David Kayode
David Kayode at The Bear Club, Luton
About the show
Tomorrow’s Warriors presents….
Saxophonist David Kayode’s commanding tenor sound blends Yoruba tradition, carnival energy and contemporary jazz into a distinctly London sound that moves bodies and evokes ancestral stories.
A Tomorrow’s Warriors Emerging Artist, mentored by Gary Crosby OBE and Camilla George, David has already performed with the Gary Crosby Sextet in the acclaimed Mingus Moves series (coming up in August at The Bear), toured internationally with Moses Boyd, and collaborated with artists including Ni Maxine and Osibisa.
Spring 2026 saw the release of his debut EP, Ade Kayode, a set of recordings that were instantly picked up by radio, including JazzFM, BBC3, and One Jazz.
A graduate of Tomorrow’s Warriors, David grew inside a lineage that values community as much as virtuosity. Mentorship, collaboration and musical honesty sit at the core of his practice. His playing carries the warmth of highlife, the intensity of spiritual jazz and the dance energy of carnival, all shaped through a distinctly London lens.
Emma Marsh (percussion)
Emily Tran (keyboard)
David Kayode (saxophones)
Nathan Dawkins (electric bass)
Cassius Cobbson (drums)
This performance is part of Tomorrow’s Warriors’ Warriors Rise initiative, which sees the acclaimed jazz talent development organisation support three emerging Warriors’ artists in building a UK tour, securing gigs, and providing tour planning and marketing mentoring.