Kent Roach of Montuno at Kelham Jazz Festival.
Ashley Moules.
Sheffield has long been recognised as one of the UK’s most influential music cities, responsible for shaping some of the industry’s most distinct voices , from Arctic Monkeys and Pulp to The Human League, Bring Me The Horizon and, more recently, Self Esteem. Known for pioneering electronic experimentation, industrial-tinged post-punk and a resilient indie rock identity, the city has rarely been associated with jazz. Yet, quietly and with increasing momentum, a new generation of artists, promoters and audiences are beginning to reshape that narrative.
However, as musician and Montuno bandleader Kent Roach is quick to point out, the scene is far from new. “There’s been a jazz presence in Sheffield for years,” he says, referencing venues such as The Lescar and Crookes Social Club, alongside education initiatives and regular jam sessions that have quietly sustained the community over time.
The first-ever Kelham Jazz Festival took place at venues such as Peddlers Warehouse.
Ashley Moules.
As promoter of Footprints and Kelham Jazz Festival, Dave Sheard, who DJs under the name Nonna Fab, tells me his journey into jazz came from an unexpected place. Having initially worked within electronic and dance music, he began exploring the genre during a period of personal change , drawn to what he describes as a shared sense of freedom between the dancefloor and live improvisation.
“There was this same level of expression,” he says. “What you find in dance music, you find in jazz , just in a different form.”
After working at both Footprints and Kelham Jazz Festival , it became increasingly clear to me that Sheffield is beginning to tap into a wider resurgence of interest in UK jazz. In recent years, artists such as Shabaka Hutchings and Nubya Garcia, alongside drummer Moses Boyd and groups like Ezra Collective and Kokoroko, have helped shape a vibrant contemporary scene largely centred around south and east London. These movements have extended beyond traditional jazz spaces, intersecting with UK hip-hop, soul and electronic music, culminating in large-scale community events such as Cross The Tracks festival in Brixton.
corto.alto at Footprints.
Ashley Moules.
Against this backdrop, Sheffield’s own musical landscape is entering a period of quiet transformation. As the city continues to evolve, attracting new residents drawn by its access to green space and comparatively affordable living , its grassroots cultural infrastructure is also beginning to expand. A renewed appetite for live performance, collaboration and genre-fluid experimentation suggests that jazz – long perceived as peripheral to Sheffield’s musical identity – may now be finding fertile ground in which to grow.
Plantfood at Footprints.
Ashley Moules.
“This is it,” one festivalgoer said at Footprints, when I asked if Sheffield truly has a jazz scene. The answer increasingly seems to be yes – not as a sudden arrival, but as a movement gradually gathering momentum.
As Roach notes, this moment feels part of something much wider. “For jazz, it’s a renaissance – not just in Sheffield, but across the country,” he explains. “We’re all very lucky to be involved in it now.”
Dave Sheard: “What you find in dance music, you find in jazz , just in a different form”.
Ashley Moules.
But why does this matter now? Despite being rooted in collective expression, resistance and cultural exchange, jazz has long had a reputation for being elitist. The idea that Sheffield could simply ‘import’ the UK’s contemporary jazz movement by calling on trending artists from larger cultural hubs risks feeling superficial, even arbitrary.
Rather than introducing a ready-made scene, Sheard instead applied what he’d learnt running club nights to a new context. At the time, jazz in Sheffield was largely confined to seated rooms, something he felt limited its potential reach.
“There was no-one promoting jazz where people were standing up,” he explains. “Everything was very seated.”
In response, he began curating nights that reimagined how audiences could engage with the genre , creating spaces that felt closer to the energy of a live dancefloor than a traditional jazz setting.
Phoebe Niamh at Kelham Jazz Festival, Alder.
Ashley Moules.
With that said, Sheffield and our fellow northern cities already have the foundations they need to make their own culture more visible. The artists are here : what they need now is sustained support, opportunity and belief, both from audiences and the industry. Recent developments suggest that the wider musical landscape may be beginning to recognise this imbalance.
This commitment to local development became central to Sheard’s approach. Early events focused on giving emerging Sheffield musicians, often in their early twenties, a platform to perform, experiment and grow.
“There was a lot of talent here, but no real space for young artists to cut their teeth,” he says.
