New Orleans, Louisiana.  Bold, beautiful, sexy, smart and fun - these words can be used to describe pioneering vocalist Judith Owen and her merry band of New Orleans-based musicians, The Gentlemen Callers.  With an amazing blend of song delivery prowesses and personality delighting fans across the globe, Judith’s new live album “Comes Alive” follows on the heels of her hugely successful 2022 album “Come On & Get It” (over 2.6 Million album streams and more than a million YouTube views). 

“Judith Owen Comes Alive” will be released worldwide in early spring, and features 16 tracks recorded live over a weeklong residency in Bern, Switzerland at the legendary Marians Jazzroom.

Revisiting some of the jewels featured on “Come On & Get It” with brand new live interpretations of Lady Be Good, Teach Me Tonight, Down With Love, Skylark, and Fever to name a few new tracks, Judith once again looks to the music of the unsung “badass” ladies of Jazz and Blues.  

Originally hailing from Wales in the UK but now calling New Orleans home, Owen conceived of the project as a result of her childhood fascination with the Jazz music of some of the so-called “pioneering but oft forgotten women” of the Jazz and Blues world including Julia Lee, Blossom Dearie and Nellie Lutcher - who she discovered hidden on the shelves of her father’s record collection alongside the likes of Oscar Peterson and Jelly Roll Morton. Captivated and enchanted by these “Unapologetic” chanteuses of the 40’s/50’s, who were singing about sex - and enjoying it at a time when women were meant to sing about romance - Owen made it her mission to dig deep and find out more from both a musical and historical perspective. The result is a joyful, uplifting, and empowering project; a throw-back with a fresh feel complete with a look and style that speaks of all those delectable, hugely entertaining women who broke the glass ceiling with their stiletto heels and were ever so proud of it!

Accompanying the release for the new album is a weekly podcast, “Unapologetically Judith Owen.” Owen’s passion for these women and their unapologetic attitudes drives the creation of the podcast. “It simply wasn’t enough to just sing these incredible women’s fierce songs,” she explains. “I had to talk about them, too. Talk and tell EVERYONE how these amazing women changed my life – and how they could change yours, too!”

Unapologetically Judith Owen, produced by Pineapple Audio Production, is a 10-part series filled with discussions on topics ranging from sexual empowerment to the power of saying “no” to the importance of being unapologetic in every aspect of life. Owen is joined by journalist and broadcaster Bibi Lynch, known for her work with the BBC, Soho Radio, and The Guardian, among others, as they delve into the complexities of these pioneering musicians and their enduring influence.

The release of “Judith Owen Comes Alive” will be accompanied by tour dates across the US and Europe including stops in New Orleans at the French Quarter Festival (April 11th, Chickie Wah Wah April 29th, the Historic BK House May 4th, and Snug Harbor May 18th), New York City (Club Django April 13th and The McKittrick April 14th), The Blue Strawberry in St. Louis April 19th, Rudy’s Jazzroom Nashville April 20th, Vibrato in Los Angeles May 16th, Jazz Club Etoile in Paris on June 6th and 8th, the Blue Note in Milan on June 14th, and the Estavayer Festival in Switzerland July 13th, with more dates to be added. 

“One of the most joyful releases of the year” — The Times UK

“An exercise in style” — Rolling Stone

“A joyous homage to some of the trailblazing women from jazz and blues history” — JazzWise

“Every song on the album is a gem delivered with crystal clear intonation by Owen and super musicianship from the band.”  — Jazz Journal

“Bold Female Declarations, Without Apology” — JazzIz

“And how about a little music to set the mood? That's Welsh singer-songwriter Judith Owen, honoring a generation of female jazz musicians on her new album… Judith has made her home in New Orleans for many years, and she assembled some of the city's top talent into the big band that backs her on the album.” —NPR, Weekend Edition

Judith Website click here

“Sounding glorious… Remember that name, Bryony Jarman-Pinto” – Huw Stephens (BBC 6Music)

“A superbly talented singer-songwriter!”  – Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM)

“An elegant blend of soul and downbeat jazz that’s far beyond her years” – Clash Magazine

