has a lissome voice, agile and expressive, and she's a fine improviser, besides. That's not to say she's a vocal athlete, however; although she's known for her wordless improvisations,
is a fine interpreter of lyrics and composed melody -- a plain-speaking, rhythmically direct singer who gets to the heart of the matter quickly and effectively.
Winstone played piano and organ in her youth. She began singing semi-professionally by the age of 17, influenced by conventional jazz vocalists. During the '60s she became attracted to the jazz avant-garde. She played in groups led by pianists
Michael Garrick and
Mike Westbrook; she also sang with such forward-thinking musicians as saxophonist
John Surman, flügelhornist
Kenny Wheeler, composer
Michael Gibbs, and pianist
John Taylor (whom she married in 1972). A late-'60s gig at
Ronnie Scott's club in London (also on the bill was the legendary tenor saxophonist
Roland Kirk) garnered her critical notice. In 1971 she was named best jazz singer in a poll by the British publication Melody Maker. That year, she recorded her first album as leader,
Edge of Time, for the Decca label. With
Wheeler and
Taylor,
Winstone formed
Azimuth, a critically acclaimed contemporary chamber jazz group that recorded several times for the ECM label starting in the mid-'70s.
Winstone is also an accomplished lyricist, having written words to music composed by guitarists
Egberto Gismonti and
Ralph Towner, bassist
Steve Swallow, and vocalist
Ivan Lins, among others.
Winstone has also performed and/or recorded in ensembles with
Jimmy Rowles,
Lee Konitz,
Tony Coe,
Fred Hersch,
John Abercrombie,
Dave Holland,
Peter Erskine, and
George Mraz. In 1992 she collaborated with composer/arranger
Steve Gray in the creation of "A French Folk Song Suite," commissioned and performed by the North German Radio big band. She is also a member of
Wheeler's big band. In July 2002 she was awarded the title Best Vocalist at the BBC Jazz Awards at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall.
–
Chris Kelsey, Rovi