Jazzfest Berlin 2026: Laura Jurd

Rites & Revelations

Laura Jurd – Person mit einer Trompete in der Hand vor grauem Hintergrund.

Laura Jurd: Rites & Revelations

(GB, IE)

The veteran British trumpeter Laura Jurd delved into something deep inside her heritage to produce the music on last year’s remarkable Rites & Revelations, an intense quintet outing that seamlessly braids post-bop with British and Irish folk traditions. For the album’s presentation at Jazzfest Berlin 2026, bassist Simon Jermyn and drummer Corrie Dick will sculpt heady, elasticized rhythms that allow the material to breathe and mutate, while the trumpeter is joined on the frontline by Irish folk fiddler Ultan O’Brien (on both violin and viola) and the remarkable young guitarist Tara Cunningham.

Jurd, who first made her mark as the leader of the acclaimed Dinosaur, has gradually reshaped her music in recent years and relocated from London to the more rustic environs of Somerset. While improvisation and small combo dynamics still distinguish her music, the band erases any boundary between different styles. Naturally, folk traditions usually rely heavily on improvisation, so the blend feels less like a hybrid than mirrored extensions. Indeed, when they tackle the old blues St. James Infirmary it feels part and parcel of British folk, with the explosive rhythm section fostering a burnished intensity from Jurd’s galvanic solo. Many musicians are exploring folk roots and grounding themselves in something enduring, but few jazz artists have achieved such a masterfully integrated marriage as Jurd’s latest project. 

Line-up

Laura Jurd – trumpet

Ultan O’Brien – viola

Tara Cunningham – guitar

Simon Jermyn – electric bass

Corrie Dick – drums

Next date:

• Date Saturday, 31/October/2026 23:00
• Venue Haus der Berliner Festspiele - Seitenbühne
• Address Schaperstraße 24, 10719 Berlin-Wilmersdorf