“Bryony Jarman-Pinto seizes the day” – EARMILK

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‘Below Dawn’ is the second studio album by singer, songwriter and musician, Bryony Jarman-Pinto, out 10th May via Tru Thoughts.As it traverses sentimental themes, from societal change and untapped emotions to the profound journey of pregnancy and motherhood, the album exudes an aura of intimacy with harmonious vocals and the infusion of jazz-inspired melodies. ‘Below Dawn’ is a deeply personal and transformative musical journey, the title encapsulates this transition beautifully. “This album speaks about myself just before I gave birth and stepped into a new era so, the name reflects that underlying hidden catalyst” Bryony adds. The album is produced by Ben Lamdin, aka label-mate Nostalgia 77, whose credits include writing and producing for artists such as Jamie Cullum, Alice Russell, and Jeb Loy Nichols.

The focus track, “Deep” blossomed from a vocal improvisation that Bryony took from a Jazz Workshop she ran through lockdown. Now a nocturne, the love song is dedicated to Bryony’s partner at the point that they decided to start a family, beautifully summed up by the line 'we are golden light, about to dawn', linking back to the title of the project.

The early songs of ‘Below Dawn' capture the emotional turmoil of the initial stages of the pandemic. These tracks served as a cathartic release for the tensions and frustrations experienced during lockdown. The album opens with the uplifting, playful “Water Come”, an invitation to cleanse the residual fear, anxiety and ignorance induced by these external factors. As Bryony grapples with the disarray, she finds space to speak up on** “O”** as a therapeutic expression of stifled thoughts that often fall by the wayside. The fluttering chords and bass line were written together with Dwayne Kilvington, recent Nala Sinphero collaborator, to pair with the ever-poetic lyrics that Bryony had been working on. “Leap” continues this conversation with herself and humanity, as she vocalises her observations of activism and gives thought to her own experiences as a mixed-race woman, highlighting that ignorance leads to inaction with the line “Closed eyes won’t see”.

As she became a mother, the themes of Bryony’s songwriting moved closer to home. The second half of ‘Below Dawn’ delves into her inner world, exploring emotions and relationships within her new family. Named after her daughter, “Frida-Rae” exemplifies this raw emotion in the form of a stripped-back lullaby that describes the excitement and endless joy of falling more and more in love each morning with your newborn. Amid these familial reflections, “Station Road” revisits fond, childhood memories as an ode to times spent with her Grandma. The slow, moving keys and rich double bass soundtrack Bryony's warming, nostalgic sentiments which are revisited across the LP.

London-born, Lancaster-based singer, songwriter, and musician Bryony Jarman-Pinto is known forseamlessly blending enchanting vocals and spellbinding jazz-infused melodies with intricately crafted and personal lyrics, with her talent for storytelling. Bryony’s harmonious vocals, layered with jazz, soul and elements of folk, create a melodic sound that has charmed major tastemakers, including Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM), Gilles Peterson, Lauren Laverne, Jamz Supernova (BBC 6 Music), Laurent Garnier (Worldwide FM), Robert Elms (BBC Radio London), John Kennedy (Radio X) and Jeremy Sole (KCRW); receiving praise from EARMILK, Dummy, Clash, The Telegraph, Bandcamp Weekly, and PopMatters.

Since releasing her debut LP, Bryony has been remixed by dego, Wu-Lu, Footshooter, Wonky Logic and Jesse Fischer. She has taken to iconic stages across We Out Here, Love Supreme, Kendal Calling, Brick Lane Jazz Festival, Roundhouse, Ghost Notes, Islington Assembly Hall, Jazz Café, Ronnie Scott’s, Band on The Wall, Late Night Jazz at Royal Albert Hall, Hootananny Brixton and The Hackney Social. She has also supported the legendary Roy Ayers at the Union Chapel and was chosen to perform at BBC Introducing showcase.

Brenda Earle Stokes is a rare jazz artist with a true command of both the voice and the piano. Hailed as “a breezy delight” by Time Out New York, Brenda’s music is rooted in the jazz tradition with influences ranging from Brazilian music to music theater and rock radio.Widely considered to be one of the top singer/pianists in the field, Stokes is back with her first album of completely original songs.

