Peter Bacon reports:

Long-term commitment to jazz music from the big world outside it is not an everyday occurrence so it is worthy of hurrahs to note that EFG Private Bank has renewed its title sponsorship of the London Jazz Festival for another five years to 2023.

The announcement was made last night at the EFG LJF’s Mayfair Hotel launch party where the full programme for this year’s festival (16 – 25 November) was also revealed.

John Williamson, Chair of EFG International, said at the event:

“2018 also marks the 10th anniversary of our partnership with the EFG London Jazz Festival, during which time we have seen the Festival go from strength to strength. As an organisation, we aspire to share and celebrate the distinctive qualities which make jazz such an exceptional art form, embracing creativity and innovation, freedom of individual and collective expression, diversity and collaboration. Through our sponsorship programmes we also strive to help up and coming talent establish their voice on a global stage.”

Claire Whitaker, Director of Serious, responded: “We are delighted that EFG Private Bank has renewed their partnership with the Festival. EFG and Serious share a passion for jazz, the excellence of the music and the diversity of the audiences it attracts. We are thrilled that their commitment to the music we love ensures that the reach and scale of the festival can be sustained and supports the next generation of talent.”

It was also announced by James Stirling, BBC Music’s Head of Content Commissioning, that Soweto Kinch will be hosting some TV coverage from the festival on BBC4.

LINK: EFG London Jazz Festival website with full programme