Fiona Ross and Women in Jazz Media

FIONA ROSS

By Dr. Joan Cartwright

Fiona Ross and Women in Jazz Media

Named among the 100 Alternative Power Music List for 2020, multiaward-winning jazz artist, editorin-chief, journalist, and founder of the award-winning Women in Jazz Media organisation, Fiona Ross never stops.

As a vocalist, pianist, composer, and producer, Fiona created her own contemporary jazz sound, incorporating fast-paced Latin Jazz, vintage Jazz club, a little neo soul, along with heart-wrenching ballads. She came to the world’s attention as the artist that gave Ed Sheeran his first push. But, very quickly, Fiona established herself as an artist in her own right and has received incredible reviews and awards across the globe, for her seven albums.

As a journalist, Fiona writes for publications, including Jazz in Europe Kind of Jazz, Jazz North, and The Jazz UK, Connects Music. She was the guest Editor-in-Chief for the January 2021 edition of Jazz Quarterly, where she was responsible for a rarely seen fully diverse and gender balanced Jazz publication. [Kudos from this editor!]

Also, Fiona is senior writer for Jazz in Europe, having interviewed an impressive list of inspirational artists like Rickie Lee Jones, Steve Gadd, Michel Camilo, Kyle Eastwood, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Maxine Gordon, Terri Lyne Carrington, Barbara Thompson OBE, Ruby Turner, Hiromi, and Camille Thurman.

She is the founder of the groundbreaking organization, Women in Jazz Media, and developed exciting initiatives to support and platform women, including mentoring schemes for new female writers, a

free music promotional package for women working in jazz, five podcast series, and working with venues to platform women at a range of venues and the London Jazz Festival. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the highly regarded quarterly, Women in Jazz Media Magazine, creating a platform for women working in Jazz across the world that is read by thousands, globally.

Through Women in Jazz Media, Fiona collaborates with many official partners, including JazzTimes, Jazzwise, Jazz in Europe, Black Lives in Music, and Céline Peterson. Fiona’s work with these partners led to an increase in the gender and diversity balance in several publications. Fiona’s interviews for Women in Jazz Media include Celine Peterson, Hiromi, Jordannah Elizabeth, and Dr. Tammy Kernodle.

Fiona’s work facilitated the inclusion of the first female photographers in the National Jazz Archive –Tatiana Gorilovsky and Monika S. Jakubowska, making history. Her new mentoring scheme, More Than A Few of Us, developed to address the lack of black jazz journalists around the world. In partnership with Black Lives in Music, Fiona is hopeful that Women in Jazz Media will change history again.

How did you first come to music? Since birth, like us all, I think! I started piano lessons when I was six, and it has been part of my life ever since. I started performing when I was very young, although I started my career as a jazz artist about seven years ago, while working in other roles in the creative industry. Do you compose? If so, how many songs have you composed and published?

I write and arrange my own material. My recent album brings me to 79 songs that I have published. I composed other works, including the score for the musical Famous and Forgotten and some other works that were never published, when I was much younger. Do you have a music publishing company?

I work with the PRS and Kobalt in the UK and ASCAP in the US. Are you aware of the challenges woman face in the male-dominated field of music?

Yes, that is one of the reasons I joined this Women in Jazz South Florida. I support anyone who creates change to make the world a fairer place. I founded the Women in Jazz Media to navigate these challenges facing women musicians. We develop strategies to remove the barriers in the Jazz industry, in front of and behind the scenes.

What advice do you have for a young person entering the world of literature or music performance?

Work hard, know your craft, and be the best you can be. Be kind and generous, and know you are part of an incredible, supportive community. Be fearless in your pursuit and be true to who you are.

(photo by Steven Tiller LS)