London Jazz Hero
An award-winning jazz artist, Fiona Ross is a pianist, songwriter, and vocalist, but what makes her a Jazz Hero are her tireless efforts championing other women on the scene as a journalist and founder of the Women in Jazz Media organization.
Her drive to make the scene more inclusive cannot be underestimated. Since founding Women in Jazz Media in the bleak fall of 2020, Ross has created a space to explore an array of initiatives. Using the organization as a force for change in the industry, she has helped reshape jazz world traditions and rules to better represent everyone. One reason she’s been so effective is that Ross insists that the women she platforms are at the center of these changes, creating space for those who need it most.
As a music graduate with no idea of what the industry was like for young women like myself, I have felt this to the deepest extent. This scary world became so much easier to navigate with Fiona’s continuous guidance and support, which are still a huge part of my life. Like many other women, I would not have had confidence in my writing or the strength to challenge this industry without her.
Her deep respect and love for jazz is reflected in her welcoming activism. By forming strong relationships with women across the jazz industry she’s come to understand their stories and hardships. The initiatives and projects she’s established reflect this knowledge. Kicking Down the Door podcast is designed to support the development of Black female artists in the early stages of their careers. Her Frame, Her Sound is a touring exhibition featuring photos by outstanding female jazz photographers. On the Bookcase has showcased books by over 100 women authors.
The list goes on. Fiona Ross, an indefatigable Jazz Hero, is always coming up with new ideas for how to make this scene a better space, and I am not alone in thinking that she will achieve her mission: to create an equal, diverse, safe, and healthy jazz industry.
—Isabel Marquez