What began as a monthly night, Footprints, soon expanded into regular jam sessions, fostering a sense of community and collaboration that continues to underpin the scene today.
Romy Taylor from Leeds Conservatoire at Kelham Jazz Festival, Church.
Ashley Moules.
The 2024 Mercury Prize, for instance, created more space for northern voices, with several Leeds-based artists gaining recognition, including that year’s winners English Teacher and nominees Corinne Bailey Rae and Nia Archives (English Teacher’s Lewis Whiting described the awards’ previous nine-year streak of London-based winners as “kind of ridiculous”).
Promoting emerging northern jazz artists does more than strengthen their credibility within the genre – it also elevates the cultural identity of the places they come from, challenging the longstanding tendency for the UK’s cultural spotlight to be directed towards London and the south. The north has long produced a diverse and innovative range of sounds, yet many of these voices have historically been overlooked by an industry shaped by selective marketing and media attention.
For Sheard, this evolution feels intrinsically linked to Sheffield itself. “We’ve always been a DIY city,” he says. “We don’t always have loads of options, so people make things happen with what they’ve got.”
That mentality, he suggests, naturally lends itself to jazz: a genre that thrives on experimentation, cross-pollination and a blending of influences.
Franz Von at Alder.
Ashley Moules.
Supporting northern artists is not simply a matter of regional pride – it’s an opportunity to broaden the musical conversation and reshape assumptions about where contemporary jazz can thrive.
As Roach emphasises, the strength of the scene lies not only in its growth but in its collective ethos. “Collaboration is key,” he says. “There’s always talk of competition – numbers, profiles – but music has always been about people coming together.
“That sense of shared purpose is what allows the scene to thrive. A rising tide floats all ships. Whether you’re a musician, promoter, technician or audience member, we’re stronger together.”
There’s clearly still room for Sheffield to exceed expectations and prove itself to a wider audience, while also establishing new cultural norms and fostering a renewed sense of community.
Shania Sabrina and band from Leeds Conservatoire at Kelham Jazz Festival, Church.
Ashley Moules.
Beyond its deep musical roots, Sheffield has long been a hub for a diverse range of cultural identities and creative institutions, from DocFest to the iconic Crucible Theatre, synonymous with snooker.
This focus on community and sustainability extends beyond performance alone. For Sheard, building a lasting scene means investing in the next generation of artists.
Through the Footprints Development Programme, an Arts Council-funded initiative, he has worked to provide emerging musicians with access to studio time, mentorship and practical resources. “We need to keep creating acts in Sheffield,” he says. “It’s about giving people the tools and materials to develop.”
That support is especially crucial in the current climate. “It’s amazing how much can happen when that funding comes in,” he says, acknowledging the challenges of working within what he describes as a “tough economy”.
Alongside grassroots initiatives, Sheard is also focused on strengthening connections between education and the live scene, from youth programmes such as TRACKS to collaborations with music college WaterBear and Leeds Conservatoire.
“It’s about showing pathways, bringing people into the same spaces so they can see what’s possible,” he says. He hopes Sheffield can continue to build on this momentum – not only through events such as Kelham Jazz Festival but also by establishing more formal structures for development, including the possibility of a dedicated jazz course within the city.
Over time, that grassroots approach began to gather momentum. What started as small events have gradually expanded in scale and ambition, culminating in the launch of Kelham Jazz Festival this spring.
For Sheard, the event marked a turning point. “It felt like a real crescendo… no pun intended. We’d never sold over a thousand tickets before, and suddenly we had more than 200 musicians involved. That felt like a real indicator of where the scene is at.”
Wandering Monster at Kelham Jazz Festival, Shakespeares.
Ashley Moules.
With Sheffield being longlisted for UK City of Culture 2029, the emergence of a visible and thriving jazz scene feels especially significant. It speaks not only to the city’s enduring ability to reinvent itself through culture, but also to the power of grassroots movements in shaping how a place is seen both nationally and beyond.
What is happening within the jazz scene today feels like the continuation of that story: one rooted in collaboration, accessibility and a renewed sense of civic identity. If supported and sustained, this movement could help define Sheffield’s next cultural chapter. At a time when the city is once again being recognised for its creative potential, jazz may well become one of the sounds that carries it forward.
“It’s been bubbling for years,” says Sheard, “but now it feels like it’s reached a new level.”