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, Esther Bennett. Click here to listen

Esther Bennett is one of the jazz scene’s most respected and widely loved vocalists, juxtaposing sensitivity with a sparky sense of humour; her song delivery leaving audiences utterly compelled. Her innate sense of musicality, gleaned from her earlier years of saxophone playing and study of the jazz idiom, inform a voice that has individuality, originality and flair Esther’s debut album Just in Time was produced by multi award winning singer Ian Shaw and launched at London’s 606 Club in 2005. Since then, she has carved out a prestigious career as a jazz singer performing extensively in major venues in and around London across the country and in Europe, accompanied by some the UK’s leading jazz musicians.Her repertoire chooses original material, highly individual interpretations of jazz standards & popular songs and from the Duncan Lamont Songbook.“Esther is a rare breed of performer who truly commits herself to expressing the lyrics of a song and bringing them to life in a new and innovative way” – Sound Generatio

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

Our new Women in Jazz Media Playlist is now out: Volume 18. Available on You Tube and Spotify. We publish a new playlist each month and try to share a wide range of women from across the world - new releases, legacy artists, new and established artists and also some women we think you should know about but maybe don't!  We keep it to 15 artists per playlist to give you time to discover, listen and share these incredible women. Do please get in touch if you have music you would like us to include - either your own or recommendations. We are especially keen to share music from female instrumentalists and composers.

As always we would encourage you to buy directly from the artist where possible, and all the links are on our site here:

Marialy Pacheco

Paula Atherton Monika Herzig (Sheroes) Jasmine Myra Ntjam Rosie Czafari Alina Bzhezhinska

Samara Joy Sheila Maurice-Grey (Ms Maurice) Clora Bryant Pearl Cutten Song Yi Jeon

Olga Dudkova Emma-Jean Thackray The Womack Sisters

This year and once again alongside Terence Collie, Esther Bennett has produced & recorded a new album called "Home is Where the Art Is" - A labour of love that explores her Birmingham roots and family connections in poetry & spoken word, featuring the music of artist and musician Didier Messidoro. We are thrilled to host the launch of this album as part new residencies at Jazz Cafe Posk, London. November 4th 2022. Tickets

Also, on the album and accompanied by Terence Collie on piano - are some incredibly quirky interpretations of a few well known and widely performed jazz standards that bear Esther's trademark humour, ability to tell a story and poignancy

The evening's performance will also feature original material from her 2021 EP "Safe Places", and from The Duncan Lamont Songbook

Esther Bennett is one of the jazz scene’s most respected and widely loved vocalists, juxtaposing sensitivity with a sparky sense of humour; her song delivery leaving audiences utterly compelled. Her innate sense of musicality, gleaned from her earlier years of saxophone playing and study of the jazz idiom, inform a voice that has individuality, originality and flair Esther’s debut album Just in Time was produced by multi award winning singer Ian Shaw and launched at London’s 606 Club in 2005. Since then, she has carved out a prestigious career as a jazz singer performing extensively in major venues in and around London across the country and in Europe, accompanied by some the UK’s leading jazz musicians.

Her repertoire chooses original material, highly individual interpretations of jazz standards & popular songs and from the Duncan Lamont Songbook.

“Vocalist Esther Bennett’s many virtues include an incredibly seductive lower register and a winning sense of humour” – Jazzwise magazine

“Knock ’em dead singer” – Evening Standard

“Esther is a rare breed of performer who truly commits herself to expressing the lyrics of a song and bringing them to life in a new and innovative way” – Sound Generation

Line up:

Esther Bennet: vocals

Richard Sadler: bass

Steve Taylor: drums

Terence Collie: piano

Welcome to the eight episode in our podcast series ‘On The Bookcase’, featuring female authors from across the world, with host Fiona Ross, with original music from Hannah Horton. In this episode we welcome Paulette Jackson. You can find our podcasts at number 12 in the top 60 Best Jazz Podcasts in FeedSpot!

Click here to listen

Paulette Jackson, Founder/CEO of SCORP Radio Network and Jazz Zone Radio, host of "The Classic Soul Music Café", “The Jazz Zone” and Center Stage” Internet Radio Shows, Voiceover Artist (my company, Ms. Music’s Voice). Published author of the newest release, “My Test(Imony)”, "The Music In Me" and “The Music Through the Storm”, her current published books were accepted for consideration for the 2020 Author Academy Awards.

Recently, Paulette has started working with several artists on promotions and show bookings. Also, creating several video series and other creative projects including SCORP Lady Ventures Paulette has been featured in four magazine publications and is currently working on a monthly editorial as well as being a contributing editor for an online magazine publication and contributing writer for a music based magazine. Paulette is a proud member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) member as a songwriter and music publishing.

‘I attended and graduated from the Cleveland School of the Arts as a Dance and Vocal Music Major, 1983-1987 and attended Master Voiceover Classes at Such A Voice, based in Burlington, VT. My love has always been music and entertainment and worked in many areas of the business. I continue to work on various artistic and creative ventures and will release two more books in the coming new year. I have two adult daughters, Paris 33 and Brooke 32 also have a love of music and dance’linktr.ee/MsMusic1

Welcome to our monthly team news! We like to share some of the work the team have been doing both inside and outside of their Women in Jazz media work and we have all been very busy as always.

