The Ivy Club marks November with a jazz festival spanning Paris, Rio and Havana
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The Ivy Club's November programme brings three distinct jazz traditions into its wood-panelled rooms above West Street. Amuse Manouche, on 13 November at 19:00, opens with singer Sam Carelse and her band alongside accordionist Joe Thompson, tracing the swinging rhythms of Parisian café jazz. Beyond Ipanema follows on 20 November at 19:00, with guitarist Nigel Price joining Thompson's trio to explore Brazilian Bossa Nova and the compositions of Antônio Carlos Jobim. The festival closes on 21 November at 15:00 with Tradicional Cubano, welcoming back flautist Jose Zalba-Smith and his ensemble to bring the infectious spirit of Cuban music into the Club's intimate spaces.
An evening across three musical worlds
Each evening moves through a distinct geography of jazz, from the dimly lit cafés of the Latin Quarter to the beaches of Rio and the smoky clubs of Havana. The opening concert leans into the softer, more intimate idiom of Parisian jazz, where melody and conversation share equal weight. Thompson's accordion, an instrument inseparable from the café tradition, provides the harmonic foundation whilst Carelse's voice carries the storytelling. Beyond Ipanema shifts into the easier, more rhythmically supple world of Bossa Nova, a style that emerged in Brazil during the 1950s and found its most enduring ambassador in Jobim. His composition "The Girl from Ipanema" remains iconic; this concert positions it within the broader context of Jobim's body of work and the samba-influenced guitar traditions that gave the genre its distinctive character. The final instalment returns to Zalba-Smith, whose return to The Ivy Club acknowledges the ensemble's familiarity with the space and its audience. Cuban music, with its syncopated percussion and improvisational clarity, offers a rhythmic vitality quite distinct from the preceding programmes.
Within The Ivy Club's cultural calendar
Live music forms part of the Club's ongoing commitment to cultural engagement. Wednesday through Saturday evenings regularly feature performances in the Piano Bar, yet a dedicated festival format allows for deeper curation and longer sets. The three-evening structure permits members to attend one, two or all three performances, each standing as a complete evening rather than background entertainment. Tickets are available through the Club's app for members and via the link provided on The Ivy Club's Instagram account.
The festival runs across three dates in November, with performances at 19:00 on 13 and 20 November, and at 15:00 on 21 November. Members may book through the app; further details are available on The Ivy Club's official social channels.
Key Facts
- Dates: 13, 20 and 21 November 2026
- First performance: Amuse Manouche, 13 November, 19:00
- Second performance: Beyond Ipanema, 20 November, 19:00
- Third performance: Tradicional Cubano, 21 November, 15:00
- Location: The Ivy Club, 9 West Street, London WC2H 9NE
- Booking: Members via app; tickets also available via The Ivy Club's Instagram link
The Simply Luxury View
A jazz festival at a private members' club signals the institution's confidence in curating experiences that extend beyond dining. The Ivy Club, which opened in 2008 above the restaurant of the same name, has established itself as a venue where members from the arts and media worlds gather; the addition of a structured cultural programme reflects how contemporary private clubs increasingly position themselves as artistic and social institutions rather than merely social backdrops.
The choice of three jazz traditions—each rooted in a distinct cultural moment and geography—suggests thoughtful programming. By anchoring each evening to a specific place and musical vocabulary, the festival honours the particular histories of these forms rather than presenting jazz as a monolithic genre. For members accustomed to curated cultural experiences, this approach aligns with broader moves towards intentional programming and specialist knowledge.
Official brand website: the-ivyclub.co.uk
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Imagery courtesy of The Ivy Club (@theivyclublondon).