Qobuz sponsors Brick Lane Jazz Festival for second year

New for 2026: Brick Lane Conference

As part of this year's festival, the Brick Lane Conference runs from Thursday April 23rd to Saturday April 25th, providing a space for artists, labels, platforms, collectives and creative thinkers to connect, collaborate, and explore the future of independent music.

Qobuz will curate and host a conference panel titled ' Listening with Intention ' , on Thursday, April 23rd at 2:15-3:15pm at Flow State Hub, Ely's Yard. Moderated by Rachel Silton, Director of Marketing & Acquisition US, CA, UK, AU/NZ, Nordics at Qobuz, the session will explore how listening habits are evolving in an age of streaming, algorithms, AI-generated content and renewed interest in physical formats. Speakers include Nigel House (Director, Rough Trade UK), Maria Chiara Argirò (UK electronic/jazz artist), Rhys Baker (Label Manager, Tru Thoughts Records), Ally Steel (Artist Strategy Lead at Blackstar Agency and Founder/Editor at Jazz Revelations), and Ross Hampl (Head of Commercial UK & International, Partisan Records).

Alongside the panel, Qobuz will host a stand at the conference, where attendees can meet the team and ask questions about streaming, downloading, high-resolution audio, and everything Qobuz has to offer. They can also explore the Qobuz app, trying out its search and discovery features, and maybe find out more about artists appearing at the festival.

Artist Interviews and Editorial Features

In addition to hosting the panel, Qobuz will conduct a series of artist interviews during the festival, sharing the content across social channels in partnership with Brick Lane Jazz Festival and shining a spotlight on rising talent for a global audience.

Dan Mackta, Managing Director of North America and Northern Europe at Qobuz, said:

"It feels great to partner with the Brick Lane Jazz Festival again. From musicians on stage to audiences discovering new sounds and the music industry sharing ideas, the festival is alive with energy and celebrates music made by real people. The exclusive live release from 2025 is a perfect example, capturing the excitement of the performances and letting listeners experience the festival from anywhere in the world."

Juliet Kennedy, founder of the Brick Lane Jazz Festival, commented:

"We're so excited to announce the release of the official Brick Lane Jazz Festival 2025 live album. Captured across last year's festival, this is the sound of the rooms, the artists, and the energy all in one place. We made the album in collaboration with our partners at Qobuz, the independently-owned, artist-first streaming platform where true music lovers can find expert human curation, world-class sound, and a record shop approach to discovering music."

Qobuz: Supporting Artists and Music Discovery

Jazz and kindred genres - neo-soul, broken beat, R&B, hip-hop and electronic fusion - remain central to Qobuz's musical outlook. Through curated playlists, awards and label pages, and in-depth editorial features, the platform helps listeners discover releases beyond the mainstream, giving independent and upcoming artists greater visibility and reach.

Qobuz has always believed that free streaming undermines the value of music and the artist, with sound quality and human recommendations central to preserving this value. In line with this conviction, the platform has only ever offered paid-for subscriptions. Its new AI Charter builds on this commitment, safeguarding artists and keeping human creativity - not industrially generated AI content - at the heart of music discovery and editorial curation.

Press and industry professionals interested in meeting the Qobuz team at the festival or learning more about the panel and live release can find contact details below.

About Brick Lane Jazz Festival

Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns to the Truman Brewery for its fifth year in 2026, from Friday April 24th to Sunday April 26th, with yet another mind-expanding and genre-defying line-up that mirrors the vibrant convergence of London's thriving underground music scenes. The focus, as always, is on spotlighting emerging talent, bringing together artists from jazz, hip-hop, neo-soul, R&B, broken beat and electronic music, who will perform across 12 iconic music venues on and around Brick Lane.

New for 2026, the festival also hosts the Brick Lane Conference, a dedicated space for artists, labels, platforms, collectives, and creative thinkers to connect, collaborate, and explore the future of music.

Tickets and full program details: www.bricklanejazzfestival.com