Women In Jazz announce ‘The Year Of Women In Jazz’ with live events, single releases and mentoring with new track from bassist Rosa Brunello

Women In Jazz – the organisation founded eight years ago by Louise Paley and Nina Fine – have announced the launch of their ‘The Year of Women In Jazz’ initiative, which they state will be “a transformative 12-month programme that brings together new music, live performances, talks and mentorship to highlight the incredible talent within the Women In Jazz community”.

The launch of the campaign – supported by major industry partners including Love Supreme Festival, Soho House, London Jazz Festival, Soho Radio among others – 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.

Co-founder Louise Paley, 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.

Areas that need to improve as a result of this research include the need for more representation and visibility; mentorship and career development; inclusive, collaborative spaces; support for behind the scenes roles; financial and educational support and ‘gender equal’ programming and networking.

At the heart of the initiative is the release of 12 singles throughout the year. These are released in partnership with London-based record label New Soil and Marathon Music Group and are 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 from Italian bass player and composer, Rosa Brunello. The atmospheric track – led by a powerful bass line – features a stellar band of Yazz Ahmed (trumpet, electronics), Tamar Osborn (flute), Luca Tapino (trombone), Enrico Terragnoli (guitar/synth), Marco Frattini and Tommaso Cappellato (drums).

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.

See the video below and stream/download it here and for updates visit www.womeninjazz.co.uk