Our latest Women in Jazz Media playlist features, as always, a brilliant selection of women, do have a listen here and as always, do support by purchasing music when you can.

Our latest ‘On The Bookcase’ episode features a brilliant conversation with our guest Dr Joan Cartwright. You can listen here.

Hannah Horton’s latest ‘In Conversation’ podcast episode features Amy Gadiaga, which you can find here. We are very excited to be launching the first of our residencies at Jazz Café Posk, London on Friday with Amy! Tickets here

We have also launched our EFG London Jazz Festival programme, working with two venues this year Toulouse Lautrec and Jazz Café Posk. Do have a look at our events page and hope to see some of you there!

Our next magazine is coming out in December and we are busy preparing for this with some very exciting features and interviews.

We would like to congratulate our team member Sandra Booker for receiving a PAVE Inspiration Award for her advocacy of survivors of intimate partner sexual abuse that sheds light on the victimization of women who dare to tell. 

Sandra's solo show “She Can Be Evil - A Survivor’s Story” received rave reviews when it premiered in September 2021. Sandra hopes to remove the stigma from victims abused by intimate partners along with the gaslighting and shame associated with reporting it, especially as it pertains to women of color.

PAVE stands for Promoting Awareness/Victim Empowerment founded by assault survivor Angela Rose in 2001. This organization is committed to supporting victims who find themselves seeking support, community, and justice while shattering the silence that protects predators and their enablers.  Other honorees included Barbara Bowman, Alexa Nikolas, Andrea Constand, Victoria Valentino, Lili Bernard, Jon Vaughn, Shonda Rhimes and W. Kamau Bell.

Congratulations Sandra! We applaud you and we support you. 

Wendy Kirkland returns to Ronnie Scott's on October 3rd. 'Wendy Kirkland’s musical career began at age 10, when she started taking piano lessons. She won a scholarship to have all her lessons paid for by ‘Derbyshire Music’, and continued to take her ABRSM piano grades. Switching to jazz in her late teens, her influences range from Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald through Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly to Chick Corea, Eliane Elias and Michel Petrucciani - her voice been likened to that of Diana Krall’s with a hint of Blossom Dearie. Tonight, accompanied by her regular guitarist and bassist, Pat Sprakes, her material will range from bluesy ballads, rhythm and blues to the heart-warming music of Brazil'. Her previous Ronnie's shows have always sold out, here is the ticket link and a photo from our Monika S Jakubowska from her last performance there.

Fiona Mactaggart has been focussing mostly on Jazz Forward work and we were happy to talk to the Jazz Forward team about this brilliant new collective. You read all about it here. Fiona has also been busy reviewing and you can read her latest here Flamenco Sketches, at Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Kim Cypher has two original music videos premiering soon. Firstly, 'Bring Your Own Sunshine' - a charity song and video for cancer charity Maggie's which will premiere at a VIP Video Launch on 9th November followed by full public release on 12th November. View taster video here

Secondly, 'Tomorrow's Song' filmed and recorded with the amazing Liane Carroll at London's 606 Club as part of Kim's 'Brighter Tomorrow' project. Date for release to be confirmed. View taster video here

You can subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel to ensure you join all the excitement of the full video premieres!

Isabel Marquez has been exploring all female collectives and you can read her article here: All-Female Ensembles and Their Importance in Today's Jazz Scene

Esther Bennett is busy performing around the UK and tells us she is excited about ‘A lovely mint tour of the West Midlands with the Wayne Matthews Trio’

OCTOBER 5th:JAZZ JAM WEDNESDAYS at Bedford St Leamington Spa

OCTOBER 6th at Fargo Village Coventry Tickets

OCTOBER 9th Peggy's Skylight Nottingham Tickets

Then on October 24th I will be at Bexley Jazz Club with Terence Collie, Richard Sadler and Duncan Lamont Jnr where we will be playing jazz standards and selections from the Duncan Lamont Songbook. Tickets

Following Hannah Horton’s great show at the Scarborough Jazz Festival she has lots of performances coming up in October.

October 2nd – Jazz at the Cottage livestream online show. 19:30 – 20:30. Theme of autumn.

Hannah invites you into her cottage for an hour of intimate, chilled, Sunday vibes. Tickets from £7.50

October 7th – Hannah Horton Quartet at Haverhill Arts Centre Jazz Club. Doors 19:00, Music 20:00 Haverhill Arts Centre Jazz Club

October 13th – Album Tour. Hannah Horton Duo (with Louis Thorne on guitar). Hampstead Jazz Club. Playing tracks from ‘Inside Out‘ and more. Hampstead Jazz Club

October 22nd – Album Tour. Hannah Horton Quartet at Jazz Cafe POSK. Playing tracks from ‘Inside Out‘ and more. Jazz Cafe POSK

October 28th – Album Tour. Hannah Horton Quartet at Wakefield Jazz Club. Playing tracks from ‘Inside Out‘ and more. Wakefield Jazz Club

Photo by our Tatiana Gorilovsky!

Last but not least, we would like to share this wonderful newly discovered article about our founder Fiona Ross interviewing our patron Maxine Gordon. You can read it here

Thank you for reading our updates and for all of your support!