Birmingham’s Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival have revealed their second round of acts for this summer’s event (Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July 2026).
Leading the announcement are Jordan Rakei, Soul II Soul, Cymande, Don West, Sampa The Great, Craig Charles and Goldie.
They join the previously announced Fabio & Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra (Friday headliners) and the soulful Jalen Ngonda (Sunday headliner).
Saturday headliner Jordan Rakei is a former Artist In Resident at the iconic Abbey Road Studios. Born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, though now resident in London, the singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist has worked with such artists as Tom Misch, FKJ, Loyle Carner, Bonobo and Jalen.
R&B collective Soul II Soul (Friday) revolutionised British music with 1989’s ground-breaking debut album, Club Classics Vol. One. Emerging from London sound system culture, Jazzie B and crew’s sophisticated sound earned them a run of era-defining global hits, including Keep On Movin and Back To Life.
Having originally disbanded in the mid-70s, Cymande (Saturday) reunited after discovering their unique brand of funk, soul, reggae, jazz, rock and African rhythms was being increasingly sampled by a new generation of artists – among them De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan and The Fugees. Never resting on their laurels, recent collection, Renascence, continues Cymande’s creative renaissance, reconfirming their legendary status.
The forthcoming third album from Sampa The Great (Saturday) sees the rapper/musician reconnect with her Zambian roots for a bold contemporary reimagining of 1970s Zamrock. Introducing elements of hip hop, soul and spoken word into the classic Afro rock/ funk genre, it’s a sound she’s dubbed ‘Nu Zamrock’.
Further acts revealed as heading to the boutique Birmingham festival include Jazz FM Award-winner Emma-Jean Thackray (Sunday) whose deeply personal Weirdo was shortlisted for the 2025 Mercury Prize; fast-rising charismatic Australian Don West (Sunday), one of the freshest voices in modern soul music; Mostly Jazz fave DJ Craig Charles (Saturday) and fellow BBC 6Music presenter Jamz Supernova (Sunday); drum’n’bass pioneer Goldie, with a DJ set (Friday); Nightmares On Wax (DJ set, Friday), whose seminal In A Space Outta Sound album is being expanded to celebrate its 20th anniversary; music curator/DJ Somewhere Soul (Sunday); nature-inspired genre-blurring multi-instrumentalist Sol Paradise (Sunday); James Emmanuel (Sunday), whose journey has taken him from karaoke nights to appearing at the Royal Albert Hall for BBC Proms; and Neal Sugarman (Sunday) co-founder of the seminal Daptone label, home to Jalen Ngonda and Thee Sacred Souls.
Other line-up additions include the ever-evolving Quantic, Newcastle’s Knats, Jazz FM Instrumentalist Of The Year Dan Casimir and his Big Band, West African singer/percussionist Falle Nioke, vocalist Olympia Vitalis (with a new EP, Lady Luck, incoming), DJ Dick, Ishmael Ensemble (DJ Set) and alt.rapper Saiming.
Plus from Birmingham and the surrounding area, Leftfoot DJs, Sam Redmore, Wobble’s Phil Gifford, queer disco specialists Horse Meat Disco, Billy Green and Fools In The House DJs, the surreal Diddy Sweg Big Band, The Atlantic Players, SoundLab Brum, bassist Riley Mamvura, pianist Josh Bailey, the chilled improvjazzlab, Blow Water DJs, and B:and Together, while Brum institution Attic will be ensuring there’s plenty of craft beer available throughout the festival.
In addition to the massive artist drop, the Mostly Jazz team have also announced that Jazz FM are returning as the festival’s radio partner for the fourth consecutive year. They’ll be on-site for the weekend, broadcasting unique content including exclusive interviews and stripped back sessions.
John Fell, Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul’s Manager, said: “We’re excited to add the legendary Soul II Soul to our Friday line-up, alongside Fabio & Grooverider’s drum’n’bass celebration and the mighty Goldie, while Jordan Rakei, Cymande and Sampa The Great give us a totally different vibe on Saturday, and Sunday oozes with soul, thanks to Neal Sugarman, Thee Sacred Souls and Jalen Ngonda.”
Taking place in the idyllic surroundings of Moseley Park, the annual three-day event is a short distance away from Birmingham’s city centre, yet a world away from city life. With sloping grounds, creating a natural amphitheatre in front of a beautiful lake, it hosts some of the best jazz, funk, soul and dance artists from across the UK and further afield.
Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival runs from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July 2026 at Moseley Park, Birmingham. Tickets on sale from Friday 13 February 2026, 10am. For full details, see: mostlyjazz.co.uk
FRIDAY 10 JULY 2026
Fabio & Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra
Soul II Soul
Goldie (DJ set)
Nightmares On Wax
Sam Redmore B2B Matt Beck
Olympia Vitalis
Saiming
improvjazzlab
SATURDAY 11 JULY 2026
Jordan Rakei
Cymande
Sampa The Great
Craig Charles
Gabriels (DJ Set)
Annie & The Caldwells
Close Counters
Diddy Sweg Big Band
Falle Nioke
Riley Mamvura
Josh Bailey & Friends
B:and Together
Phil Gifford (Wobble)
Horse Meat Disco
Knats
Leftfoot DJs
Ishmael Ensemble (DJ set)
DJ Dick
SUNDAY 12 JULY 2026
Jalen Ngonda
Thee Sacred Souls
Somewhere Soul
Don West
Jamz Supernova
Emma-Jean Thackray
Neal Sugarman (Daptone Records)
Quantic
Sol Paradise
Olive Jones
The Dan Casimir Big Band
The Atlantic Players
James Emmanuel
Billy Green & Fools In The House DJs
Blow Water DJs
SoundLab BRUM
Radio Partner: Jazz FM
With more artists to be announced …
ABOUT MOSTLY JAZZ FUNK AND SOUL FESTIVAL
Debuting in 2010, Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival is a diverse, vibrant festival, celebrating ground-breaking, innovative UK music alongside international trailblazers. Held in Moseley Park, a stunning 11-acre woodland glade in the heart of Moseley Village, the festival is just two miles from the centre of Birmingham, yet is a world away from city life. With sloping grounds, creating a natural amphitheatre in front of the beautiful lake, it’s the perfect setting for a festival. Each year Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul brings incredible artists, workshops, arts, crafts, and a selection of Birmingham’s most loved street food and drinks vendors to Moseley, for one epic party weekend.
Previous headliners include Ezra Collective, Maribou State, Chic feat. Nile Rodgers, Public Enemy, Gregory Porter, Chaka Khan, De La Soul, Bonobo, The Specials, The Wailers, Goldie, Fat Freddy’s Drop, KC and The Sunshine Band, Kool and The Gang, The Jacksons, Yussef Dayes, The Blackbyrds, and Leftfield.