Jazz Steps 2025

Click here for the map, final timings and details about the headline acts

About Jazz Steps

Join us for another amazing afternoon of free live music across Oxhey Village, as we wrap up this year's Watford Jazz Junction Festival 10-18 May.

Walk, talk, drink, eat, meet, dance and discover some wonderful music.

More than 25 acts and 250 musicians including grassroots, local artists, and professionals, performing multiple styles of jazz, blues, swing, funk, and soul.

Stages and venues

• Main Stage: Oxhey Green (on Lower Paddock Road, as we move from Watford Heath in previous years)

• The Oxhey Bowls Club (plus tea and cakes!)

• St Matthews Church Hall (new for 2025)

  
  

Plus inside and outside 6 of our family-friendly pubs:

• The Load of Hay

• The Railway Arms

• The Rifle Volunteer

• The Royal Oak

• The Victoria

• The Villiers Arms

Whether you're looking to settle into a seat at one of our participating venues for the day, or move around them all we promise you a super inclusive, family-friendly and safe event. And if you want to avoid being inside an environment with alcohol, do note that most of our stages are outside.

Tickets

There's no need to buy tickets because there aren't any! You can RSVP by 'registering for tickets' to help us in our planning.

Line-ups

Main stage on Oxhey Green

• Ten Bells Rag Band (traditional New Orleans jazz with a modern twist)

• Tony Kofi's 'A Portrait of Cannonball' (hard-bop modern jazz)

• Zayn Mohammed Trio (guitar-led fusion jazz)

• City Funk Orchestra (funk and soul)

Elsewhere on Oxhey Green

You'll find lots activities for young people (including inflatables and games), fantastic live art (including creating our own 6 foot mural) and a very special primary school performance featuring talented young jazzers from Bushey Manor (who'll be joining the Ten Bells at 1.15pm). We can't wait to hear them sing!

There’ll be great food options including chicken, BBQ and local friends Alexander Express and drinks including smoothies, cocktails and beer from local friends Rolling Keg. Ooh, and ice cream of course!

We're also presenting an inclusive Watford Community Space with a focus on health and wellbeing, providing information about lots of amazing local charities and community groups working in the town.

Across the Village

St Matthew's Church Hall - new for 2025 (1.30-5pm)

A traditional dance hall vibe with 2 big bands:

• Easy Street Big Band

• The Herts Big Band

Come along and dance!

The Load of Hay - hosted by John Watson (1.30-4.30pm)

Sensational Herts-based jazz pianist John Watson leads his consummate trio (The Langham, The Ivy) featuring Sophie Alloway (drums) and Neville Malcolm (bass). You'll hear a range of accessible and well-known jazz favourites, including a guest pop-up performance from Jazz Steps-favourite and singer Esther Bennett. They'll be playing 3x50-minute sets starting at 1.30, 2.30, and 3.30pm.

Royal Oak - hosted by Watford Jazz Workshop (12.30-5pm)

A rolling jazz jam led by local-bassist and band-leader Jorge Morales, incorporating lots of the best local jazz and blues musicians. Bring your horn! Supported by Sanctuary Studios.

Oxhey Bowls Club (13.30-5pm) plus tea & many cakes!

• Linda Muriel and Watling Street (soulful voice with Herts based jazz band and lead singer who’s performed with Brand New Heavies and Incognito)

• The Out of Handers (modern jazz covers from Watford favourites)

  
  

Railway Arms - hosted by No Trixx (12.30-5pm) A thrilling line-up of 3 emerging London jazz groups:

• Beluga

• Big Massive

• No Trixx

  
  

All 3 collectives are making an impact on the capital's scene and are definitely ones to be watching for the future.

The Victoria - spinning jazz n' soul (12.30-5pm)

An afternoon of non-stop soul, funk and jazz groove from some very talented DJs including Nivan Hammond and Chris Philips.

The Rifle (12.30-5pm)

• The Fabulous Red Diesel (all sorts of funk and fusion jazz mayhem from southern England)

• Blue Spark (local Latin-infused jazz quartet)

• The Biscuit Brothers (blues specialists from eastern England)

The Villiers (2-6pm)

• Neil C Young Trio (blues/fusion from Manchester)

• Brass Bound (funk/ska from Harrow)

• The Hodad Swingers (from blues to bluegrass via Oxhey Village with 2 guest singers)

Planning your trip

Weather

As always, cross your fingers for fair weather but we will go ahead come rain or shine so bring a brolly if it looks dodgy. Heavy rain will deter some of our displays, and a tornado may deter all of us!

Travel and access

We definitely do NOT recommend driving with limited parking, but Oxhey Village is easily reached by traveling to Bushey Rail Station (based in Oxhey Village) with frequent mainline and Overground trains. 

Parking is limited in the Village so we would recommend parking elsewhere and jumping on an Overground train (2 minutes from Watford High Street station) or a bus. The Village is served by the 142 and 258 bus routes.

If you have a Blue Badge, we can accommodate a very limited number of vehicles directly onto Oxhey Green BUT you must register with us before hand or you may be turned away by our stewards. Please email jazz@watfordjazzjunction.com.

Thank yous

Support and funding

Jazz Steps Around Oxhey Village is kindly supported by: Arts Council England, Watford Community Grants, Watford Community Housing, Watford Council , and the generosity of many people through our Crowdfunder campaign.

Our HUGE thanks to all.