Cross the Tracks festival is a symbol of everything that’s great about London

Organisers rightly say it is the best festival of its kind in the city

Each year, Cross the Tracks festival brings together people across all generations and cultures to celebrate London’s global music scene.

The day pays homage to the historically black genres of jazz, funk and soul. In fact, organisers rightly say it is the best festival of its kind in the city. In spite of the beating sun, this year up to 30,000 people gathered in Brockwell Park for the festival’s seventh edition.

There’s something special about Cross the Tracks – perhaps it is a relaxed and homely feel, which can be hard to find at other festivals of its size in London. The same feeling you get while sipping a warm mug of Yorkshire Tea.

Lambeth-born Joy Crookes’ set was a showcase of her love for the city, dedicated to ‘South London, Arsenal and bad b*****s’. Her soulful voice left crowds swaying along to well-known songs like Feet Don’t Fail Me Now and Don’t Let Me Down. The 27-year-old singer also played the crowds some of her new music, much to their approval.

From across the pond, legendary 70s Funk band War rallied a crowd from all age groups. Their performance of ‘Why can’t we be friends?’ was the perfect soundtrack to the sunny bank holiday weather and upbeat atmosphere in Brockwell Park.

London-based musical collective Kokoroko saw the sunshine out with their smooth afro-jazz. The seven-piece band played songs from across their whole range of music, as well as from their latest album ‘Tuff Times Never Last.’

The star of the day was North London-born Little Simz, who put on a genre-bending headline show for crowds in Brockwell Park.

As always, Simz seamlessly blended elements of classical jazz, rap and R&B into a set which left audiences jumping and singing their hearts out. Her joint performance of Point and Kill, alongside Obonjayar, pulled from elements of their Nigerian heritage.

Proudly wearing her Arsenal jersey, she closed the day with her triumphant and hard-hitting anthem Gorilla. The end of the day felt bittersweet, as the prospect of exiting the love bubble in Brockwell Park and re-joining the real world loomed.

But, ultimately, Cross the Tracks is a festival that leaves you with a sense of pride to be from a city as diverse and rich as London. We’ll all be waiting with bated breath for their eighth showcase of the best in jazz, funk and soul in 2027.

You can buy an early bird ticket for Cross the Tracks 2027 here.

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