Birmingham's Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival (Friday 11 to Sunday 13 July 2025) have unveiled a further raft of artists, including Groove Armada, Kofi Stone, Sam Redmore, Rosie Lowe, Summer Pearl and Lulu.

They will join a top-flight line-up that includes the previously announced Ezra Collective, War, Maribou State, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Craig Charles and more.

Groove Armada are one of the UK's most successful dance acts. Since forming in the mid-90s, Andy Cato and Tom Findlay have achieved major critical and commercial success with such tracks as dancehall dub Superstylin’, pop crossover Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control), dancefloor-igniting I See You Baby, and the woozy At The River. The legendary duo have also collaborated with a huge range of other artists, including Madonna, Paul Simon, Calvin Harris and Will Young.

Groove Armada make their Mostly debut with a not-to-be-missed DJ set on Friday night.

2024’s A Man After God’s Own Heart confirmed Birmingham's Kofi Stone as one of UK rap’s brightest and most exciting voices. Building on the strength of his debut project, 2019's Nobody Cares Till Everybody Does, the 14-track collection finds Kofi at his most honest, vulnerable and assured, with stand-outs such as Kind David Flow and May Sound Crazy (featuring the much missed Benjamin Zephaniah).

Blending jazz, soul, dub and hip hop Summer Pearl has built an international reputation for her care-free live performances and to-the-point lyrics, while rising British/Nigerian singer-songwriter LULU. (that's 'Lulu' with a dot) first emerged via TikTok, creating a unique fusion of Afrobeat, soul and fluid vocals, and Rosie Lowe’s has picked up a raft of well-earned four and five star reviews for her latest album, the impressive Lover, Other, which sees the Little Simz collaborator confidently embrace bossa nova, breakbeats and ambient soundscapes with ease.

Following a stand-out 2022 set devoted to Stevie Wonder, the much-anticipated Mostly Jazz return of Birmingham's Sam Redmore sees him poised to deliver another very special DJ set, this time dedicated to the godfather of soul (and funk), James Brown.

Also just confirmed the festival are Fila Brazillia (DJ set), Erol Alkan, Leftfoot DJs, London-via-Paris bass player Amy Gadiaga, party-starters Diddy Sweg, Laod featuring rising star Lucy-Anne Daniels, DDQ, Harrsn featuring The House Gospel Choir, Variations DJs, the infectious Heavy Beat Brass Band, and The Hussain Brothers (aka Faisal and Yasser Hussain), who’ll be airing a special South Asian DJ set inspired by the legendary Birmingham record shop, Oriental Star Agencies.

John Fell, Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul’s Manager, said:

We’re pleased to finally reveal that missing piece from our opening night line-up - legends Groove Armada. They’ll be DJ-ing alongside appearances from Friday headliners Maribou State, Goldie and other new additions, Kofi Stone, Fila Brazillia and Erol Alkan.

With ’70s icons War and Afrobeat royalty Seun Kuti on Saturday, and jazz superstars Ezra Collective closing the festival on Sunday, after Somewhere Soul, Jalen Ngonda and Rosie Lowe, this year’s Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul is shaping up to be a very special edition ..."

Based at Moseley Park and Pool, in the Birmingham suburb of Moseley, Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival runs from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 July 2025. Since debuting in 2010, the festival has consistently boasted a diverse line-up that combines trailblazing A-list international artists with innovative and emerging Brit acts.

Further 2025 line-up announcements, including family activities and the festival’s food and drink offer, will be revealed over the coming months.

For more information and Mostly Jazz tickets see: mostlyjazz.co.uk

Author: Adam Bailey

Adam is a regular contributor for established press release distribution website Release-News.com. He writes on a wide range of topics including music.