Jesse Royal

Jesse Royal brings the pulse of Kingston’s reggae revival to Jazz Cafe, London, on 3 August 2026. A voice shaped by 1970s roots and sharpened by today’s production, he moves between roots, dub and dancehall inflections, pairing a supple groove with lyrics grounded in social questions, Rastafari spirituality and Jamaica’s political memory. First heard through a run of singles and the In Comes the Small Axe project, he confirmed that path on Lily of Da Valley (2017) and Royal (2021), two albums where deep bass, melody and message share the lead.

On stage he threads early cuts and recent tracks, with a band that lets the rhythms breathe while keeping the song at the center. Close links with peers like Protoje, Vybz Kartel, Runkus and Daniel Bambaata Marley reflect a range that moves easily across eras and styles. The show leans on foundation rhythms, updated production touches and a present-tense delivery that carries conscious reggae into now.