Rising Jazz vocalist Leah Berry will be spotlighting the sounds of Betty Carter at SIMA’s International Women’s Jazz Festival with her quartet. Featuring Hugh Barrett on piano, Jacob Graham on double bass, and Tim Geldens on drums, they will be presenting an array of Betty’s compositions, electric arrangements, and their own reimagined standards. 

Berry is quickly establishing herself as a notable emerging figure in the Sydney jazz scene. She is an impressive performer, improviser and lyricist, who captivates audiences with her storytelling, and velvety tone. Leah concluded her bachelor’s degree studying Jazz Vocal Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2024 and is eager to continue her growth as a musician in Sydney and Australia. 

Discovering the voice of Ella Fitzgerald in high school, Leah connected with the storytelling and improvisation that jazz offered and fell in love with the music. She continues to take huge inspiration from jazz greats such as Ella, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter and Anita O’Day. With the support of the Sydney Conservatorium, Leah attended the Siena Jazz International Summer Workshop in 2024 where she learnt from prestigious musicians such as Melissa Aldana, Theo Bleckmann, Yumi Ito, Jen Shyu, Ethan Iverson, Joe Sanders and Lage Lund. 

Join the Quartet on the 29th of October to celebrate the repertoire of Betty Carter, delivered through the unique and captivating voice of Leah Berry.

Indigo Collective

Indigo Collective is a jazz trio made of vocalist, Angelina Pona, guitarist, Ruby Firmstone, and a double bassist, Sabine Tapia. Sydney-born but with different multicultural background (French, Spanish, Filipino), Pona, Tapia and Firmstone met during their jazz performance studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and began collaborating through their passion for jazz and shared drive to succeed in a male-dominated jazz scene.

Through their bond and friendship, and their mutual struggle to get ahead in that scene, they have found inspiration, strength and empowerment and created an open and welcoming space for creativity and performance. They have been performing together for the last year and most recently they have performed at Kiama Jazz and Blues Festival, Foundry616 (with special guest Abby Constable), and as part of The Women’s Club’s Women in Music Series.

Through their music, they aspire to create a welcoming space for like-minded, talented jazz musicians, inviting other female musicians to perform with them when possible, and inspiring and encouraging other female jazz musicians to find their place in a more inclusive and creative jazz scene.