Fiona Ross is a jazz artist extraordinaire who never slows down. Her impressive talents include producer, musical director, composer, arranger, session musician, choreographer, director, dancer, actor, and model. She is the founder of the award-winning organization, Women in Jazz Media, and editor-in-chief of its highly regarded quarterly magazine. Fiona also goes behind the scenes of jazz as a journalist. She writes for various prestigious jazz publications, interviewing notable and renowned jazz artists.
Thoughts, Conversations, and To Do Lists, her new album, was released in May. Fiona wrote, arranged, and produced the 14 tracks that reflect her day-to-day life. The songs mirror Fiona’s headspace, ranging from busy with a lot going on to more internal and reflective. She says writing the songs for the album wasn’t a decision-making process as we all constantly have thoughts, conversations, and to-do lists.
Fiona began her classically trained musical journey with dance, drama, and singing lessons at age 2 and piano lessons at 6. Later, she would star in London’s West End at age 8 and perform as a solo artist at jazz clubs throughout London at 14.
Besides music, educating and training young people is a passion for Fiona. For almost nine years, she was Head of the British Academy of New Music, London, where she trained Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora, and Jess Glynne among others.
The multi-award-winning jazz artist has performed at prestigious venues such as 606 Club, Pizza Express, Bulls Head, Nells Jazz and Blues, and Jazz Cafe Posk. Her music is played globally on radio stations including the United States, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Spain.
Fiona has been nominated twice for the “Positive Role Model Award” by the National Diversity Awards, named on the 100 Alternative Power Music List for 2020, and has been featured in many publications. She was awarded Best Jazz Song by the World Songwriting Awards, Outstanding Achievement awarded by the Global Music Awards, and International Female Songwriter of the Year by the International Singer-Songwriters Association. Her song ‘Mistress’ which was recorded live in a stairwell, was selected to be included in the British Library archives.
I recently interviewed Fiona about her new album, the production process, how a to-do list inspires a song, the Women in Jazz Meda organization, becoming a new Recording Academy member, and much more.
Congratulations on your new album, Thoughts, Conversations and To Do Lists! You have said that the album is some of your thoughts, conversations you’ve had, and your to-do lists. Can you tell us more about this theme or concept?
Thank you so much Linda! Well, it really was far more simple than it seems. I always write whatever is in my head at the time and I didn’t have an overall theme or concept for this album during that writing process, just that I was writing for my next album. In fact, when I went into the studio to record it, I still had no album title. It wasn’t until after one session when I mentioned to someone that I had been in the studio and they asked me what my new album was about. I explained that it was just some of my thoughts, some conversations I had with people and my to do lists and I decided at that point, that’s the title!
Can you tell us how you decided on which conversations, thoughts, and to-do lists to write songs about?
There wasn’t really a decision-making process and we all have thoughts, conversations and to do lists, constantly, don’t we? As I mentioned above, I always just write what is in my head at that particular time. So for example, one of my songs ‘Trumpet Man, is about a conversation I had with my trumpeter recently, who was thinking about giving up playing, which really did break my heart and I wrote a song about it. ‘Single Source of Truth’ is about my frustration with the lack of truth on social media… I just kept writing until I had enough songs for an album.
How does a to-do list inspire a song?
In so many ways! The song ‘Looking At My To Do Lists’ is literally just that. It is me looking at my to do lists and how that makes me feel and I am sure everyone can relate to that. But there are also songs that take the concept of a to do list from a different angle. ‘The Best Version Of Me’ is about the constant drive to be the best you can be, so that is like a permanent item on the to do list and likewise ‘I Want to Know More’ is about my constant desire to know more, a thirst for knowledge, so that is always on my to do list too!
What would you like for listeners to come away with?
I do hope that my music is relatable and that some of my songs make them smile, even if it just for a few moments. I would like people to realise that they are not alone.
Explain your production process for the album.
I work at 3 different studios for my albums. One for recording, one for mixing, and one for mastering. I feel different sets of ears are imperative and as I am obviously very close to my music, I feel it is so very important to have other ears at the different stages of the production of the album. One of my favourite stages of the album is mixing and I always try to achieve a live feel and ensure that I can replicate it all in a live performance situation.
My mixing engineers will always say I want more toms…always more toms! Vocals I like to keep simple and as live-sounding as possible, so very little is done to those. I do work hard to think about the mix in relation to the lyrics and concept of the songs too. For example, there is a tiny section in ‘Always There For Me’ where the lyrics are talking about feeling lonely so I wanted the vocals to sound distant and reflect this in contrast to when the next lyrics come in, when it is full and warm and the opposite of being on your own.
