Queer Jazz announce 2025 residency series at Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston, London, and PRIDE Events across the UK.

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Queer Jazz will launch a monthly London-based residency in February 2025 at the Vortex in Dalston. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Music News :
Queer Jazz will launch a monthly London-based residency in February 2025 at Vortex in Dalston

Queer Jazz Residency 2025 -
Vortex Jazz Club,  11 Gillett Square London, N16 8AZ

Queer Jazz is presented by international DJ, broadcaster, curator and music journalist Tina Edwards with Music Meditation founder and award-winning jazz musician Arowah (Jelly Cleaver, B.H.A.M., All Day Breakfast Cafe). Together, they aim to amplify and highlight queer artist identity in the jazz world, uniting queer musicians and crowds alike—not forgetting allies, too—whilst nurturing an inclusive space.

Numerous emerging jazz artists identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, but most jazz fans would struggle to name more than a few queer jazz musicians throughout the entire genre’s history. Queer Jazz aims to raise visibility and foster community through its monthly events, which will showcase artists from across the Jazz spectrum, also leaning into soul and alternative R&B.

Artists programmed include London outfit Matters Unknown, a UK debut from Swiss band KNOBIL, pioneering collective Peng Femme Jam, soulful singer-songwriter Maya Law and UK Jazz linchpin Jessica Lauren who will be presenting a unique performance, especially for Queer Jazz.

Launching in February, Queer Jazz will be hosting monthly events at Vortex Jazz Club, showcasing both established and up-and-coming queer talent from across the UK and Europe. Line-ups and tickets for shows across the first half of 2025 will be available here from Monday 13th January:
https://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/event/queer-jazz-x-ljf/

The monthly London residency aims to build community in the evolving queer jazz network uniting queer-identifying artists together in a celebratory space where they can exist and perform authentically.

Results of the 2023 LGBTQ Musicians Insight Report clearly show queer musicians are struggling in the music industry, facing discrimination, mental health issues and lower pay. Only 32% of trans musicians feel safe enough to be open with their colleagues about their gender identity, and 43% of LGBTQIA+ musicians report poor mental wellbeing, with 30% reporting poor physical wellbeing.

Jazz has long been a space for innovation, freedom, and self-expression; a scene that celebrates diverse identities, including queer experiences. So far, Queer Jazz have programmed the likes of Isobella Burnham, Luca Manning, Eliza Oakes, AKIN Soul, Melbourne’s Emma Vollard and many more.

As well as the monthly residency in London, Tina and Arowah will soon be announcing three PRIDE events for Summer 2025.

About the organisers - Queer Jazz Co-Founders and Co-Directors, Tina Edwards and Arowah

Tina Edwards is a music multi-hyphenate, active as an international DJ, broadcaster, curator and music journalist. She’s been a vocal cheerleader of UK Jazz for over a decade, and has a track record for championing artists from their earliest gigs through to world tour status. She presented BBC One’s TV documentary Jazz UK: Spitting Fire and hosts radio across Worldwide FM, Soho Radio, British Airways, BBC Radio 3 and Bandcamp Weekly. She’s also programmed events at SXSW, The Great Escape, EFG London Jazz Festival, Roundhouse and many more.

Arowah is an award-winning jazz musician, bandleader and composer for B.H.A.M. and All Day Breakfast Cafe, and founder of Musical Meditation. They’ve performed internationally and have appeared on BBC, NPR, Bandcamp and NTS. Arowah is also founder of the recently-retired ‘Jelly’s Jams’ (2018-2023), a jam night that presented an explicitly BIPOC, Queer or fem house band.

“We’re so excited for 2025! It’s been a few years of build-up to this moment as we’ve tried to make space for queer jazz to exist. We’re now getting to bring this incredible, vibrant, queer jazz community into the spotlight and we’re also hoping to grow and nurture our community in the process. Come join the family!” - Arowah

Queer Jazz grew from a conversation between Arowah and I in April 2023. After only six live shows, we’re over the moon to be launching a monthly residency with the help of Arts Council England. There’s an incredible spectrum of queer talent across the UK and Europe and we’re proud to be able to provide a vessel for queer jazz artists to further build their communities and fanbases. After throwing a sold out show with The Vortex in Dalston in November 2024, we couldn’t imagine a better-suited team or venue to make this happen with - Tina

London Residency, Vortex Jazz Club (tickets £5-15 via Vortex website)
https://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/

February
QUEEN KALTOUM, support from Maya Law - February 5th, 20:00 - 23:00

March
Jessical Lauren, support from Efti’s Project - March 19th, 20:00 - 23:00

April
KNOBIL, support from Leo Lore- April 16th, 20:00 - 23:00

May
Peng Femme Jam, support from S0lar - May 14th, 20:00-23:00

June
Summer showcase
Details TBA

July
Matters Unknown, support TBA - July 16th, 20:00-23:00