the release of his new single Far From You at the end of February 2026. Kindly supported by Yamaha.

8.15 – 9.30pm - The Scribes
A hip hop act bringing block-party vibes, genre-spanning sounds and incredible improvisation to the Free Stage. Blending head-nodding beats, mind-blowing beatboxing and off-the-cuff freestyling, The Scribes create a show unlike any other on the scene today.

FRIDAY 1st MAY 2026

1.30 – 2.30pm - Roella Oloro Trio
Roella Oloro is a multi-instrumentalist who has performed all over the United States and has also played sold out shows with her band at Ronnie Scott’s. She is joined by drummer Andee Liu and double bassist Rio Kai.

2.45 – 3.45pm - The Music Works: Chaka
Poet and singer, Chaka fuses his diverse background in jazz into beautiful messages for those searching. He’s at the forefront of combining hip-hop and R&B into technical and smooth contemporary pieces.

4 – 5pm - The Music Works: Crispin
Crispin blends heartfelt ballads with soaring rock energy. Raised in cathedral choirs, he built his sound from raw emotion and relentless craft bringing his vision to life across music and film.

5.15 – 6.15pm - Aria Soul
A dynamic jazz artist, described by UK Jazz News as ‘one to watch.’ Aria Soul has performed at iconic venues like Ronnie Scott’s and EFG London Jazz Festival. Catch Aria again in DEYA Arena on Saturday 2 May.

6.30 – 7.30pm - Dom Franks
Saxophonist Dom Franks blends strong, memorable melodies with cutting edge jazz improvisation. Featuring rising guitar star Aidan Pope, the quintet weaves contemporary jazz with Brazilian and African influenced rhythms, alongside subtle modern classical touches.

7.45 – 8.45pm - The Good Stuff
The Good Stuff is an R&B, neo-soul and contemporary gospel voice project. With emotive and innovative performances, the group bring a feel-good energy.

9.15 – 10.15pm - Das Gruve
Five flawlessly funky friends from Cheltenham turning pop classics into dance-floor gold. Fancy hearing Adele in the style of Chic? Or Maroon 5 with a Latin twist?

SATURDAY 2nd MAY 2026

10am – 2pm - Jazz It Up
Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s annual highlight where more school jazz bands than ever will perform at the heart of the Festival.

2.15 – 3pm - Accidental Brass
Accidental Brass Collective is a modern brass dectet with a breadth of experience and individual talents, performing versatile material through centuries of composition. From feisty fanfares and swinging big-band energy to mellow solos and punchy pop, ABC are passionate about inspiring the next generation of brass musicians.

3.15 – 4pm - Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Salsa Orchestra
The band is a joint venture between the jazz and percussion departments and is led by Shanti Jayasinha, who has played with leading members of Buena Vista Social Club, Frank Emilio Flynn, Adalberto Santiago, Henry Fiol and has been a stalwart of the UK Salsa scene for 30 years.

4.15 – 5pm - Josh Hicks
Chepstow-raised songwriter Josh Hicks has a richly distinct vocal tone that exudes fragile beauty and bluesy grit. He pulls from the worlds of soul, pop and R&B with influences including Amy Winehouse, Adele and Duffy.

5.15 – 6.15pm - Only Chrome Waterfall Ensemble
Join the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire ensemble as they perform and celebrate one of the world’s great composers and inspiration for many artists, Mike Gibbs.

6.30 – 7.30pm - Oli Morris
Bristol-based saxophonist and producer Oli Morris dives into a world of self-discovery through his music. His second EP Softly Spoken recieved support from BBC Radio 6 and Jazz FM and saw him named a spotlight artist on BBC Introducing. The third single from his EP Frankie was featured on Spotify’s Fresh Finds UK and Jazz UK playlists.

7.45 – 8.45pm - Dub Catalyst
A 10-piece ensemble delivering high-octane live shows for everyone, blending hypnotic dub reggae bass and upstroke rhythms with hip hop inspired energy and lyricism.

9 – 10.45pm - BigSis DJs
BigSis DJs are a Stroud-based collective known and loved across the South West for their high energy, party-starting performances spanning multiple dance music genres and eras. They will take over the dance floor with soulful, deep house, jazz-influenced electro and jazzy drum and bass.

SUNDAY 3rd MAY 2026

10am – 2pm - Jazz It Up
Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s annual highlight where more school jazz bands than ever will perform at the heart of the Festival.

2.15 – 3pm - Peter Hopcroft Quartet
Cheltenham saxophonist Peter Hopcroft formed this quartet to showcase jazz compositions of recent decades. Equally at home in improvised and classical settings, he is regularly heard in jazz groups of all styles.

3.15 – 4pm - Eve Buckley
Leeds-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Eve Buckley combines a rich hybrid of alternative soul and jazz. Her distinctive voice and sentimental soundscapes have captivated audiences across the UK.

4.15 – 5.15pm - TW Frontline
TW Frontline is an exciting line-up of musicians aged 14–16, featuring some of the most promising musicians on Tomorrow’s Warriors’ award-winning Young Artist Development Programme

5.30 – 6.30pm - Fonda
Fonda blend Latin-inspired rhythms with the soulful character of 20th-century greats. Influenced by KOKOROKO, SaySheShe, Donna Summers and Stevie Wonder, their glamorous, camp sound and playful, character-filled lyricism creates a vibrant world of jazz-pop storytelling.

6.45 – 8pm - Nic and Billy Vipond
Nic and Billy Vipond are a Birmingham-based father-and-son DJ duo with a shared love for digging for and sharing great music. Their sound moves across genres-from jazz, funk, and world music to deeper electronic cuts-bringing both old and new school authentic sounds.

8.15 – 9.30pm - Big Sis DJs
BigSis DJs are a Stroud-based collective known and loved across the South West for their high energy, party-starting performances spanning multiple dance music genres and eras. They will take over the dance floor with soulful, deep house, jazz-influenced electro and jazzy drum and bass.

MONDAY 4th MAY 2026

10am – 1pm - Jazz It Up
Gloucestershire Jazz Live (presented by Gloucestershire Music) will showcase their GYJA, GYJO and Jazz2Go county ensembles and combo groups in an innovative and multigenerational jazz set for 2026.

1.30 – 2.30pm - The Cash Cows
From Bob Dylan to Beyoncé, The Cash Cows reimagine iconic songs with style and spontaneity. Having performed internationally for over 21 years, they deliver rhythm and charm that’s not to be missed.

2.45 – 3.45pm - The North West Duke Ellington Orchestra
Led by Music Director Phil Shotton, The North West Duke Ellington Orchestra play the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, performing pieces from across Ellington’s career.

4 – 5pm - Cheltenham Singers
This community choir performs an eclectic mix of songs including jazz, pop, rock and songs from Broadway musicals, catering to a wide variety of musical tastes.

5.15 – 6.15pm - Triple Sec Septet
Formed by local jazz musicians, this three-horn septet celebrates hard-bop traditions with contemporary flair. Their engaging arrangements and cohesive improvisation make them a standout presence in Cheltenham’s vibrant jazz community.

6.30 – 7.30pm - Yamaha Music London Ambassador
This performance comes from the winner of the 2026 Yamaha Music London Ambassador competition. Selected from a wide field of emerging artists, the ambassador will represent Yamaha Music London for the year ahead.

7.30 – 8.30pm - DJ Dan Cooper
Everyone’s favourite Wetherspoons DJ Dan Cooper promises to get us dancing with an eclectic set, ranging from jazz to UKG, bassline and drum and bass.