Jazz Weekender 2025 brings in performances by Sera Kalo, Allysha Joy and Mark de Clive-Lowe. Photos: Courtesy of the artist, Jess Brohier (Joy)
Jazz Weekender returns to its home in New Delhi this week, hosting just over 10 artists across two days at 1AQ in Mehrauli on Oct. 11 and 12. Like previous editions, the festival’s lineup showcases artists who dive into the elasticity that jazz possesses, adapting it into styles ranging from hip-hop to electronic and other subgenres. At this year’s globe-spanning curation by Boxout.fm, Wild City, Gatecrash, and Jazz in India, here are just a few must-see acts.
Allysha Joy
Melbourne singer-songwriter Allysha Joy kicks off her debut India tour at Jazz Weekender, performing her glowing, sensuous R&B-laced tracks with an Indian band. Joy will be joined by bassist Nathan Thomas, drummer Dhir Mody, saxophonist Shirish Malhotra, and vocalist Mallika Barot. Come for the unhurried grooves and stay for Joy’s inimitably powerful vocal range, which sets the vibe even if you may not know the songs.
After performing on Oct. 11, the artist and her Indian band also have shows in Mumbai on Oct. 15 at Antisocial, and in Goa on Oct. 25 at Hideaway, with Joy playing a solo set in Kolkata on Oct. 17 at Skinny Mo’s Jazz Club.
Mark de Clive-Lowe
Jazz hybrid artist Mark de Clive Lowe makes his India debut at Jazz Weekender with a Live Remix set. The Tokyo-based DJ-producer brings a bit of jazz improvisation with broken beat and global rhythms, according to the festival. Like the set above, Clive Lowe’s wide-ranging palette — think Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Q-Tip and more — paired with his spontaneous use of live piano makes it anyone’s guess what tunes he’ll take on to get the audience moving.
Dhanji
Ahmedabad hip-hop mainstay Dhanji and his band will be closing out day one of Jazz Weekender. If there’s anything New Delhi loves, it’s hip-hop, and Dhanji might just pack the house at 1AQ with his live set. While it was a more rage-y affair at Lollapalooza India in Mumbai at the start of the year, Dhanji had launched his album RUAB in New Delhi with a horn section, backing vocalists, and more. This time, he’s bringing a 13-piece jazz-funk presentation of his material, including his latest album Drive-in Cinema 2.1.
Sera Kalo’s eXante
Expect soul, jazz, and electronic elements in the mix for German/American act Sera Kalo’s eXante at Jazz Weekender 2025. Performing at an early slot of 4:30 pm on day two of the festival, expect a bit of sunny but soul-searching songs like “Can You Speak My Language” (off her 2023 album Exante) and new songs like “Again and Again” from her upcoming album eX.II. Coming in from a kick-off show at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre’s Studio Theatre in Mumbai on Oct. 11, Kalo brings a seemingly effortless, airy yet emotionally grounded hue to the festival.
Sambucada
Among the newer Indian acts on the block, Goa-based Sambucada are channeling the sounds of samba and Bossa Nova right from Brazil to New Delhi this week at Jazz Weekender. “The concept is to distill the rhythms of the Brazilian carnival into a small band format and layer it with jazz-based harmonies,” the band has said in a post. Formed sometime after the pandemic lockdowns were lifted, Sambucada have already performed at festivals in Mumbai and Goa, regularly bringing in additional instrumentalists to take things up a notch.
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