Fiona Ross has never fit neatly into anyone’s idea of what a jazz artist should be. And on her new 21-track album ‘Moments in My Notebook’, she makes it clear that she has no intention of starting now.
Marking her 100th original song, ‘Moments in My Notebook’ captures Ross in full bloom, at once reflective and restless, grounded in craft yet always chasing the next phase. It’s a sprawling love letter to both the chaos of life and the order she finds in music.
From the breezy uplift of ‘Let Your Soul Shine’ to the biting commentary of ‘I Don’t Want Money’, she moves through moods with fluidity and precision. Her writing remains razor-sharp and deeply personal, yet the themes of longing, resistance, and connection are universal.
Musically, the album stretches beyond familiar territory. Jazz remains the foundation, but Ross allows her instincts to wander, touching on Latin rhythms, spoken word, soul, and even moments of near-classical minimalism. Tracks like ‘Pirates in Paris’ feel like filmic daydreams, while ‘Voices Unheard’ hits with quiet political weight, honouring overlooked trailblazers in art and history. Her collaborators, ranging from seasoned session musicians to rising jazz protégés, add texture and depth without ever overshadowing the emotional clarity at the core.
The live-recorded ‘China Told Me’ stands out for what it represents: a communal gesture of solidarity, joy, and feminine strength. Co-created with young ensemble J Steps and rising vocalist Mary Sho, it’s a reminder that she is not only looking back over her catalogue, she’s also opening space for others to step forward.
For an artist who has built a career on tearing down musical walls, ‘Moments in My Notebook’ is perhaps her most complete statement yet, a body of work that honours where she’s been while daring to imagine where she’ll go next. One hundred songs in, Fiona Ross still writes like someone just discovering the piano for the first time.