What were the challenges of being the writer, arranger, and producer?
Well, I’m not sure I would describe as a challenge, it’s just wearing different hats at different times and then all three at the same time when needed. It’s 3 seperate stages initially. I think the challenge is that you don’t really hear everything all together fully until the end, so ensuring all the stages beforehand work. The writing and arranging part is very solitary, as it’s just me, but then when production begins, it is more exciting in many ways as it’s not just me anymore! But as artists we have to do all these different things and try to work on our own and together at different points. There are plenty of different hats we all have to wear in this industry.
The beautiful front cover photo for the album was shot at the Jazz Café Posk in London by Monika S Jakubowska. Why was it shot at this location? What was the concept for the photo?
Monika is amazing and I love working with her. I wanted something quite simple for this cover to contrast with how busy some of the music is and how busy I am… something static, so it was all about the right dress and the right space really. Most of my covers have been black and white and I thought a little bit of colour – but not too much –would be nice for this one. Jazz Café Posk is a venue I have performed at and we needed a plain black wall and the manager very kindly let us shoot there. Monika came up with the idea of some words in the background, like a piece of art. I am really happy with the cover.
Another photographer for the album, Ron Milson, took an amazing action photo of you playing the piano. I love the (fedora?) hat sitting close by on the piano as though it’s listening intently to you. What do you like about his work/working with him?
I love a good hat! Ron is one of my biggest supporters and travels miles to come and see me perform and takes wonderful photos. He knows how much I love hats! Very grateful to the incredible Kim Cypher for introducing me to Ron. He always captures the moments in live performances that mean something to me – me at the piano, my hats, brilliant moments from my musicians. Love his work.
Chris Cunningham created brilliant artwork for the physical CD. The 3 artwork sleeves depict a wonderful drawing of you, and two overlayed with to-do lists that really aren’t typical lists. One panel is numbered as things to do, things to love, things to dream, things to say, and smile. Then the other panel is the same list but written upside down over it is an opposite list: things not to do, not to love, not to dream, not to say, and smile. How did you come up with the concept or was it his idea? What is the message you wanted to convey?
I love Chris’ work- isn’t it stunning? I have worked with Chris on a few of my albums and my process is always the same. I tell him the title of the album, a rough theme, send him the songs and leave it to him to see what he takes from that. I think this is one of the most wonderful things about art – all forms of art – different people see, hear and feel different things and it is always fascinating to see what those things are.
The artwork he created is what he took from the theme and my music.
The album’s liner notes were written by award-winning writer, Jordannah Elizabeth. How did it come about that you had her write them? What did you think of her captivating breakdown of the emotions, structure, and sequence of your album?
I first found Jordannah’s work through the Jazz Journalists Association, of which I am a member. Jordannah wrote an incredible book ‘She Raised Her Voice!50 Black Women Who Sang Their Way Into Music History’ and inspired me greatly and I have been a huge supporter of her work ever since. She has also been a guest writer for the Women in Jazz Media magazine. I decided a few albums ago, that it would be wonderful to have incredible women who inspire me, and write the liner notes for my albums. I started with Maxine Gordon for ‘Fierce and Non-Complaint’, then Celine Peterson for ‘Red Flags and High Heels’, and I am so grateful that Jordannah agreed to write for my latest album – it’s quite the lineup, isn’t it? It is overwhelming and hugely humbling to hear their thoughts on me and my music.
On the track, “When Will You Leave My Mind”, is Gibbi Bettini playing “a bossa nova guitar rhythm” (quoting Jordannah Elizabeth) but I see he also did the recording of the album (Studio XYZ is an intriguing name). Have you worked together before as musicians or in recording material?
Yes, Gibbi and I have worked together for many years and in fact, he used to be my student. He is the recording engineer on 6 of my albums and they are all recorded at his studio. The studio name is intriguing but no interesting story there, ha. Gibbi is also, as you mention, the guitarist too. Love working with him. He is an incredible talent.
Nancy Richardson is a guest on your fun song, Push Me Around in a Pushchair. Tell us more about her and the song. Is she the little girl we hear at the end? Is Derek of the lyric “Derek, get in your pushchair”, your bass player Derek Daley?
