Biography

Barbara Jay comes from a musical family. Her father played trumpet with many of the leading bands of the time. She took to singing naturally at an early age and was soon to be singing with the big names herself - Ronnie Scott, Don Lusher, Tommy Whittle, Digby Fairweather and Kenny Ball's Band on T.V.

As a solo Jazz singer she has shared the billing at Ronnie Scott's Club with Horace Silver, Pharoah Saunders and Dave Holland. She also appears in Cabaret on The Saga Ruby Cruise Ship and P&O Oriana.

In 1970 she was chosen to sing with the legendary Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with whom she appeared at many of the major European cities, ie. Paris, Milan, Copenhagen, Zurich etc.

In 1993 Barbara devised the very successful "Ella Fitzgerald Songbook Show" which has appeared at major venues and festivals throughout Britain and also with her own quartet at the Pizza on the Park Knightsbridge. Barbara has reached a point in her career where she enjoys singing without having to indulge in gimmickry or momentary trends... an enjoyment that she passes on to her audience.

This highly successful show sold out at the Edinburgh Festival, London's South Bank and Manchester's Royal Exchange. It was also the cabaret at Prince Edward's birthday party at the Savoy Hotel, London.

"Providing a creamy icing on an enjoyable solid cake was Barbara Jay who has moved almost stealthily into the ranks of the best singers, bringing a tender feeling to ballads and scatting along merrily in true Fitzgerald style"
(Peter Hepple, The Stage)

"The Ella Fitzgerald Songbook Show backed by the Tommy Whittle Quartet, played to a full house, such is their reputation. The titles of a fabulous era and legendary performers had toes tapping from start to finish."
(Arts Centre, Swindon)

"An evening of pure joy. Catch it if you can."
(The Stage)

"The Ella Fitzgerald Songbook Show seemed to sweep across the Watford Palace Theatre stage in a matter of moments. At the end the audience was still on a high and the singers were called back for no less than three encores."
(Watford Observer)

"This was a superb night of tasteful music which played to a packed house. The quality of the singing and band were first rate, some of the finest talent on the British circuit."
(Director - The Colchester Arts Centre)