Noel Gallagher is set to make his first solo appearance since the announcement of the Oasis reunion back in 2024 and it’s in the most unlikely of settings – as a guest of a drum n’ bass doyen at a gig that’s part of the London Jazz Festival.
That doyen is Goldie, and as those with long memories will remember, Noel and the jungle don have been pals since the late '90s. The guitarist made a guest appearance on Temper Temper, one of the singles from Goldie’s second album Saturnz Return, which was a Top 20 hit in early 1998.
The gig is Goldie ‘Dare To Dream’ – two performances at the Festival Hall on the South Bank on 14 November. Always an ambitious fellow, the show will feature Goldie alongside an orchestra, a choir and an array of special guests, including drummer and producer Yussef Dayes, French-Senegalese artist Anaiis, singers Natalie Williams and Cleveland Watkiss, and now Noel.
The DJ has posted a clip of himself on Instagram announcing the addition of Gallagher to the line up. “Me and Noel Gallagher do it again,” Goldie says gleefully, picking the Oasis man’s name out of his rolodex. “Thirty years, that’s what we’ve got between us. We’re here, going to Royal Festival Hall to do it all over again.” He looks rather pleased.
There is, of course, a lot more on at the festival, which runs from 13 to 22 November. And a lot of it stretches the definition of you might describe as 'jazz' – other performers include the Portuguese fado chanteuse Mariza, 1990s chill out exponents Morcheeba, as well as the Manchester-based jazz fusion collective Go Go Penguin, Branford Marsalis, Samara Joy and a special evening celebrating what would have been John Coltrane’s 100th birthday.
For more details head over to the festival website at efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk.
