Mammal Hands

After an electric sell out performance in February 2024, Mammal Hands return  –  touring new material, and with a new drummer.

Mammal Hands stand at the forefront of a new wave of boundary-defying UK artists, blending jazz, contemporary classical, electronica, folk, and minimalism into a sound that is unmistakably theirs. Across five acclaimed albums, they’ve built an international following drawn to their warmth, dynamic energy, and deeply connective music.

Their new album Circadia — the first with long-time friend and new drummer Rob Turner (formerly of GoGo Penguin) — marks a bold new direction: beat-driven, rhythmically alive, and emotionally resonant. Inspired by cycles and transformation, it’s a meditation on renewal and the beauty of change, where post-rock energy and folk sensitivity meet Turner’s electronica-inspired beats.

Released in Feb 2026 on the legendary ACT label — home to the pioneering Esbjörn Svensson Trio — Circadia opens a new chapter for the band, expanding their sound and vision. From standout performances at the Barbican to tours across Asia, Mammal Hands have earned a reputation for captivating live shows. Meditative yet visceral, their performances blend driving beats and hypnotic textures — music open to anyone, spiritually uplifting, and resonating long after the last note fades.

Latest availability: Tickets now only remain in: Lower Gallery and Area Balcony E

Mammal Hands

*Please note this concert has very few remaining tickets available – please call the box office between 10am-5pm, Monday-Friday, if you are not able to find a seat online or if you would like to be put on the waiting list*

Consisting of saxophonist Jordan Smart, pianist Nick Smart and drummer and tabla player Jesse Barrett, Mammal Hands have forged a growing reputation for their hypnotic fusion of jazz and electronica and their pulsating live performances. Drawing on a shared love of electronic, contemporary classical, world, folk and jazz music, Mammal Hands take in influences including Pharoah Sanders, Gétachèw Mekurya, Terry Riley, Steve Reich and Sirishkumar Manji to create something exhilaratingly new. This performance will see them play music from their spellbinding new album Gift from the Trees (Gondwana Records March 2023). Described by Clashmusic as a ‘treat’ and ‘an exceptional album’, whether you’re new to the band or have followed them from the beginning, this concert in the captivating surrounds of the Sheldonian Theatre is set to be a highlight of the season.  

Please note this gig will be performed ‘in the round’, with chairs situated to the front and sides of the performers.

THE GIG MAY CONTAIN FLASHING LIGHTS

‘The sheer variety of sound, texture and volume that this trio are able to generate was just one remarkable feature of a hugely enjoyable and memorable show.‘ London Jazz News

About the artists

Captivating, ethereal and majestic, Mammal Hands (saxophonist Jordan Smart, pianist Nick Smart and drummer and percussionist Jesse Barrett) has carved out a refreshingly original sound from a disparate array of influences.

Formed in Norwich in 2012, one of Britain’s most isolated and most easterly cities, Mammal Hands have forged their own path away from the musical mainstream and their unique sound grew out of long improvised rehearsals. All three members contribute equally to the writing process: one that favours the creation of a powerful group dynamic over individual solos. Their records are entrancing and beautiful affairs, while their hypnotic live shows have seen them hailed as one of the most exciting bands in Europe as they push their unique line-up to the outer limits of its possibilities.

Mammal Hands’ fifth studio album ‘Gift from the Trees’ offers a fresh perspective on the unique trio’s singular music. The first to be recorded in a residential studio, the band enjoyed the opportunity to go late into the night searching for a deeper, more organic experience, closer to both their writing process but also their trance-like live performances. While some of the music was pre-composed and had even been performed live, the band also enjoyed the opportunity to improvise ideas in the studio.