Live music producers Serious have just confirmed two new additions to this year’s London Jazz Festival, with the Robert Glasper Experiment to perform at the Royal Festival Hall on the opening Friday night, 9 November, and legendary American folk musician Rodriguez also appearing at the RFH on Saturday 17 November.

London has become something of a second home to Glasper (pictured) in recent years, his presence here often the scene of great excitement – be it at his four sold-out nights at Ronnie Scott’s last year, or his hugely successful tour this May that included an epic Barbican concert, and spontaneously arranged follow up night at Village Underground – while his Experiment band are one of the most exciting live acts in jazz today. They will be supported by Bristol-based soul-country sensations Phantom Limb who combine singer Yolanda Quartey’s rich vocals with haunting Americana to fine effect.

One artist who has had to cancel his London Jazz Festival concert is Malian vocal star Salif Keita; he will instead perform at the Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday 13 February 2013 due to a revised touring schedule and release date for his new album, that's been produced by the Gotan Project.

Another new addition to this year’s extraordinary LJF programme is Rodriguez – aka Sixto Diaz Rodriguez – the 70-year old Detroit-born folk-rock veteran who’s enjoying something of a latter day renaissance thanks to the soon-to-be-released film Searching For Sugar Man, that hits cinemas at the end of this month, which celebrates his extraordinary body of songwriting. He returns to London for one special concert on Saturday 17 November.

The festival, which runs from 9-18 November and is held in association with BBC Radio 3 and sponsored by Jazzwise, already has tickets on sale for a mind boggling array of top talent, including Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, John McLaughlin’s 4th Dimension, Jan Garbarek, Marcus Roberts, Brad Mehldau, Kurt Elling, Jim Hall and the Kenny Wheeler Big band, John Surman, and the Chick Corea/Christian McBride/Brian Blade band.

Tickets are now on sale for all these concerts from www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk

– Mike Flynn