In her latest album ‘Motherhood’, Brenda shares the journey of motherhood with songs exploring identity, fear, expectations, body image, friendship and growth. Rooted in her native language of jazz, Stokes drew additional inspiration from singer-songwriters, music theatre, spoken word and 1960s protest songs. Each song is richly orchestrated by a four-piece ensemble jazz ensemble which provides an energetic backdrop for Stokes’ material which is at once honest, thought provoking and laced with humor.

Brenda Earle Stokes’ musical curiosity has led her to professional work as a choral conductor, classical vocalist, church organist, off Broadway music director, early childhood music teacher and cruise ship piano bar entertainer. These seemingly unrelated musical experiences have helped develop her versatility and fluency as both pianist and vocalist.

“While jazz is my first love, I feel passionate about making music in many different realms.”

Brenda Earle Stokes’ musical life started at age 4, when her parents enrolled her in classical piano lessons. Hearing Oscar Peterson for the first time at age fifteen prompted an immediate shift to jazz. After focusing on jazz piano at York University in Toronto, Brenda ventured to the Banff Center for the Arts for a month-long jazz residency in the mountains. It was there that she first performed as a vocalist, a huge step for her as an artist. “I really wanted to be taken seriously as a jazz pianist and I didn’t want anything to take away from that. When I stood up and sang for the first time at Banff, it felt so liberating to me that I knew there was no going back.”

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Pianist, vocalist, composer, and educator BRENDA EARLE STOKES presents MOTHERHOOD, a collection of ten original compositions that share the journey of motherhood with songs that explore identity, fear, expectations, body image, friendship, and growth. This is Stokes’ sixth album as a leader and follows Solo Sessions (2019), Right About Now (2014), Songs for a New Day (2009), and Happening (2006). Bebop Spoken Here has said, “Stokes is very much her own woman and stamps her individuality on both her singing and her piano playing.” Downbeat Magazine said, “Stokes revs up on eclecticism, centering her jazz improvisation and pop-jazz adventures that shimmer with energetic scatting and her cheery piano.”

Stokes lives and works in New York City and brought to this project some of the A-List players the city has to offer, including bassist EVAN GREGOR (Gary Burton, Dave Liebman, Phil Woods, Bob Dorough, John Fedchock), drummer ROSS PEDERSON (Snarky Puppy, Patti Austin, The Manhattan Transfer), and special guest, renowned trumpeter INGRID JENSEN. Celebrated vocalists MELISSA STYLIANOU and Grammy-winning NICOLE ZURAITIS provide backing vocals. 

A native of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Stokes started studying classical piano at the age of four. She became interested in jazz while in high school after hearing Oscar Peterson for the first time. She went on to receive the Oscar Peterson scholarship to study jazz piano at York University in Toronto and benefitted from the mentorship of her idol. After graduating, she spent a few years gigging around Toronto. She started to seriously develop her performance skills when she worked at a piano bar on cruise ships in the Caribbean. She says of the experience, “Taking requests six nights a week for several years was a deep education for me. Not only did I have to learn hundreds of songs, but I also had to learn how to hold an audience’s attention and engage with people.” After earning enough money, she decided to head to New York City, where she planned to study and immerse herself in the jazz scene. She ended up at Manhattan School of Music, where she earned a master’s degree in jazz piano and voice.

Since then, she has become a bandleader and busy accompanist, working with the likes of John Riley, Dick Oatts, Joel Frahm, Roxy Coss, Wycliffe Gordon, Maurice Hines, and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. She has held residencies at the Kennedy Center and Banff Center for Fine Arts and was a finalist of the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Competition. She also won the IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) Sister’s in Jazz competition and was recognized as one of the top emerging jazz artists of her generation.

Stokes is also a well-known music educator and entrepreneur. She runs a busy private studio in New York City serving local students in person and, as an early adopter of online training, she has taught students all around the globe with her website, The Virtual Musician. Stokes’ YouTube channel, Piano and Voice with Brenda, boasts nearly 20,000 subscribers and over 55,000 hours of viewers per month.

 Although the music on MOTHERHOOD is rooted in jazz, Stokes drew additional inspiration from singer-songwriters, musical theater, spoken word and 1960s protest songs. Stokes shares the rich tapestry of a mother’s experience, both celebrating the experience of mothering while also being truthful about the challenges that modern mothers face. She describes what it’s like to live in a world of intense stress and fear, combined with the dangers and toxicity of social media, financial insecurity, gun culture, and the pressure to navigate all of these issues while also appearing thin and youthful.

