Acid Jazz was first coined in 1987 as a term by DJ's Chris Bangs & Gilles Peterson at an acid house night as an ironic reaction to the music policy of the night in question. Acid Jazz Records started as a simple bedroom operation established by Gilles Peterson and Eddie Piller, within three months of the first 45 release (Frederic Lies Still by Galliano), the label had grown rapidly and laid out a unique manifesto of alternative club sounds - jazz, street-soul, funk, latin, reggae, hip hop and jazz poetry all put in an early appearance. Gilles Peterson formed Talkin' Loud Records and Eddie Piller continued with the Acid Jazz Records label. Other labels followed in their footsteps such as Dorado, Mo' Wax, Ubiquity Records, Giant Step, Boogie Back, Hotpie and Candy, Compost, IRMA and more.

Groundbreaking jazz themed nights appeared at London clubs like the WAG in Soho and Camden's legendary Dingwalls in the late eighties. Into the 90's and there were nights and scene's all across the UK culminating in 1994 with the opening of the seminal Blue Note venue in achingly-trendy Hoxton Square, across the road from the bases for Touch Magazine and along from Straight No Chaser.

The Acid Jazz & Other Illicit Grooves exhibition will encapsulate the musical momentum of this time through the magazine features, photography, radio stations, single and album artwork and of course the music and musicians that WERE the scene. Touring the locations across the UK in Spring 2023 where the acid jazz movement was arguably the strongest; Leeds, Bristol, Luton, Birmingham and London it will celebrate 35 years of a movement that has truly stood the test of time.