It’s On! Nigel Price UK Grassroots Tour 2025

PRESS RELEASE

It’s On!

Nigel Price announces UK Grassroots Tour 2025 Liveline Fund rescues at-risk national tour

Nigel Price is once more embarking on a colossal 46 date tour of UK grassroots jazz venues, thanks to funding by UK charity Music Venue Trust’s Liveline Fund

Commencing on September 15 and running through to December 11, the tour is the second national tour, and first in the jazz scene, to be funded by the Liveline Fund. Liveline was created by Music Venue Trust (MVT) and live music advocates Save Our Scene (SOS) to distribute funding directly to grassroots venues, artists and promoters with financial support raised by contributions from arena and stadium ticket sales. Artists including Sam Fender, Katy Perry, Coldplay, and Enter Shikari were early adopters of the Grassroots Levy and have enabled Liveline to begin fuelling the future of UK grassroots music

On most of the dates Price will be performing with his regular powerhouse band, the Nigel Price Organ Trio featuring Ross Stanley and Joel Barford, but there are international guests too. The legendary Lorne Lofsky, who cut his teeth playing with the likes of Oscar Peterson, Joey

DeFrancesco and Chet Baker, has always wanted to visit Scotland, and Nigel has made it so! They will then be heading down to London to play the 606 club in Fulham for the London Jazz festival. That gig will be recorded with a view for a 2026 release.

From Genoa, Italy - Guitarist Alessio Menconi, one of the most impressive guitarists you’ll ever hear, is coming to London for a short run in early November. Nigel and Alessio will be recording their gig at the Bull’s head in Barnes on November 5, where they will hopefully be creating their own fireworks! Czech guitar supremo Libor Smoldas, who recently toured with James Morrison, is also coming over for three dates in October.

This is without doubt the biggest event on the UK Jazz calendar of 2025. More information, as well as links to tickets can be found at Nigel’s website - https://nigethejazzer.com

Speaking about the tour Price said, “It has become increasingly hard over the last ten years or so to take a band on the road in the UK, and it’s pretty much impossible to make it happen without some kind of funding. The Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant system is extremely competitive and the likelihood of success is not high. When my ACE bid was turned down the whole tour was in jeopardy. 18 months of work!

Although I was familiar with the fantastic work that MVT have been doing, I was not aware of the Liveline Fund, so to be the first recipient of that support on the jazz scene is not just an honour - right now it actually feels like nothing short of a miracle! I cannot thank MVT and Save Our Scene enough for rescuing this tour. It feels like we are welcoming in a new era of much needed support for the grassroots arts here in the UK.”

The Liveline Fund is committed to delivering the best live music into the UK’s towns and cities. Working with artists, venues, and promoters, Liveline is building models of best practice to revive live music in communities right across the country.

Rebecca Walker, Live Projects for Music Venue Trust, said, “We are delighted to be able to support this incredibly extensive tour which is visiting all parts of the country bringing exceptional live music to our towns and cities. With Liveline we are determined to bring a huge range of fantastic artists from all genres of music right to people’s doorsteps, keeping music live in our communities”

More information about Liveline can be found here: livelinefund.uk

Media enquiries:MVT/Liveline - Sue Harris, media@musicvenuetrust.com / info@republicmedia.net

Nigel Price - Rupert Burley, rupert@dynamicagency.co.uk About Nigel Price

Over a career spanning more than 30 years, award winning jazz guitarist Nigel Price has become widely acknowledged as one of the hardest working musicians in the business.

Musically, his blend of flowing bebop lines, deep blues sensibility and his mastery of chording continue to delight audiences and fellow musicians alike. Nigel has played on more than 70 albums including 10 as a leader, spent ten years with acid jazz outfit The Filthy Six, was a member of James Taylor’s band (JTQ) for 3 years (with whom he recorded 5 albums) and has steadily gained a reputation as one of the foremost UK guitarists in the genre.

He has worked tirelessly to organise his own lengthy UK tours (17 in total, including a 56 date tour in late 2016) and has picked up a Parliamentary Jazz Award (Best Jazz Ensemble, 2010), a nomination for a British Jazz Award (Best Guitarist, 2014) and a British Jazz Award (Best Guitarist, 2016) along the way.

An occasional promoter, Nigel directed and modernised the Swanage Jazz Festival in 2018. He also ran Shepperton Jazz Club for two years. He is also a Fibonacci guitars endorser. The ‘Londoner’ archtop is made to his exact specifications. Nigel is a regular performer at London’s Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club where he has made more than 600 appearances.

About Music Venue Trust

Music Venue Trust is a UK registered charity which acts to protect, secure, and improve the UK's Grassroots Music Venues.

Created in January 2014, Music Venue Trust aims to secure the long-term future of GMVs in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, whether they are iconic venues such as Hull Adelphi, Exeter Cavern, The 100 Club, Band on the Wall, King Tut’s, and Clwb Ifor Bach, or lesser-known venues that are equally important to their geographical or musical community. These venues play a crucial role in the development of British music, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills.

MVT works to gain recognition of the essential role these venues fulfil, not only for artist development but also for the cultural and music industries, the economy, and local communities. The geographical spread of GMVs provides access to live music, for both performers and audience members, in many locations that do not have alternative cultural venues. The charity provides advice to the government, the cultural sector, and the music industry on issues impacting GMVs and is the nominated representative that speaks on behalf of the Music Venues Alliance, an association of venues from across the UK.

Music Venue Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales: Charity Number 1159846Music Venue Trust (Scotland) is a charity registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator: Charity Number SC052001

About Save Our Scene

Save Our Scene is a media organisation that advocates for the protection of UK Live Music. Founded in May 2020, SOS has become a leading industry voice that connects with fans through producing cultural moments and industry campaigns.

Highlights include successfully leading the ‘Save Brixton Academy’ campaign, securing Coldplay as a contributor to Liveline and being awarded ‘London’s Hero’ at the AIM Awards.