Stokes sings about these ideas in her song “Kathleen” and explores them in greater detail in the eight-minute spoken word performance “Sharp Edges,” with bluesy accompaniment featuring Jensen on trumpet.

In “The Endless Wait,” Stokes ponders the identity of the child she carries, and ruminates on how they are connected to ancestors both known and unknown. On “Who Am I Now?,” Stokes examines how one’s identity changes when a child comes into your life and ponders whether she is equipped for the challenge of motherhood.

On “Where Are the Mothers?,” she realizes that she and her close mom-friend have hundreds of photos of their children but almost none of themselves. She thinks about the fact that the shame surrounding a mother’s changing body can cause her to hide, and in time, she literally disappears from the picture. Stokes discovered that her son couldn’t remember most of his early childhood, and in “This is Your Childhood,” sings about her epiphany that maybe his childhood really belongs to both of them. In “Loose Tooth Blues,” she shares the unique and often humorous perspective that a mother has as she views the world through her child’s eyes.

“Saying Goodbye” is about the bittersweet feeling of watching your child grow up before your eyes all too quickly and knowing that one day, they will inevitably grow up and leave. Rounding out the project are “The Strength of a Woman,” a gospel-influenced anthem that honors the courage and perseverance of everyday women, and “Happy Mother’s Day,” a “calling in” song that celebrates the struggle, the revelry, and the adventures that are part of the lives of mothers everywhere.

Stokes’ expressive and flexible voice is the perfect vehicle for these songs that tell tales that are poignant and hopeful, yet bittersweet and sometimes disheartening, but so very familiar to many women. Grounded in jazz but imbued with elements of pop and musical theater, MOTHERHOOD is a deeply felt, unique take on the ups and downs of raising a child from a woman’s point of view.

MOTHERHOOD was released on May 10, 2024 and is available at Bandcamp and on all streaming platforms. Click here to purchase

Click here to visit Brenda’s website

Two Jazz Visionaries, Violinist MEG OKURA and Pianist KEVIN HAYS, Release Debut Duo Album Lingering on Adhyâropa Records in Celebration of National Chamber Music Month

“Meg and Kevin connect on so many levels. The repertoire varies, from composed songs to purely improvised pieces. Kevin is in excellent form, and Meg demonstrates her wide range as one of the premier violinists, jazz or otherwise, of our time.” – Jim McNeely, jazz composer-pianist

Hailed as “the queen of chamber jazz (All About Jazz),” Tokyo-native violinist Meg Okura and American jazz pianist Kevin Hays celebrate the release of their debut album as a duo, Lingering on Adhyâropa Records. With recognition such as the highly competitive Jazz Road Tours grant, which took them over 5,000 miles to Hawaii, Okura and Hays have been collaborating for a decade since their serendipitous encounter on a New York City bus in 2014. Lingering showcases the remarkable synergy and confidence they share, evident from their transcendent exploration of musical possibility. They engage in a musical dialogue using only the raw essence of two instruments without overdubs or effects, exploring a spectrum of textures and tones, inviting listeners into unfiltered emotions of intimacy and vulnerability.

For Hays, whose discography boasts numerous duo projects with jazz contemporaries such as Brad Mehldau, Lionel Loueke, and Bill Stewart, the connection with Okura was immediate and undeniable**.** Their collaboration, unlike many others, is not born from shared musical associations or cultural backgrounds. Hays and Okura hail from disparate musical traditions – Hays, a jazz pianist with a sound steeped in the post-bop and modern jazz tradition, boasts a storied career working with luminaries such as Sonny Rollins and John Scofield, while Okura's journey from concert violinist to rising star in the world of jazz composition has earned her acclaim from the likes of the International Society of Jazz Arranger and Composers.