Yes, this song is about conversations I often have with my bassist Derek Daley. We talk about being a grown up and how hard it can be sometimes – taking responsibility and being sensible. We obviously do it, but sometimes it would be nice to just go back to our childhoods when we didn’t have a care in the world and were just pushed around without having to worry about anything. Nancy is the little girl you hear, making her recording debut! She is the daughter of one of my mixing engineers Elliot Richardson. It really added something wonderful to that song.
Women in Jazz Media is an award-winning organization that you founded. Can you tell us more about why you founded it and about its mission, platforms, and initiatives?
Impossible to give a short answer here, but basically Women in Jazz Media is a not-for-profit organization created to help support and create an equal, diverse, safe, and healthy Jazz industry that I formed it in 2020. An amazing team of writers, photographers, painters, musicians, presenters, journalists, producers, editors, and more around the world including China, Spain, Serbia, the USA, Scotland, and the UK.
We explore a wide variety of initiatives to help increase the gender and diversity balance to ensure everyone has a voice. We look for platforms and where no platforms exist, we create ones to ensure everyone can be represented.
We publish 3 digital magazines a year, run 5 podcast series, hold event platforming women, and run several mentoring schemes for writers. We work with our partner publications and organisations and explore the diversity of their content and offer support to increase representation where needed. Do have a look at our website, but basically, our mission statement is to:
- Promote and celebrate women who work in Jazz
- Encourage and support a more diverse Jazz community
- Create a healthy and supportive environment for women who work in Jazz
- Encourage collaborative thinking and mutual support within the Jazz community
Monika S Jakubowska (who shot your album cover) and Tatiana Gorilovsky are the first female photographers in the National Jazz Archive because of your work through your organization, Women in Jazz Media. Explain how that came about.
Women in Jazz Media won the Parliamentary Jazz Media Award in 2021and we were contacted the very next day by the National Jazz Archive asking for some support with their work to increase the diversity of their archive. The first project we looked at was increasing their online photography collection which had no female photographers and also few photos of women. Tatiana and Monika’s work is stunning so we recommended their work to be included and it was! An amazing collection and I am absolutely thrilled that we could facilitate this.
In addition to your award-winning music career and Women in Jazz Media organization, you are also a journalist, writing for several jazz publications including being editor-in-chief of your Women in Jazz Media magazine. Why did you decide to go into journalism? What do you like most about it?
I was asked by Nigel Farmer who was the owner of Jazz in Europe to review some music about six years ago. This is something I had never even considered but he said he wanted a musician’s view and was so incredibly supportive and encouraging and he became a mentor to me. After a few reviews, I was asked to do some interviews, and this is something I realised I really enjoyed – finding out about musicians stories and sharing them with the world. Over 150 articles later, I am still doing it. I love shining a light on inspirational people.
Your song, “Mistress” from your 2017 album Black, White, and a Little Bit of Grey, was recorded live in a stairwell and selected to be included in the British Library archives. You also had two songs, “For My Dad” and “Feel” from your 2019 album Fierce and Non-Compliant that were also recorded live in a stairwell. Why was “Mistress” selected and not one of the aforementioned?
I do like recording vocals in slightly odd places! Well to be honest, I don’t really know why that one was selected! The brilliant Fatea Records reviewed my ‘Black, White and A Little Bit of Grey’ album and put that one song forward to the British Library along with some other artists, all acoustic recordings and I was notified that my one was selected. It is wonderful to have one of my songs there and I really must see if I can find out why that song was picked!
A big congratulations to you on becoming a Voting Member of the Recording Academy recently! What does it mean to you?
Thank you. I was very honored to be asked and then to be accepted and I am so very grateful for the people that sent in recommendations. I hope I can help some other artists and ensure everyone has a voice. I have only just become a member, so still finding out what it all involves, but it is very exciting.
What advice would you give to women who aspire to become a producer?
I would say that you are not alone. It can feel like you are sometimes, as female producers are often not given the platforms that men are but there are plenty of us out there and it is such a wonderful community. Keep networking and reaching out for support and guidance – and stay strong and resilient.
What other projects do you have planned for this year?
Nothing new, just continuing with my work – touring my new album, my journalism, Women In Jazz Media work, and my new podcast series which has gone down really well, so I have more episodes for that to record. Certainly enough to keep me busy!
Where can we see you performing songs from the album?
Just finishing up my London dates and planning some international dates, so do keep an eye on my website if you would like to come and see me. Europe and Canada are next on the list!
Thoughts, Conversations, and To Do Lists is available now on Bandcamp.
Follow Fiona on her Spotify Artist Page Instagram Twitter Facebook.
Website https://fionaross.co.uk/
