The Notes Between with Fabienne Ambuehl

Women in Jazz Media: The Podcasts

Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series’ The Notes Between’ with Lara Eidi. Conversations exploring everything behind and about the world of songwriting! Our theme music ‘Breathe Love’ is from Lara Eidi herself available here

In this episode, Lara talks to pianist, singer and composer Fabienne Ambuehl

Fabienne Ambuehl is a London-based pianist, singer and composer born in Switzerland. Her new album ‘Thrive‘ was released in January 2025 on the progressive label UbuntuMusic. The band successfully showcased the album at a sold-out show at the Vortex Jazz Club in London. ‘Thrive‘ has received glowing reviews from the international jazz press. Jazzwise Magazine rewarded it four stars and it has received regular radio play in the UK, including BBC Radio 3 Jazz Record Requests, ‘Round Midnight and Night Tracks. On the Catalan public radio 3cat, there is an hour-long programme about Fabienne’s music and the single “New Ones” was featured track and on the JazzFM C playlist for several weeks. The album was also presented on Deutschlandfunkkultur and ARD Jazz - Das Magazin and wasselected “Album of the Week” on both Presto Music and the German Rondo - Magazin für Klassik und Jazz. Her band is a dynamic ensemble of brilliant musicians – Matt Ridley on bass (The Antidote, The Darius Brubeck Quartet) and Jon Scott on drums (Mulatu Astatke, GoGo Penguin, Sons of Kemet XL), with special guest guitarists Tom Ollendorff and Ant Law. Ambuehl has a strong sense of ensemble interplay and balance between individual expression and collective cohesion. Ambuehl’s music is inspired by her surroundings, from the sounds and silence of the mountains, where she finds a deep connection with nature, to the rhythms and soundscapes of the big city. Her melodic ideas and detailed arrangements are rooted in jazz, playing with a folk-tinge and showcase her expressive and supple piano playing. Her vocals “are crystal clear, distinct and refreshingly free of jazz clichés” and as a writer she “has a poetic sensibility and uses expertly a range of poetic techniques in her lyrics”. In addition to leading her trio and quartet and performing solo, Fabienne has collaborated with the Noga Ritter band and worked in Senegal as an Arts Council England-supported residency.She has conducted choirs herself for many years and was the soloist for Jazz Choir Freiburg who she toured in Germany and Austria and was their improvising soloist at the Eurovision Song Contest for Choirs in Riga, Latvia (2017). Fabienne Ambuehl website click here

Athens born to Lebanese Canadian parents, Lara Eidi isan artist that thrives on being different. As an independent artist, singer and multi- instrumentalist, she has carved a path for herself that continuously aimed at reshaping and developing her voice as a storyteller. An accomplishedand reputable singer-songwriter, pianist, recording artist and jazz- folk vocalist of her own accord based in London and Athens. Her music has gained her critical acclaim as a genre bending artist (BBC Artist, 2020), described as “a singer with true gift of a voice, a kind soul, and a captivating presence.” (Jazz UK). At the heart of her being as a multi-disciplinary artist, she is sought after as a composer for vocal film scores, writes as a freelance music journalist, and is in demand as a creative workshop leader. Her music seeks to elevate and heal, and as a result, she creates genre- defying songs with a great emphasis on story telling. Her latest album ‘Sun’, her long awaited debut album, is all about pulling the threads of her folk, acoustic rock and jazz-classical upbringing to her message of hope, empowerment, and freedom. As a soloist, her recent debut performance at the infamous Royal Albert Hall, singing select pieces from Greece and Lebanon formthe Medieval Byzantine Traditions sees Lara engaging on a series of select and innovative performances with the SAUDHA Indian Classical Music Association.

Lara Eidi website