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Getting Jazzy With It: The Black Women At The Forefront Of The UK Jazz Scene

There is no denying the significance of jazz. From its inception in 19th century America to its present-day resurgence in the likes of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ - jazz has a rich history, with black people, especially black women, playing an integral role. 

In the UK today, the modern Jazz scene is not as reflective of its colourful past. Like with most things that originated within the black community, the whitewashing of jazz comes as no surprise, but this is not an excuse for us to ignore the black women putting in the work to keep the flame alive. I sat down with three black women at the forefront of the UK Jazz scene to chat about their experiences, influences and future goals.