Axel Kaner-Lidstrom Band Leader

The festival goes out with a bang! The Tomorrow’s Warriors’ Big Band goes back to the golden era of swing, when band leaders like Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong packed the dance floors of venues such as the Savoy Ballroom and the Cotton Club. The Harlem Renaissance gave a voice to the experiences of Black Americans, and nothing gave expression to the Black American experience better than jazz. The Big Band consists of outstanding 14-25 year olds who made their debut at the Southbank in summer of 2024.

Tomorrow’s Warriors has nurtured the talent and early careers of so many of the most exciting UK artists on the international jazz scene, including Mercury Prize 2023 winners Ezra Collective, Moses Boyd and Nubya Garcia. A Black-founded and Black-led organisation, Tomorrow’s Warriors supports young Black and female talent and those who come from challenging circumstances that would be a barrier to accessing opportunities to pursue a music career.

This concert lasts approximately an hour and 45 minutes, with an interval.