10th January 2023
Huge thank you to everyone who came and supported the first of our 2023 residencies at Jazz Cafe Posk in London, with Faye Patton performing two brilliant sets. Such an incredible night and wonderful performances from Faye and her musicians Ryan Pope, Harry Gould Ian Newton-Grant, Oshin Hepzibah James and Rakesh Praveen.
Here are a selection of photos from the night taken by Jazzy Ron Hector
7th January 2023
Inspired by Willard Jenkins book ‘Ain’t But A Few of Us’, Women in Jazz Media are launching a new mentoring scheme specifically aimed at increasing the number of black jazz journalists across the world.
Women in Jazz Media is an award winning not for profit organization and although a large amount of their initiatives are focused on platforming women, with the ultimate aim of seeing an equal, diverse and safe jazz industry, this mentoring scheme is open to all genders and applicants can choose to have a male or female mentor.
Supported by Black Lives in Music, who work to dismantle structural racism in the industry and work to take action to create a level playing field for everyone to have an equal chance to succeed, along with award winning legend Maxine Gordon, the mentoring scheme has significant support, not least of which is the through the inspirational mentors who are involved.
Willard Jenkins himself is a mentor along with Jordannah Elizabeth and John Murph with more mentors to be announced soon. Women in Jazz Media Founder says ’I cannot believe we have such truly inspirational writers involved in this initiative! It is overwhelming. The wealth of knowledge, experience, and guidance that Willard, Jordannah and John can pass onto potential new writers is truly invaluable. If we hope to see more great black writers, then we must be guided by great black writers’
The book that has inspired this scheme, ‘Ain’t But A Few of Us’, is a dialogue, a collection of monologues, and an anthology of writing on jazz, journalism, race, and gender all in one.
“The goal has been to include Black writers from several different perspectives and stations in the media pursuit,” Jenkins explains in his introduction. “This book represents a variety of viewpoints and vantage points, but inevitably the dialogue leads back to considerations of that specious, man-made construct known as race.”
The book explores the voices of a wide range of writers - male and female, of different generations, locations, and professional backgrounds and they answer Jenkins’s provocative questions about the experience of being a Black music writer, the relative lack thereof, and what that lack means for the music and its audience
More Than A Few of Us is now open for applicants! To apply, please follow this link
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please get in touch with Fiona Ross here
1st January 2023
Welcome to our latest episode of ‘In Conversation With’ featuring music from Hannah Horton! You can find our podcasts at number 9 in the top 60 Best Jazz Podcasts in FeedSpot! In this episode, host Hannah Horton welcomes our special guest, Faye Patton. You can listen here
Faye is a singer-songwriter, pianist and classically trained guitarist - she writes original songs in jazz idiom which combine jazz, funk, pop, folk, gospel and blues influences with a classic sound that recalls the great Jazz divas of the past. Her vocals, (with a register that stretches to heights, depths and lengths that make audiences gasp) have been compared to Judy Garland and Joni Mitchell. Her prodigious piano playing has been compared to Ray Charles and Horace Silver. A powerful lyricist and prodigious producer of 5 independent releases, her songs contain an inspirational LGBT flavour rarely seen on the jazz scene. She is currently the resident in house musician at art deco cocktail jazz venue Bermondsey Arts Club.
Faye has gigged regularly in and around the London over the last 20 years. Venues include: Soho Theatre Piano Bar, Ray's Jazz, Upstairs at Ronnie Scott's, Stratford Theatre Royal, Upstairs at The Ritzy Cinema, The Vortex, The Green Note, The Pheasantry, Karamel Klub, Toulouse Lautrec, Caffe Concerto, E15 Jazz Sessions, Soderberg Soho, Bermondsey Arts Club. Festivals include: Isle of Wight International Jazz Divas, Derry Jazz Festival, Jazznacht Donaueshingen in Germany, Hackney Spice Festival. Faye has been featured as a guest blogger in London Jazz News and has had radio play on BBC Radio Foyle, Radio Jazz Caribe, (Venezuela) Resonance, Real Music FM, and London Jazz Radio and is featured in international jazz blogs and podcasts.
Hannah is a British Female Jazz Saxophonist whose music is rooted in jazz, folk and funk. She has performed with many great jazz artists including Ian Shaw, Amy Winehouse, John Etheridge, Tina May, Georgia Mancio, Polly Gibbons, Natalie Williams, Esther Bennett and Irene Serra; and at venues including Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Dean St, The 606, The Pheasantry, Love Supreme Jazz Festival, Royal Festival Hall and The Barbican. She has also toured in Europe and USA with her own and other groups. Her latest album has been going down a storm across the world.
“Hannah makes the big beast of a baritone sax sound like an angel” – Ian Shaw
28th November 2022
Welcome to our latest episode of ‘In Conversation With’ featuring music from Hannah Horton! You can find our podcasts in the top 60 Best Jazz Podcasts in FeedSpot! In this episode, host Hannah Horton welcomes our special guest, Migdalia Van Der Hoven. Click here to listen
Migdalia van der Hoven is an award-winning Mexican drummer known for her groove, sensitivity and versatility across multiple genres such as funk, jazz, latin and pop. Having just recorded a new album 'Point of Departure' live at Abbey Road Studios we are excited to chat to her before her debut performance at Jazz Café Posk this week.
