On Thursday 18 September, Founders Hall in Barbican played host to the Autumn Jazz Dinner 2025, the final domestic event of the Master Entrepreneur’s year. With just 54 places available, the evening had sold out quickly, and guests were treated to a mix of fine food, vibrant company and outstanding live jazz from Guildhall School of Music & Drama students. 

The night began in the garden with al fresco canapés and the first taste of music, as Chris Clayden and Edouard LeFeuvre set the tone with a warm, welcoming set. By 7.30pm, guests had moved inside for family-style cabaret dining in the hall, where the atmosphere was relaxed but lively, punctuated by the clink of glasses and the sound of applause. 
 

 

The musical programme, curated by the Guildhall jazz faculty, unfolded across the evening. LeFeuvre returned on bass alongside Thomas Sladden on keyboard and Theo Hayhurst on drums, later joined by trumpeter Sandy Watkin. Together, the quartet delivered a playful, cool set that balanced subtlety with flashes of energy, echoing the event’s reputation for both cheer and occasional mischief. 

Central to the evening was the address by Dr Jo Lawry, Head of Jazz at Guildhall. Lawry, known for her collaborations with Sting, Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel, delivered a speech that drew sharp and memorable parallels between jazz musicians and entrepreneurs. She argued that both thrive on improvisation, innovation, risk-taking and resilience, likening the stage to a volatile marketplace where success demands constant adaptation and creative problem-solving. 

 

 

Her message extended beyond metaphor. Lawry highlighted the rising costs of study and the essential role of scholarships in nurturing the next generation of jazz talent. Sharing her own journey from rural South Australia to New York and Boston, made possible by scholarships, she underscored the transformative power of financial support. She also pointed to ongoing challenges in diversity, noting the underrepresentation of women among Guildhall’s undergraduate jazz instrumentalists, though celebrating progress in the most recent cohort. 

To illustrate the real impact of this support, Lawry told the story of a scholarship recipient who had moved from a small island to London and, within a year, had recorded original compositions, performed widely and flourished creatively. It was a vivid reminder that philanthropy within the arts has tangible, far-reaching consequences. 

The evening closed with a rousing final performance from the student ensemble, embodying the very qualities Lawry had described – daring, inventive and unafraid to take risks in front of an appreciative audience. Before the music began, she raised a toast to the Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs, wishing it continued daring, creativity and success. 

By the time carriages arrived at 10pm, Founders Hall had echoed with music, laughter and conversation, leaving guests with a renewed appreciation not only for jazz as an art form, but for its role as a mirror of entrepreneurial spirit. The Autumn Jazz Dinner 2025 proved once again why it is considered one of the Company’s most spirited and memorable fixtures.