Bryony Jarman-Pinto

Lancaster-based singer, songwriter, and musician Bryony Jarman-Pinto seamlessly blends enchanting vocals and spellbinding jazz-infused melodies with intricately crafted and personal lyrics, drawing inspiration from soul and folk influences.

Releasing her second album, she has seen support from across BBC Radio 6 presenters including Huey Morgan, Craig Charles, Deb Grant and Tom Robinson and Gilles Peterson, alongside spins from Sian Eleri, BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends, Tina Edwards, Jazz FM playlisting, and a live BBC Radio 2 performance as part of Jo Whiley’s BBC Introducing showcase.

After receiving the Jazz North funding as part of Northern Line programme, Bryony showcased the project at Manchester Jazz festival and performed at Jazz Cafe as part of Global Soul Jazz Cafe, with gigs at Northumberland Jazz festival, Lancaster Jazz Festival, Pizza Express Jazz Soho, The Wombat Jazz Club and Hexham Jazz Festival, celebrating the release. As it enters its landmark 20^th Edition, Bryony has been named one of the emerging jazz and improvising musicians to take part in the Take Five programme run by Serious.

Bryony Jarman-Pinto moved to Penrith, Cumbria in the Northwest of England with her family when she was 8. With both of her parents as musicians, Bryony grew up surrounded by the art form, attending singing workshops with her mum from a very young age. Taking inspiration from the jazz vocalists and jam musicians she used to fall asleep listening to as a child, there is a jazz core at the heart of her music.

Bryony’s musical odyssey took a pivotal turn at BlueJam Arts, where she met long-time friend and collaborator Tom Leah, AKA Werkha, whilst playing in bands. Later, during her Painting and Printmaking studies at Glasgow’s School of Art, it was Tom who encouraged Bryony back towards music. Together, they embarked on an exploration of electronic sounds and Bryony’s softer vocal improvisation. It was during this time that Bryony wrote and recorded the vocal line for Werkha’s track “Sidesteppin”, which pricked up the ears of tastemakers including the influential Gilles Peterson. The track earned its place on Peterson’s esteemed Brownswood Bubblers compilation and was subsequently featured on Werkha’s “Beacons” EP. Not long after, another co-written Werkha single “Dusk”, gained notably heavy daytime airplay from BBC 6Music’s Lauren Laverne.

This period of creativity laid the foundation for her debut album, ‘Cage and Aviary’, released in 2019. Crafted in collaboration with Werkha, the album seamlessly weaves personal reflections with broader global issues. Bryony’s sophisticated songwriting, characterised by harmonious vocals layered with jazz, soul, and folk elements, resonated with major tastemakers and critics alike, earning praise from the likes of Jamz Supernova (BBC 6Music), Laurent Garnier (Worldwide FM), Robert Elms (BBC Radio London), John Kennedy (Radio X) and Jeremy Sole (KCRW), and received praise from publications including EARMILK, Dummy, Clash, The Telegraph, Bandcamp Weekly and PopMatters.

Beyond her solo endeavours, Bryony has been remixed by dego, Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy, Wu-Lu, Footshooter, Wonky Logic and Jesse Fischer since releasing her LP. She collaborated with Duke Hugh on the compilation ‘Global Sounds’ alongside the likes of Mark de Clive-Lowe, Yazmin Lacey and Afronaut Zu.

Bryony’s magnetic presence in the music scene has not gone unnoticed, her live performances have left an indelible mark at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Ronnie Scott’s, Hootananny Brixton and The Hackney Social, Band on The Wall, Roundhouse, Ghost Notes, and Islington Assembly Hall, as well as festivals including Shambala, Kendall Calling, Boomtown, Love Supreme and Brick Lane Jazz Festival amongst others. Notably, she shared the stage with the legendary Roy Ayers at the Union Chapel and was handpicked for a performance at Tobacco Docks as part of a BBC Introducing showcase, solidifying her status as, in the words of Tony Minvielle from Jazz FM, “the full package”.

As Bryony’s second album ‘Below Dawn’ navigates sentimental themes, from societal change and untapped emotions to the profound journey of pregnancy and motherhood, the album exudes an aura of intimacy. This emotional depth is complemented by Bryony’s distinctive, harmonious vocals and the infusion of jazz-inspired melodies. “This album speaks about myself just before I gave birth and stepped into a new era so, the name reflects that underlying hidden catalyst”  Bryony adds. The album is produced by Ben Lamdin, aka label-mate Nostalgia 77, whose credits include writing and producing for artists such as Jamie Cullum, Alice Russell, and Jeb Loy Nichols.