Kings Place Jazz Orchestra featuring Matt Carmichael
Scottish saxophonist Matt Carmichael brings his acclaimed blend of folk‑infused jazz to the Kings Place Jazz Orchestra, showcasing the emotive, melodic writing that has marked him as one of the UK’s most exciting young voices.
The Kings Place Jazz Orchestra joins forces with Scottish saxophonist and composer Matt Carmichael for a vivid exploration of one of the UK’s most compelling musical voices. Praised by BBC Music Magazine as ‘a distinctive new voice in a crowded scene’, Carmichael has quickly become known for his powerful emotionally charged blend of jazz and the folk traditions that shaped his early life in the Highlands.
KPJO is a handpicked, project-based ensemble, made up of the UK’s finest jazz and big band musicians, alongside rising-star young artists. Kings Place Jazz Orchestra is more than a new resident ensemble – it’s a bold statement of artistic ambition.
The ensemble hopes to serve as an inspiration for young musicians, opening its doors throughout the year to experience the ensemble in the surroundings of Kings Place, Hall One.
Committed to celebrating the depth of jazz tradition while pushing the boundaries of contemporary large ensemble writing, Kings Place Jazz Orchestra is set to become a cornerstone of Kings Place’s vibrant musical landscape.
This event will last approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes, including an interval.
Concessions & Under 30s tickets
Kings Place Concessions Tickets
We want to ensure that people who may be struggling financially to purchase a ticket can still enjoy visiting Kings Place. A limited number of tickets are allocated for certain events (if the ticket type does not show in the booking pathway, it means they are not available for this event or have all been sold). Concessions tickets are accessible for people on the following criteria (for more information visit our FAQs)
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Disability Benefit
- Income Support or Job Seekers allowance
- Students
£10 ‘Under 30s’ tickets
A limited number of £10 tickets for attendees aged under 30 are available for certain shows. To purchase an ‘Under 30s’ ticket, please choose the ‘Under 30s’ price type when selecting your ticket(s). If the option does not appear, this means all ‘Under 30s’ tickets have sold out or are not available for this performance. Please note that proof of age may be requested at the venue. The £10 offer does not apply to premium price categories.
Plan your visit
Getting here
Kings Place is situated just a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, one of the most connected locations in London and now the biggest transport hub in Europe.
Our address is:
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG.
The Venue
Our performance spaces are situated on the lower ground floor. Hall One, Hall Two and St Pancras are located in level -2, reached by stairs, escalator and lift from the ground floor entrance level.
Event Times
Door times indicate auditorium entrance times only. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the Kings Place seating areas, gallery-level art, canal-side terrace, café, restaurant and bar throughout the day and evening.
- Our events begin promptly at the advertised start time. Typically, there is no support unless otherwise stated.
- We recommend arriving in good time before the performance. The Hall doors will open 30 minutes before the performance to allow time to take your seats, or to choose a space for standing shows.
- Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance where possible
Access
We aim to make your visit to Kings Place as comfortable as possible. For more information about the accessibility of Kings Place, including details about our Access Scheme, please visit this page.
If you would like to discuss your access requirements with a member of our team, please get in touch with the Box Office team at info@kingsplace.co.uk.
Food & Drink
Rotunda Bar & Restaurant
Rotunda, situated on the ground floor of Kings Place, offers a unique dining and drinking experience alongside Regent’s Canal. The concert bar in the venue foyer will also be open for select events.
Green & Fortune Café
Recently re-furbished and now open with a new look, the Green & Fortune Café is open for selected concerts. Serving hot and cold food and drinks, including sandwiches, salads, soup, stew and a pie of the day, alongside a choice of cakes made by the on-site bakery team. See here for selected concert dates and standard opening hours.
Matt Carmichael
Heralded by BBC Music Magazine as ‘a distinctive new voice in a crowded scene’, Scottish saxophonist and composer Matt Carmichael continues to move from strength to strength and grow his reach globally with his powerfully emotive blend of melodic jazz and folk music. He was born just outside of Inverness before moving to Glasgow, where, at the age of 11, he enthusiastically ran home from school clutching a letter from his local music service offering saxophone lessons. Music instantly became his passion, and he soon began writing music for his own band featuring pianist Fergus McCreadie, bassist Ali Watson and drummer Tom Potter, performing their first gig at the Butterfly and Pig in Glasgow – before half the band were legally allowed in the pub.
Since then, the core quartet of the band has remained and alongside regular collaborators including violinist Charlie Stewart, they have developed a special chemistry and unmistakable sound together. They regularly perform internationally at venues like Bimhuis, Fasching, Celtic Connections, Ronnie Scott’s, and Love Supreme, as well as Matt working as a soloist and arranger with the Grammy Award-winning WDR Big Band and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. Following his critically acclaimed debut Where Will the River Flow (2021), Carmichael signed to the renowned label Edition Records for his second album, Marram (2022). His latest album, Dancing with Embers (2025) included collaborations with Rachel Sermanni and Brìghde Chaimbeul and was shortlisted for the multi-genre SAY awards as well as winning ‘Best Album’ in the Scottish Jazz Awards.
With the Kings Place Jazz Orchestra, Matt will perform music from across his discography including work from big band collaborations with Bob Mintzer and the WDR Big Band.
Reviews for Matt Carmichael
‘Matt Carmichael has the power to break and lift hearts with every phrase.’ Jazz Journal
‘A true master of tone and timbral balance…’ Waxing Lyrical
‘Carmichael weaves gorgeously eloquent tapestries of sound, creating intimate journeys that the listener can accompany him on.’ UK Vibe
Callum Au
Callum Au is a British composer, arranger, orchestrator, and trombonist. He writes music across a wide range of genres, with a particular passion for orchestral and large jazz ensemble music. He is highly regarded for his stylistic awareness and versatility, and has worked with some of the world’s biggest artists.
Over the past fifteen years, Callum has established himself as one of the busiest arrangers in the world. He has had the privilege of writing music for many international artists including Quincy Jones, Jamie Cullum and RAYE, and ensembles including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the WDR Funkhaus Orchestra, and the Danish Radio Big Band.
Reviews for Callum Au
‘You might think that to compare Au with Mandel is unreasonable. If so, just sit back and let the music envelop you…’ ★★★★★ Alan Musson, UK Vibe
‘The remarkable young arranger Callum Au is already a master [of the] mysterious art of orchestration and arranging.’ ★★★★ Dave Gelly, The Guardian
‘A serious contender for jazz album of the year.’ ★★★★★ Charles Waring, Record Collector
Kings Place Jazz Orchestra
Founded in 2025 by Callum Au (creative director), Hannah Hutton (producer), and Sam McShane (artistic director, Kings Place), the Orchestra was created to bring the powerful, immersive sound of the big band to the heart of a contemporary arts centre.