Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra bring Hollywood swing to the Royal Albert Hall
The actor-turned-bandleader charmed a packed house with jazz standards, witty chat, musical quiz questions and a fifty strong orchestra.
Photo: Carsten Windhorst
I've swapped my usual indie pubs for the red velvet and glamour of the Royal Albert Hall. I wasn’t there for a symphony or a soprano, but for Jeff Goldblum and his Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (plus a few surprise guests), making their debut at the Hall.
Being seated among London's jazz faithful, I had some initial scepticism as to whether a Hollywood actor's musical project could hold a room this size, but I had nothing to be worried about. Goldblum's sextet was bolstered tenfold by members of The Heritage Orchestra, filling the stage and swelling the sound into something far grander than the intimate late-night jazz club vibe his records usually conjure.
Slowly, as I looked around the auditorium, I noticed people leaning forward in their seats rather than relaxing, unable to resist the pull of the infectious rapport building between stage and seats. Swapping an opening act for a 30-minute chat with the audience, I soon realised how much Goldblum genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow music lovers — even if it is amusing seeing him casually walk on stage with a microphone to host an impromptu singalong to some niche Hollywood classics.
My personal favourite moment of the night came during Come-On-A-My-House given a playful lift by the orchestra that had half the stalls grinning at each other. I couldn't resist it either; there's something disarming about watching a man best known for outrunning a T. rex rewriting the Great American Songbook like it’s easy.
At times the evening felt like a whole show rather than just a musical performance. Goldblum introduced his wife to the stage, Emilie Goldblum, former Olympic gymnast, who stunned crowds with an acrobatic show directly above the piano.
Photo: Carsten Windhorst
The evening drew heavily from Night Blooms, Goldblum's newest album and companion piece to 2025's chart-topping Still Blooming (which I bought on vinyl at the merch table), alongside a run of standards that let the strings and horns properly stretch out. The arrangements stayed faithful to the jazz tradition throughout, but at times swelled into something more cinematic, entirely fitting for a room this size and this ornate.
It was one of those unexpectedly joyful nights of the London music scene that encapsulate why people keep coming back. Leaving with a cheesy grin and a whole new playlist of Hollywood show tunes, I was wholly satisfied.
