Blue Note London opens on 23 September in the heart of the West End. The first UK location for the Blue Note club group will be based on St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, with a programme that brings international names together with British artists and the current UK jazz scene.

The opening date is a neat piece of timing for jazz listeners. It falls on the 100th birthday of John Coltrane, giving the launch a direct link to one of the music’s central figures. Robert Glasper headlines the opening shows on 23 and 24 September, and also takes on a wider creative ambassador role for the venue.

London does not lack jazz history. Its club culture has long been shaped by basement rooms, late sets, cross-genre experiments, visiting international musicians and homegrown scenes that keep changing shape. Blue Note London arrives into that landscape with a recognisable global name, but the strongest test will be how well it connects with the city around it.

The first programme suggests a broad approach. It includes major American artists, British jazz figures, club-rooted projects, soul, hip-hop, afrobeat, large ensemble work and artists who move between jazz and adjacent sounds. That gives the room a clear opening statement: jazz as a living club culture, not a narrow museum category.

Blue Note London will operate from 42-49 St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4EJ. The venue has two performance spaces. The main room has a 250-person capacity and will host two shows each night, at 7pm and 9.30pm.

A second room, B-Side, is planned to open later in 2026 with a focus on emerging British talent. That detail is worth watching. A room with the Blue Note name will naturally draw attention through international artists, but a smaller second space could become an important part of its London identity if it gives developing artists proper stage time and visibility.

The venue is expected to open until 1am from Monday to Saturday, and until midnight on Sunday. That operating pattern gives it the shape of a serious nightly music room rather than a one-off concert space.

Food and hospitality are also part of the Blue Note model. For audiences, that places the club somewhere between jazz venue, supper club and central London night out. For musicians and the wider scene, the important point will be the strength of the programme, the quality of the room and the way the venue supports both established and newer artists.

Robert Glasper opens the club on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September, with two shows each night. Glasper then returns in November for a further run of shows, underlining his close connection with the launch.

The first weeks bring a strong mix of names. Yussef Dayes appears on Sunday 27 September, followed by Jamie Cullum on 28 and 29 September. Nik West plays across 30 September and 1 October, with Nubiyan Twist on 2 October and Mark Kavuma and The Banger Factory on 3 October.

October continues with more Jamie Cullum dates, Erykah Badu’s IMEHO project, Emily Bear, Nubya Garcia, Hak Baker, Shabaka, Steam Down with NYJO Big Band, Keyon Harrold, The Soul Rebels and Milena Casado.

November and December include Richard Bona Trio, Brandee Younger, James Carter’s Coltrane centenary project, more Robert Glasper dates, Jazzanova Live featuring Wayne Snow, Tank and the Bangas, New Regency Orchestra, Waaju with Majid Bekkas, Cory Henry Trio, KOKOROKO and The Brand New Heavies.

The scale of the opening schedule is clear. This is a launch designed to bring attention quickly, with enough range to pull in jazz listeners, soul audiences, club audiences and people who follow the wider London live music scene.

Blue Note carries a strong association with intimate club performance. The London site will be judged partly against that expectation: close audience connection, high-level artists, good sound and the feeling that something live and specific is happening in the room.

London’s jazz scene has had a strong decade, with musicians, collectives, labels, broadcasters, festivals and grassroots venues helping the music reach wider audiences. Blue Note London has the profile to draw new listeners into that ecosystem, especially if the programme keeps space for UK artists alongside touring names.

The announcement of B-Side points in that direction. A 100-capacity second room focused on emerging British talent could give Blue Note London a more useful role than simply importing a recognised brand. It could become a route for newer artists to be heard by audiences who have come through the door for bigger names.

There will be questions for any new central London venue: ticket pricing, accessibility, artist fees, late-night transport, programming balance and how far the room can support the wider scene rather than sitting above it. Those are the normal pressures around a launch of this scale. The opening line-up gives the venue a strong starting point.

Tickets for the first wave of shows are now on sale through the Blue Note London website. The site also carries show listings, membership details, group reservations, private event information and mailing list sign-up.

For audiences, the simplest route is to check the Blue Note London “What’s On” listings and book directly from the show pages. With two shows per night across the main room, some artists have multiple chances to catch a set, although high-profile opening season dates are likely to move quickly.

Blue Note London opens at 42-49 St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, on 23 September 2026.