Our Editor

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Matthew Ruddick

Editor
Author of Funny Valentine, an acclaimed new biography of the jazz trumpet player and singer, Chet Baker.
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Kim Cypher

The final part in this four-part ‘BRIGHTER TOMORROW’ series continues with two of the UK’s most captivating jazz vocalists and composers Zoe Gilby and Natasha Seale. Zoe has composed her own material with bassist husband Andy Champion and has self-released five albums and an EP since 2007. As well as song writing, Zoe loves to perform with her quartet, mostly performing songs with a story and interpretations of quirky, contemporary composers such as Kate Bush, Nick Cave and Pink Floyd. Natasha has found her musical ‘home’ in the jazz music that inspired her as a teenager growing up on the South Coast. Whether performing much-loved vintage tunes with a contemporary twist, cool soul classics or skipping breezily over Latin rhythms, Natasha possesses a timeless vocal quality, enticing her listeners on an all-encompassing fun-loving journey of discovery. Her brand-new show ‘Universal Ellington’ is a compelling weave of narrative with song (arrangements by Pete Long) paying homage to the great pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington.   
Part three of the 'Brighter Tomorrow' series sees Kim Cypher talk to the well-known, respected jazz pianist and educator Alex Steele and highly experienced guitarist, band leader, composer and producer Edison Herbert. Alex Steele is well known and respected both as a performer and jazz educator. He is a man who plays and lives the philosophy of jazz music being a reflection of the nature of what it means to be a great human being, through collaboration, trust and collective creativity. A player of intense energy, Alex is a highly original interpreter of songs, and a prolific composer in his own right. He also leads the international programme, Improwise, which has given him the privilege of working with an incredible range of inspirational musicians in the UK, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the USA. Whether he is performing or leading the Improwise programme, Alex brings his own unique energy to audiences, exploring the beauty of improvisation, curiosity, innovation, zest, passion and creativity in music. Edison Herbert is a widely respected guitarist, band leader, composer and producer. His sensitive and melodic musicianship clearly identify him as a guitarist who plays from the heart. Having participated in the Sky Arts ‘Guitar Star’ series in 2016, guitar legend George Benson commented “I really enjoyed your playing. You’re one of the few cats who can make that thing sound good”.  
Following on from PART ONE with jazz musicians Tori Freestone and Alcyona Mick, the discussion highlighted many factors associated with being a full-time jazz musician including the vast workload associated with creating music together with tighter funding opportunities for musicians, venues being stretched financially, a lack of respect for musicians in society, fewer work opportunities for musicians to work abroad, yet there is an overriding sense of ‘family’ and community within the jazz world which keeps musicians going through mutual respect, support and a feeling of great honour to be part of collaborative music projects. The conversation now continues with award-winning Mexican drummer Migdalia van der Hoven and jazz pianist and composer Terence Collie. Drummer Migdalia van der Hoven studied at Berklee College of Music and is currently touring with SIX the Musical across the UK and internationally as well as being bandleader of The Migdalia van der Hoven Quartet. Jazz pianist and composer Terence Collie is very active on the London Jazz scene. He is also the director of Mood Indigo Events that has been putting on high-quality concerts along with workshops and jam-sessions for over 11 years. Both have newly-released albums: Migdalia’s ‘Point of Departure’, recorded at Abbey Road Studios was released in April this year and Terence released a solo piano album ‘Reminiscent’ in March.  
As a jazz musician myself, picking up the pieces of the past few years and currently in the middle of a project entitled ‘Brighter Tomorrow’ celebrating all who contribute to a brighter tomorrow for The Arts, I felt compelled to reach out to fellow jazz musicians to check in with them and see how they’re all doing. At a time when we are supposedly heading towards better days, I am more aware than EVER of musicians really finding things tough, feeling overwhelmed, losing their love of music, questioning the path they have chosen to pursue and expressing a relentless fight to survive in this industry. I have also sadly seen some incredibly talented friends hang up their performing shoes, having opened up about being beaten down by the enormous strains of the music business (not just in the jazz world). A fellow musician and friend recently posted “I don’t want to pretend to be a success anymore” onto a social platform. This really struck a chord with me and fuelled a growing concern that our wonderful creative community is losing those at the very heart of its survival. I want to find out why and investigate if there’s anything that can be done to help. I asked a selection of jazz musicians to answer 10 questions about how they’re finding things, how they’re feeling and any changes they’d like to see. You can find out what they have to say over this four-part series of interviews kicking off with two of the most highly-respected and experienced award-winning multi-instrumentalists at the forefront of the UK improvised music scene: saxophonist, flautist, violinist and composer Tori Freestone and pianist and composer Alcyona Mick.   
Bulgarian jazz vocalist, band leader and composer Ami Oprenova kicked off a UK album tour at London jazz venue Toulouse Lautrec on Sunday 26th September, presenting arrangements of original tracks from her new album ‘Precious Days’, released on 5th November. Ami has previously toured Europe and has two albums under her belt: Introducing Coco ‘n’ the Fellas (2016) and Some of our Favourite Tunes (2017). Precious Days is the first album in her own name and really gives a true sense of the honesty and passion behind this unique artist, almost a window into the soul of Ami. Her music is full of lyrical melodies, harmonic language and versatile rhythms influenced by Gypsy Swing, Blues and Bebop together with her childhood upbringing of listening to Soul, Balkan Folk and Gospel.
As a passionate and dedicated jazz musician married to a drummer, I welcomed the opportunity to celebrate the tenth International Jazz Day by delving deeper into the world of a drummer I have followed for many years and for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration. Her achievements speak for themselves and are great testament to her ability and wide-ranging drumming styles together with an easy-going approach to her work. From early days performing on the Bristol jazz scene with the likes of Andy Sheppard, Pee Wee Ellis and Get the Blessing, to recording the original soundtrack for Peaky Blinders with recording project Feverist, forming alternative genre band Mesadorm with a group of friends, designing and performing drum clinics based around playing ‘grooves’ and performing world tours with the likes of Paloma Faith and Goldfrapp, the world of drummer Daisy Palmer is fascinating, inspiring, full of variety and all centred around family life.  

Our Contributors

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Rob Mallows

London Jazz Meetup owner and fan of ‘plugged in’ jazz.
 
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Simon Cooney

By day a full time Londoner in tv news. By night jazzaholic
 
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Fernando Rose

I love my jazz and I bless the funk. I play percussion for all and sundry and go by @Mr Cool.
 
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Grae Shennan

Laboratory scientist with a love of evolving music that defies boundaries. 
 
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Hilary Robertson

Jazz-obsessed freelance writer and saxist.
 
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Kim Cypher

Saxophonist, vocalist, composer, band leader and radio show presenter. Follows dreams and loves to celebrate great music and musicians.
 
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Fiona Ross

Fiona is the founder of the award winning organisation Women in Jazz Media. She was the guest editor in chief for the 2020 edition of Jazz Quarterly and writes for many publications across the globe.
 
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Wendy Kirkland

Jazz pianist and singer with wide musical tastes spanning latin through fusion to bebop and swing. Cat fanatic.
 
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Elana Shapiro

From Manchester, currently living in Berlin. Lover of jazz, RnB, and soul inspired music.