8 new Jazz artists for 2021
Image Credit: Jens Thekkeveettil
Discover emerging musicians from across the spectrum of the jazz music world in 2021.
No group of musicians have felt the isolation of the past year more than the jazz community. Jazz is built on live performance and the interaction between players. But the genre also has deep foundations of improvisation and reinvention, and jazz musicians will be just as tenacious and creative over the next few months as they always have been. Here are eight jazz artists to explore as they launch new projects in 2021.
Johanna burnheart
Newly emerging London-based German jazz violinist, singer and songwriter, Burnheart was the first undergraduate jazz violin student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama when she enrolled there in 2013. Her work on her first album Burnt heart mixes the inspirations of modal jazz and Berlin techno, taking the violin to breathtaking new experimental locations.
Charlotte dos santos
PE Time of harvest The Brazilian-Norwegian singer now emits a mystical blend of jazz and neo-soul. Lively Latin American rhythms tower over the RnB beat of “Helio” and into the flamenco beats of “Padre”, and the vocal jazz of Dos Santos soars above all.
Puma Blue
Cutting a lonely figure, Puma Blue’s soft voice hums soulfully over a perfectly produced lazy guitar, electronic beats and a tinkering piano. After slowly circling the edge of the London jazz scene for a few years, his debut album slated for release in February 2021 will undoubtedly bring him to a wider audience.
ARTEMIS
ARTEMIS is an international jazz supergroup made up of seven women at the peak of their musical art: pianist and founder Renee Rosnes, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, drummer Allison Miller, singer Cécile McLorin Salvant, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, clarinetist Anat Cohen and bassist Noriko Ueda. Covering generations and nationalities, they released their eponymous debut album last year, a collection of covers and originals that feature their individual sounds complementing each other with amazing ease. It would be a logistical headache for the band to organize a live tour at the best of times, but just imagine the impressive result.
Georgia Cecile
Nominated for Jazz FM Vocalist of the Year 2020. Cécile’s debut album is released this year, and the track “Always Be Right For Me” shows a confident and confident jazz star on the rise.
GeeJay
GeeJay is the powerful singer and songwriter Gina Jane and the talented producer, saxophonist and keyboardist Jacob Lobo, who produce neo-soul jazz grooves. After Covid left them unemployed, they left London and took jobs helping elderly and vulnerable people across the UK, leading them to contribute to the poignant ‘Lose My Mind’ at Fearne Cotton’s Happy place compilation. Keep an eye out for the new sounds they have in store for us in 2021.
Keleketla!
UK-based Coldcut, the creators of the Ninja Tune label, teamed up with South African musicians to record a record for the charity In Place of War, and Keleketla! is the result. A dizzying array of styles, gqom rhythms and Afrobeat drums, built from a foundation of jazz. Use this album as a starting point to explore the treasure trove of artists who came together to create it.
Moses Boyd
Mercury Prize-nominated drummer Moses Boyd’s debut album cemented his place at the top of the London jazz scene. This year Boyd will continue to create and collaborate and when the world allows him to perform Black matter, a standout album from 2020 and a masterful combination of electronic jazz and afrobeat, it will be worth the wait.
