ABOUT FLORENCE JOELLE
Florence Joelle is a Paris-born singer, songwriter, harmonica player, recording artist and jazz reissue specialist based in London, where she is a sought-after performer across the city. Bred on jazz at home, and on the music of the Paris streets, she has created a musical subgenre all of her own. Her albums Kiss Of Fire (2011), Stealing Flowers (2013) and Life Is Beautiful If You Let It (2016) are a Franco-Anglo blend of Latin and classic jazz, vintage and contemporary blues, gypsy folk, fifties R&B and Parisian torch song.
Joelle has been featured in print in Mojo, Time Out, Q Magazine, The Independent, The Mirror, Record Collector, R2 Rock’n’Reel, Jazzwise, Jazz Journal, Jazz Rag, Vive Le Rock, Classic Rock, in the US in Vintage Guitar Magazine, and in Germany and Japan. Her songs have been played on BBC Radio (’29 Bus Blues’ and ‘When I Get Low I Get High’ were ‘song of the week’ on BBC Introducing), Jazz Fm, as well as radio stations across the world. "How Many Chickens Are You Missing Today", about the sorry treatment of Roma expelled from her native France, was included in Amnesty's compilation Roma Rights Are Human Rights.
A record collector from an early age, Florence is also a catalogue A&R record label consultant. She has reissued and compiled over a hundred titles, including series like The Leopard Lounge, The In Sound and Right On! Series, lovingly curated box sets (John Coltrane The Atlantic Years in Mono, Ornette Coleman The Atlantic Years), Stan Getz Split Kick & Lee Morgan The Roulette Sides on 10” vinyl, Miles Davis Rubberband and the most recent Merci, Miles!
As a jazz expert Joelle gives talks on music history. Most recently she has been a speaker for Hot Jazz Rag's Rhythm & Books Club on Zoom. Subjects have included:
She has also modelled and acted in ads such as Jo Malone’s Marmalade Collection (summer 2021), Double Magazine and TV series like World of Wonder’s The History Of Prostitution, where she played WW2's highest earning lady of night, Marthe Watts, known as "the wickedest woman in London".
What the press say…
“Third and best album yet by London-based Parisian chanteuse.” Mojo ****
“The whole album is simply a delight from start to finish.” London Evening Standard ****
"Recorded straight to tape on analogue equipment and mixed in mono, it is akin to a glass of fizz, with Joelle's joie de vivre coursing through the album's 10 tracks." Record Collector****
"Joelle's sensuous purred vocals and sprightly jazzy songs lend proceedings a contemporary edge while circumventing mere nostalgia." The Independent****
"Florence is a rare jewel and this second album captures her captivating style. She boasts deliciously suave vocal phrasing framed by a hot and agile band. Her savvy originals and jumping jazz standards are an unaffected joy. Blooming lovely." The Daily Mirror****
"A genuine talent, and definitely one to watch." Classic Rock - Blues Edition
"Sheer class." Shindig!
"Sultry, sexy and French, she was born with a voice tailor-made to pour out enticing cocktails of chanson, r'n'b and jazz." R2 Rock'n'Reel ****
"This has soul." Vive Le Rock 8/10
"Florence Joelle has an album that feels like one of the sirens has fled her Greek rockery and headed off to London." Fatea Magazine
"Florence Joelle sings rock ’n’ roll like Billie Holiday might, croons a torch ballad as Wanda Jackson may, and spices it all with a bit of Patti Smith attitude." Vintage Guitar Magazine
"Her breathy sensual Eartha-Kittish approach to singing is highly contagious and appealing." Penny Black Music
“It's her voice that smacks you around the head. It's utterly unique. “
Ruth Barnes' Pick Of The Week, Tom Robinson’s Show, BBC 6 Music
Florence Joelle is a Paris-born singer, songwriter, harmonica player, recording artist and jazz reissue specialist based in London, where she is a sought-after performer across the city. Bred on jazz at home, and on the music of the Paris streets, she has created a musical subgenre all of her own. Her albums Kiss Of Fire (2011), Stealing Flowers (2013) and Life Is Beautiful If You Let It (2016) are a Franco-Anglo blend of Latin and classic jazz, vintage and contemporary blues, gypsy folk, fifties R&B and Parisian torch song.
Joelle has been featured in print in Mojo, Time Out, Q Magazine, The Independent, The Mirror, Record Collector, R2 Rock’n’Reel, Jazzwise, Jazz Journal, Jazz Rag, Vive Le Rock, Classic Rock, in the US in Vintage Guitar Magazine, and in Germany and Japan. Her songs have been played on BBC Radio (’29 Bus Blues’ and ‘When I Get Low I Get High’ were ‘song of the week’ on BBC Introducing), Jazz Fm, as well as radio stations across the world. "How Many Chickens Are You Missing Today", about the sorry treatment of Roma expelled from her native France, was included in Amnesty's compilation Roma Rights Are Human Rights.
A record collector from an early age, Florence is also a catalogue A&R record label consultant. She has reissued and compiled over a hundred titles, including series like The Leopard Lounge, The In Sound and Right On! Series, lovingly curated box sets (John Coltrane The Atlantic Years in Mono, Ornette Coleman The Atlantic Years), Stan Getz Split Kick & Lee Morgan The Roulette Sides on 10” vinyl, Miles Davis Rubberband and the most recent Merci, Miles!
As a jazz expert Joelle gives talks on music history. Most recently she has been a speaker for Hot Jazz Rag's Rhythm & Books Club on Zoom. Subjects have included:
- Let Freedom Swing: the history of jazz & civil rights
- Film Noir
- Latin Jazz
- From Big Bands to Bebop
- Heroes & Hoodlums: record labels & the mob.
She has also modelled and acted in ads such as Jo Malone’s Marmalade Collection (summer 2021), Double Magazine and TV series like World of Wonder’s The History Of Prostitution, where she played WW2's highest earning lady of night, Marthe Watts, known as "the wickedest woman in London".
What the press say…
“Third and best album yet by London-based Parisian chanteuse.” Mojo ****
“The whole album is simply a delight from start to finish.” London Evening Standard ****
"Recorded straight to tape on analogue equipment and mixed in mono, it is akin to a glass of fizz, with Joelle's joie de vivre coursing through the album's 10 tracks." Record Collector****
"Joelle's sensuous purred vocals and sprightly jazzy songs lend proceedings a contemporary edge while circumventing mere nostalgia." The Independent****
"Florence is a rare jewel and this second album captures her captivating style. She boasts deliciously suave vocal phrasing framed by a hot and agile band. Her savvy originals and jumping jazz standards are an unaffected joy. Blooming lovely." The Daily Mirror****
"A genuine talent, and definitely one to watch." Classic Rock - Blues Edition
"Sheer class." Shindig!
"Sultry, sexy and French, she was born with a voice tailor-made to pour out enticing cocktails of chanson, r'n'b and jazz." R2 Rock'n'Reel ****
"This has soul." Vive Le Rock 8/10
"Florence Joelle has an album that feels like one of the sirens has fled her Greek rockery and headed off to London." Fatea Magazine
"Florence Joelle sings rock ’n’ roll like Billie Holiday might, croons a torch ballad as Wanda Jackson may, and spices it all with a bit of Patti Smith attitude." Vintage Guitar Magazine
"Her breathy sensual Eartha-Kittish approach to singing is highly contagious and appealing." Penny Black Music
“It's her voice that smacks you around the head. It's utterly unique. “
Ruth Barnes' Pick Of The Week, Tom Robinson’s Show, BBC 6 Music