NEWS
Women in Jazz announce the launch of 'The Year Of Women In Jazz'
16 January 2025
Today, Women In Jazz have announced ‘The Year of Women In Jazz’, a transformative 12-month programme and initiative that brings together new music, live performances, talks and mentorship to highlight the incredible talent within the Women In Jazz community.
‘The Year of Women In Jazz’ marks a huge breakthrough for the Women In Jazz organisation. The launch of the campaign - supported by major industry partners including Love Supreme Festival, Soho House, London Jazz Festival, Soho Radio and more - is the result of rigorous and ongoing research conducted within their community last year, focusing particularly on the roles and challenges for women in the UK Jazz scene.
Louise Paley, co-founder of Women In Jazz says: “I am thrilled to announce a huge milestone for Women in Jazz. This year marks The Year of Women in Jazz: a project that celebrates the diverse voices of women in jazz. Last year, we conducted an in depth exploration of the experiences in our community. The findings highlighted the challenges and opportunities faced by women in this space. This programme is deeply personal to me as a reflection of the untapped potential and stories waiting to be told in the UK Jazz scene.”
The research carried out has revealed strong insight of underrepresentation of women in UK Jazz. Most significantly, data showed that 55.8% of people agreed that women were ‘very poorly’ or ‘poorly’ represented - and only 16.4% felt women were well represented. Consequently, in response to these findings, Women In Jazz have identified six key areas that they will be spotlighting over the next 12 months. These areas are as follows:
- The need for more representation and visibility
- Mentorship and career development
- Inclusive, collaborative spaces
- Support for behind the scenes roles
- Financial and educational support
- Gender equal programming and networking
At the heart of the initiative is the release of 12 singles throughout the year - released in partnership with London-based record label New Soil and Marathon Music Group - performed and produced by artists in the Women in Jazz network, celebrating the talent and diverse genres across UK Jazz and beyond. Each artist will receive support throughout the year from Women In Jazz - including mentoring, studio time and live performance opportunities.
The first offering ‘Uno Punto Uno’, comes courtesy of Italian bass player and composer, Rosa Brunello. The single marks an evolution in her musical journey, continuing the narrative of exploration and unity, embodying a sense of closure and renewal. ‘Uno Punto Uno’ bridges the familiar with the uncharted, inviting listeners to traverse new sonic landscapes shaped by Brunello's inventive spirit and the rich interplay of jazz and experimental influences.
About Women In Jazz -
Founded by Louise Paley and Nina Fine, Women In Jazz exists to celebrate and showcase the music and stories of women, to inspire the next generation of talent. The Women In Jazz community is made up of 10,500 people; from singer-songwriters to producers, instrumentalists and composers. The Women in Jazz team of highly experienced creatives, direct, produce and execute projects focusing on music, storytelling and real-life experiences. The organisation has access to some of the top female artists in music of today; from BRIT Award-winning musician Celeste, to emerging drummer and composer, Jas Kayser. They have produced radio shows for Sky TV, Jazz FM and British Airways, run panel discussions at Love Supreme Festival and programmed live events at the renowned, Ronnie Scott’s. Women In Jazz are doing it all.
‘The Year of Women In Jazz’ marks a huge breakthrough for the Women In Jazz organisation. The launch of the campaign - supported by major industry partners including Love Supreme Festival, Soho House, London Jazz Festival, Soho Radio and more - is the result of rigorous and ongoing research conducted within their community last year, focusing particularly on the roles and challenges for women in the UK Jazz scene.
Louise Paley, co-founder of Women In Jazz says: “I am thrilled to announce a huge milestone for Women in Jazz. This year marks The Year of Women in Jazz: a project that celebrates the diverse voices of women in jazz. Last year, we conducted an in depth exploration of the experiences in our community. The findings highlighted the challenges and opportunities faced by women in this space. This programme is deeply personal to me as a reflection of the untapped potential and stories waiting to be told in the UK Jazz scene.”
The research carried out has revealed strong insight of underrepresentation of women in UK Jazz. Most significantly, data showed that 55.8% of people agreed that women were ‘very poorly’ or ‘poorly’ represented - and only 16.4% felt women were well represented. Consequently, in response to these findings, Women In Jazz have identified six key areas that they will be spotlighting over the next 12 months. These areas are as follows:
- The need for more representation and visibility
- Mentorship and career development
- Inclusive, collaborative spaces
- Support for behind the scenes roles
- Financial and educational support
- Gender equal programming and networking
At the heart of the initiative is the release of 12 singles throughout the year - released in partnership with London-based record label New Soil and Marathon Music Group - performed and produced by artists in the Women in Jazz network, celebrating the talent and diverse genres across UK Jazz and beyond. Each artist will receive support throughout the year from Women In Jazz - including mentoring, studio time and live performance opportunities.
The first offering ‘Uno Punto Uno’, comes courtesy of Italian bass player and composer, Rosa Brunello. The single marks an evolution in her musical journey, continuing the narrative of exploration and unity, embodying a sense of closure and renewal. ‘Uno Punto Uno’ bridges the familiar with the uncharted, inviting listeners to traverse new sonic landscapes shaped by Brunello's inventive spirit and the rich interplay of jazz and experimental influences.
About Women In Jazz -
Founded by Louise Paley and Nina Fine, Women In Jazz exists to celebrate and showcase the music and stories of women, to inspire the next generation of talent. The Women In Jazz community is made up of 10,500 people; from singer-songwriters to producers, instrumentalists and composers. The Women in Jazz team of highly experienced creatives, direct, produce and execute projects focusing on music, storytelling and real-life experiences. The organisation has access to some of the top female artists in music of today; from BRIT Award-winning musician Celeste, to emerging drummer and composer, Jas Kayser. They have produced radio shows for Sky TV, Jazz FM and British Airways, run panel discussions at Love Supreme Festival and programmed live events at the renowned, Ronnie Scott’s. Women In Jazz are doing it all.