Migdalia became the first Mexican Female drummer to ever perform at Ronnie Scott’s and the EFG London Jazz Festival and recently was honoured as “Woman of the year 2022” in Mexico in arts and culture for her contribution in music nationally and internationally. Currently touring with SIX the Musical across the UK, Migdalia is also a Vater Drumsticks, Bosphorus Cymbals and RTOM Corporation artist. She is a Berklee College of Music graduate (where she studied and performed with Jackie Santos, Terri Lynn Carrington, Victor Mendoza and Mark Walker). Migdalia has performed in the UK with Scott Stroman, Adam Glasser, Russell Brand, Paul Enger (Caffe Nero), The All Souls Orchestra, Women in Jazz and on the BBC/ITV. She was part of the Beantown Jazz Festival in the USA and is currently a member of the National Jazz Orchestra of Mexico where she performs and also supports young women through scholarships to continue their studies in jazz. She also offers masterclasses internationally and is one of the UK judges for Hit like a Girl Contest 2022, which is the biggest female drum/beats contest worldwide.
Together with her latest project "The Migdalia van der Hoven Quartet", she launched her new EP "Girl Facing South" with a series of dates in and around London including the EFG London Jazz Festival 2021, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Toulouse Lautrec, Pizza Express Live and more. The EP comprises a mix of original and West Coast fusion tracks and has received positive reviews from Grammy Award winning artists.
Hannah is a British Female Jazz Saxophonist whose music is rooted in jazz, folk and funk. She has performed with many great jazz artists including Ian Shaw, Amy Winehouse, John Etheridge, Tina May, Georgia Mancio, Polly Gibbons, Natalie Williams, Esther Bennett and Irene Serra; and at venues including Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Dean St, The 606, The Pheasantry, Love Supreme Jazz Festival, Royal Festival Hall and The Barbican. She has also toured in Europe and USA with her own and other groups. Her latest album has been going down a storm across the world.
“Hannah makes the big beast of a baritone sax sound like an angel” – Ian Shaw
23rd November 2022
Welcome to the very first episode of our brand-new podcast series’ The Notes Between’ with Lara Eidi. Conversations exploring everything behind and about the world of songwriting! Our theme music ‘Opened Eyes’ is from Lara Eidi herself available here
In this first episode, Lara talks to songwriter Liv Monaghan. Available on Spotify Apple and Anchor
Liv Monaghan is a vocalist and songwriter based in Paris. Producer and story-teller with two studio albums of compositions released between 2016 and 2018 and another on the way. ‘My music pulls threads from Jazz, Soul, Rock, and Romanticism to create an alternative, sometimes experimental, often poetic and always original sound’. Lover of the left-behind, of old things of letter-notes and half-light ghosts which get stitched, strung or typed back up together to make something new.
Lara Eidi is an artist that thrives on being different. Born in Athens Lebanese- Canadian parents, her entire life and career is that of a singer-songwriter , multidisciplinary artist, educator and writer. Undefined by style, Lara’s music has earned her own unique place in the music world as a storyteller, jazz and folk singer, composer and recording artist heard at venues in London including the Barbican, St Martins in the Fields, Green Note, Edinburgh Festival, Beirut International Festival to name a few. Born in Athens to Lebanese-Canadian parents, her music has gained her critical acclaim as an artist with a truly unique voice (BBC Artist, 2020- 2021), who manages to shift between musical styles and vocations owed to her diverse background as a singer ( Guildhall School of Music and Drama ); writer ( English Literature from the University of St. Andrews) and educator. Lara's passion and artistry comes from a pure and authentic drive to connect with audience members as well as students, creating a space where the healing power of music can be felt by all. Recently supported by Hawkwood College and the Francis W Reckitt Arts Trust, Lara is set to record her new album in Spring 2023, and has just launched her very first podcast on songwriting 'The Notes Between' with Women in Jazz Media. Finally, her passion for music as a life choice has led her to become an in demand educator, offering workshops at leading music institutions as well as community spaces in Europe.
"Lara Eidi is one of those singers who connects with the audience as soon as she starts to sing. Perhaps psychologists can explain the gift – and it is a gift "Sandy Brown Jazz- London
23rd November 2022
The world of jazz (and music) journalism is a competitive struggle at times, particularly for women looking to break the mould and find a name for themselves in a historically male-dominated industry. Despite this, there are plenty of women who have successfully navigated their writing and journalistic careers, embarking on different paths and timelines to get where they want to be. Women in Jazz Media have been exploring the stories and experiences of several female music writers, who have been transforming perceptions in the music industry one word at a time, including Jane Cornwell, Hilary Robertson, Sandra Booker, Jordannah Elizabeth, Lara Eidi, Fiona Ross and many more. These interviews aim to uncover the wonders and challenges of being a writer, hopefully inspiring many young women to follow their own writing ambitions!
To start off the series, written by Isabel Marquez and published on Jazz in Europe, we’ve spoken to the incredible Paulette Jackson. A published author, the founder and CEO of Jazz Zone Radio, and host of ‘The Classic Soul Music Café’ radio show, Paulette Jackson has built her incredible career from a love of songwriting and storytelling.