Sultan Stevenson – piano
Jacob Gryn – upright bass
Joel Waters – drums
Acclaimed by All About Jazz UK for his “mature awareness of space and silence,” Sultan Stevenson has rapidly ascended as one of London’s most compelling jazz voices. A product of the prestigious Julian Joseph Jazz Academy and Tomorrow’s Warriors, where he studied under luminaries like Julian Joseph and Denys Baptiste, the pianist-composer brings his genre-defying trio to Bansko Jazz Festival following a breakout year that solidified his status as a generational talent.
Stevenson’s 2025 album El Roi (Hebrew for “God Saw Me”) promises to be a centerpiece of his festival performance. The eight-track work – featuring original compositions like Unspeakable Happiness and A Region in My Mind – showcases his trio’s alchemy with bassist Jacob Gryn and drummer Joel Waters, augmented by trumpeter Josh Short (a collaborator since his acclaimed 2022 debut Faithful One). Notably, Stevenson reveals his multi-instrumental prowess by playing tenor saxophone on three tracks, expanding his artistic palette.
The 25-year-old’s trajectory has been meteoric since his Parliamentary Jazz Award for “Best Newcomer” and sold-out Jazz Café debut. Recent triumphs include showcases at Cheltenham Jazz Festival, plus a BBC Radio 3 live session – a testament to his ability to merge spiritual jazz traditions with contemporary urgency. The audience at Bansko Jazz Festival can expect hurricanes of sound punctuated by meditative stillness. This performance marks a pivotal moment: a young virtuoso at the intersection of technical mastery and soulful storytelling, poised to deliver one of 2025’s definitive jazz statements.