Gregory Porter announced for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2020

Artistic Curator Gregory Porter opens Cheltenham Jazz Festival with a headline show on Tuesday 5 May. He has selected four concerts as Gregory’s Picks - favourite artists he thinks more people should hear during the six-day Festival in May (5-10 May).

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#𝘾𝙃𝙀𝙇𝙏𝙅𝘼𝙕𝙕𝙁𝙀𝙎𝙏 🎷🎤 Gregory Porter, Keyon Harrold, Makaya McCraven, Lizz Wright, Gary Bartz + Maisha join the 2020 line-up 🙌 Read more at cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz #jazz #jazzmusic #jazzfestival #cheltenhamjazzfestival #festivals

A post shared by Cheltenham Festivals (@cheltfestivals) on Jan 16, 2020 at 2:30am PST

Undeniably one of the best voices of our generation, Porter has also revealed today that he will release his sixth studio album All Rise in April and will kick off his much-anticipated UK tour of the record at Cheltenham.

Gregory’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival Picks

American vocalist and composer Lizz Wright will be Gregory’s special guest in his show and will perform her own show at the Everyman Theatre on Bank Holiday Friday 8 May featuring songs from her new album Grace.

‘Beat scientist’ Makaya McCraven is a drummer, producer and sonic collagist who has made a big impact on Chicago’s cultural scene and who won ‘International Jazz Act of the Year’ at the Jazz FM Awards 2019. He plays the Jazz Arena on Friday 8 May.

Also playing the Jazz Arena on 8 May is trumpeter Keyon Harrold, best known for his performances in Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead (where he earned his nickname The Mugician).

Gary Bartz & Maisha perform on Saturday 9 May. The sax legend manages to be both an elder statesman of jazz and at the forefront of a new wave, backed by Maisha – the UK’s leading spiritual jazz outfit.

These names join Bebel Gilberto, a double bill of Blind Boys of Alabama and Amadou and Mariam, and David Liebman/Randy Brecker/Marc Copland Quintet, who were announced at the end of last year.

Important dates

The full Cheltenham Jazz Festival programme will be revealed on Wednesday 12 February. Tickets go on sale to members on 26 February and general sale is on 4 March.