*“Kevin grounds me in a gentler, earthier realm, as his aesthetic is deeply rooted in traditions, extending from post-bop to Americana, and reaching farther back to the works of J.S. Bach. When playing so freely as a duo, even on written pieces, my perfect pitch becomes a lifeline, seamlessly catching every chord while my instincts anticipate his next move. When I go into the Bach-like counterpoint, Kevin catches me within two beats and starts creating his counter melody. Kevin knows how to trust his duo partners and, more importantly, his adeptness in creating music no matter what happens during a tune or lack thereof. I love this attitude and the challenge that comes with it! It’s an adventure that I welcome!” *

Throughout Lingering, Okura and Hays weave a tapestry of sound and emotion, from melancholic beauty to haunting echoes to boundless expressions bursting with dynamism. The album comprises 11 short melodies by Okura, including “Seven Short Pieces” — a Jewish-influenced suite written for this duo during the Pandemic. “Waltz for Wollesen,” by Hays has previously been recorded on his 2019 album Where Are You with Mark Turner and Marc Miralta. In this duo version, the piece takes on new life, and they recorded what Okura calls the “Brahms’s version of Kevin Hays.” The album also includes two entirely improvised tracks demonstrating just how differently the duo approaches free improvisation. Even within the composed pieces, Okura leaves ample room for interpretation and improvisation. Drawing inspiration from both classical and jazz composers from Olivier Messiaen to Oliver Nelson, or Schuman to Ellington, Okura uses big classical sounds as well as tender whispers of harmonics, to col legno batuto, to the “chop” technique to create a percussive groove. As the album reaches its poignant denouement with the title track, "Lingering," Okura's single note and Hays' last chord hang in the air like a whispered promise, never fully resolving.

Meg Okura website

With 9 albums under her belt [including three with her Quintet and four solo] Gemma Farrell is an accomplished jazz saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. While you’ve heard her aplenty on all four saxes - soprano, alto, tenor and baritone - the new album ‘Electronic’ with her Quintet is all about jamming on the EWI [pronounced EE-wee] – and it’s out now!

Gemma discovered this novel electronic wind instrument, which was invented in the ‘80s by Nyle Steiner, while studying her master’s at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in 2010. Back then, she didn’t (yet) feel confident improvising on it, it’s only been since her recent PhD research at the WA Academy of Performing Arts (where she also lectures in jazz studies) and which included learning how to use software synthesizers, that her masterful execution of this instrument really took off. 

“My instrument is a NuRAD EWI by Johan Berglund from Sweden,” Gemma says. “Berglund is being credited as bringing the EVI [Electronic Valve Instrument] back to life, as until his resent instrument designs, it was pretty hard to find one. His instruments, and my EWI, are 3D printed'

Gemma Farrell Quintet [GFQ] started in 2015 and its current iteration includes Perth-based musicians Sam Hadlow on trombone, Dan Garner on guitar, Ryan Daunt on drums and Lucy Browning on bass. GFQ is Gemma’s main outlet for her original music, and this third album follows up from the acclaimed ‘The View from The Top’ [2022] and ‘Organised Chaos’ [2018].

While it still features the grooves you’ve come to know and love from GFQ, ‘Electronic’ is guided by its compositional influences, exploring academic or experimental practices. But unless you have a trained ear, don’t expect to hear those deeper motives - ‘Electronic’ sounds smooth and effortless.

Featuring EWI shout choruses on ‘Abigail’s Song’, which was the first song Gemma wrote after becoming a mum; to the more contemplative jazz found in the track ‘Sixth Sense’; and the synthesizer-charged rush of the closing track ‘Aberdeen Street’, which reminds Gemma of clubbing at Perth venue The Deen in her late teens; the album explores the intersection of modern jazz and fusion, and it’s a fun and imaginative listen. 

“This project has basically ticked a major bucket list item for me and the EWI along with the sax of course will continue to be featured in the GFQ moving forward,” she says.In addition to her Quintet, Gemma also writes for a band called MFG with Cologne-based guitarist Nico Maas and Zurich-based keyboardist Thomas Goralski; and for the Artemis Orchestra, which promotes Australian jazz musicians of marginalised genders.

She also leads the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra’s ‘Progressions’ Pathways Program, which was nominated for an APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for Excellence in Music Education; was one of three finalists for the 2022 and 2023 Australian Women in Music Awards in the Humanitarian category; and was one of 16 Australian musicians nominated for the Freedman Fellowship Award in the Jazz Category in 2022.

‘Electronic’ by Gemma Farrell Quintet is out now digitally and on CD.

The album is being launched on Saturday 4th May at Lyric’s Underground, Maylands WA.