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UK JAZZ PLUS SESSIONS AT RONNIE SCOTTS UPSTAIRS
19 MAY 2026
FOLLOWING THE SELL-OUT DEBUT UK JAZZ PLUS SESSIONS AT RONNIES IN MARCH 2026, UK JAZZ PLUS PROUDLY PRESENT SESSION #2
Curated by acclaimed British Cypriot artist Martha D Lewis, the UK Jazz Plus partnership with Ronnie Scott’s continues with another sensational head-turning double-bill of 2 acts making waves in New Storytelling in Jazz and shaking up what it means to be a jazz singer today. Ayanna Witter Johnson and Plumm.
An exquisite chance to catch this powerhouse double-bill of artists from the growing and thriving genre of UKJAZZPLUS
A new dawn of singer songwriter jazz is captured by UKJAZZPLUS at Ronnie Scotts.
Diverse, dynamic and engaging powerhouse performers on a bill of strength and vulnerability –curated by award – winning artist Martha D Lewis.
Jazz is enjoying a huge renaissance, especially among young homegrown talent. The abundance of jazz courses has created not only an educational foundation for this genre, but a thriving and exciting community amongst its players.
From diverse ethnic groups comes the emergence of a new band of jazz singer songwriters conveying their cultural influences and creating a new hybrid space between jazz, R&B, hip-hop, soul, indie and art pop.
Curator Martha D Lewis says:
“it has been a joy to create this event which features two contemporary British artist from the growing genre of jazz singer songwriters in one night. Both artists express an abundance of musical independence and deliver beautiful expansive music with jazz at its core. This is an exciting new era for jazz”
NOTE TO EDITORS
Headline suggestions;
A stunning bill of singer-songwriter jazz artists. Artist transcending borders of Jazz and sing a songwriter.
Performances of vulnerability, strength and an emotional landscape to touch even the hardest of hearts.
Rich tantalising vocals, awe-inspiring lyricism and works of individuality through new storytelling in jazz.
PLUMM
Plumm is a vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader hailing from South London with a Welsh core. Plumm’s sound is dark, ethereal, electronic, improvisational and vocal-heavy. She is being hailed as one of the most creative and exciting singers coming out of London. Last year she featured on the theme tune for TV show “Ragdoll” with Moses Boyd and became a Future Bubbler under Gilles Peterson.
Plumm is championed by BBC Introducing London, has written and recorded various commissions from The Vault Festival to Love Island to Spitfire Audio to Amazon Prime adverts. Recent performances include The Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury Festival, Boomtown, Love Supreme, We Out Here, and The Great Escape Festival.
INSTAGRAM: @plumm.sass
WEBSITE: https://linktr.ee/Plummsoundworld
AYANNA WITTER JOHNSON
Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, pianist and cellist. She has a phenomenal mastery for seamlessly crossing the boundaries of classical, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B, to imprint her unique musical signature with her virtuosic tap, strum and bow with her cello into her sound and vibe.
As a second-generation Jamaican born in Britain, her music is a body of work that represents, celebrates and pays homage to her ancestral heritage, culture and identity. An acclaimed performer and London Symphony Orchestra collaborator, she has toured with icons like Peter Gabriel and Andrea Bocelli while earning prestigious honours such as the Silver Clef Classical Award. In 2026, she continues to expand her genre-defying sound with her sophomore album New Roots and a landmark commission for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS :
About the curator
Martha D Lewis is the curator of UK Jazz Plus Sessions.
“A distinctly live wire of musical independence and a formidable voice”. The Guardian
“A woman with something to say and a powerful way of saying it, well worth your attention”. Jazz wise
Martha D Lewis is a British-born Cypriot recording artist of jazz and world music since early 1990s, whose career was notably launched with the trail blazing award-winning music-comedy duo Donna & Kebab in the early 1990s. The duo recorded three albums and a DVD of their show ‘Live at the Hackney Empire’ and garnered some 15 TV appearances and performances at Royal Festival Hall Glastonbury, Reading Festivals et al.
Martha’s solo career was launched in late 1990’s with numerous commissions for music composition for the Arts Council, PRS Foundation, London Arts Board, amongst others, as well as title and incidental music for theatre film and documentaries.
In a career spanning several decades, her debut solo release ‘‘Café Aman-Double Life’ was awarded ‘Best Album of the Year’ by BBC Radio in 2007; the classic re-imagined Greek blues album ‘Homage to Roza’ was released in 2015; Martha latest work ‘ALL THAT YOU SEE’ recorded at Real World Studios and mixed by Stephen W Tayler (Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks m, Tina Turner) was released in 2022 tackles social commentary in a lyrically relevant and musically adventurous 6th album.
