EFG London Jazz Festival 2025 - Sarah L King
Tuesday 18th November 2025
Tickets: £22.50 Seat at a shared Table for 4 /£17.50 Seat – No Table
Doors: 7.30pm
Show: 8:00pm-9:30pm – Single Set 75 min
Please note you can book for dinner either before or after the show.
The Hampstead Jazz Club is pleased to be taking part in this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival bringing you a line-up of our esteemed artists.
The excellent singer-songwriter Sarah L King previews choice original songs from her forthcoming album The Light Ahead (2026). With her stellar line-up, this is a unique chance to hear King and her superb quartet’s groove-led and soulful jazz sound.
Sarah L King
King’s unique brand of soulful jazz has already caught the attention of critics and fans alike. With her highly-acclaimed debut album “Fire Horse” under her belt and her second album due for release, King has risen in popularity on the London Jazz circuit with her pure-toned vocals and sophisticated original compositions. Both King’s albums are produced by Claire Martin OBE and display a high level of musicianship in both her vocal and songwriting abilities. With a stellar line-up including maestro pianist and composer Jim Watson, arranger, band leader and world class bassist Laurence Cottle, and the wildly precocious Jamie Murray on drums, King and her quartet have created a masterful groove-led sound. King’s own compositions display her gift for songwriting, with lyrics that resonate long after the listening experience.
King started singing in soul and gospel choirs before emerging as a solo artist. Her music regularly features on Jazz FM including ‘Single Of The Week’, and also on BBC3’s Jazz Requests. Influenced from an early age by her father, a jazz trumpeter and bandleader, and her grandmother, an orchestral conductor and gifted pianist, King has inherited a good ear for harmonies and a highly intuitive melodic instinct. She draws on influences from jazz, soul, acid jazz and disco and creates a highly polished ‘Donald Fagan vibe’ in her recordings. With a string of recent gigs in Stockholm, this is a unique chance to see this rising vocalist with her superb band in an intimate setting.
Jim Watson, world class pianist & composer, has recently worked with Sting, Kurt Elling, Chrissie Hynde, Incognito, Richard Bona, Raul Midon, Zero 7, Incognito, Hamish Stuart, Katie Melua, Cat Stevens & Meshell Ndegeocello to name a small few. Jim released his highly acclaimed solo album ‘Calling You Home’ this year.
Laurence Cottle, renowned and highly revered bassist, composer, arranger and bandleader, heads numerous projects including his own big band, Soul Vacations. He has played with Clark Tracey, Jason Rebello, Seal, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Chi Coltrane & Brian Eno, to name a small few, and his work also involves arrangement of numerous TV & Film musical scores.
Jamie Murray is an exciting and highly sought-after drummer and composer spanning multiple genres. Cited as ‘one of the leading voices in contemporary drumming’, Murray has worked with Sun Ra Arkestra, Robin Ford, Guthrie Govan, David Binney, Tim Lefebvre, Donny McCaslin and Gary Husband.
‘King and her band are a great live prospect’ – Kevin Whitlock, Jazzwise
‘King has a most endearing vocal presence, and a wonderful way of phrasing that lifts the lyrics giving them a gravitas and meaning that might otherwise be lost.’ – Nick Lea, Jazz Views
‘Thought provoking, tender and sophisticated lyrics set to soulful jazz melodies that are fresh and well crafted’ – Claire Martin OBE
LINE-UP:
Vocals – Sarah L King
Piano – Jim Watson
Bass – Laurence Cottle
Drums – Jamie Murray
Please note, The Club is not licensed to allow access to Children under the age of 16 after 9pm, so for evening performances, please do not book tickets for children under the age of 16. Children aged 16 and above are welcome at any time.
For £22.50 Tickets:
Seats are not numbered and you will be seated at available tables. Please note tables seat 4 people, so for bookings of less than 4 people, you will be seated and share a table for 4.
For £17.50 Tickets:
This is a fully seated event. Seats are not numbered and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.
Please note the Jazz Club is situated in the basement of the Duke of Hamilton Pub and access is via a number of stairs. The nearest toilets are situated on the 1st floor of the Pub.
Showtimes
Doors: 7:30 pm | Show: 8:00 pm