Sarah Jane Morris

Since then, she’s released 15 solo albums winning acclaim for her octave vaulting contralto range which stretches from sonorous, reverberating low tones to a searingly soulful falsetto. Adding to her sweeping vocal palette she has developed an original lyricist’s expressiveness fuelled by a profound grasp of popular musical history. Stirred into that is an unflinching personal political drive that has made social and sexual liberation and human rights issues the life-blood of many of her songs.

The SISTERHOOD is a representation of Sarah Jane’s roots, inspirations, and indefatigable love of contemporary music-making and its iconic pioneers ‘The Sisterhood’ celebrates twelve female stars who dominated the singing and song writing of the 20th century  - Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Rickie Lee Jones, Annie Lennox, Kate Bush and Sinead O Connor.

“For more than twenty years I have been thinking about projects to celebrate women and our contribution to the history of song. This, at last, is it,” says Sarah Jane. “These are my twelve singers, my essential lodestars. With these stories I tell my own, acknowledge my musical tutelage and identify the women who mean so much to me. This album is dedicated to all my musical sisters, to those who went before and to those still making music. Thank you for blazing the trail, for fighting for us all with your irresistible talent and your passionate resolve.”

‘The Sisterhood’ is Sarah Jane’s ‘lock-down project’, as she and her husband Mark worked on the lyrics through months of isolation. As the repertoire came together, Sarah Jane and Tony Rémy, her co-writer/co-producer of the project, became convinced that the grooves and moods of the songs needed to sound contemporary yet reflective of the styles that had guided the ears and choices of the original artists in their own times.

The album was launched on International Women’s Day at Alexandra Palace Theatre, London, with a 12 piece band and a 40 piece choir.

Sarah Jane and Tony Remy bring the project to Lighthouse Poole.

Sarah Jane Morris vocals

Tony Remy acoustic guitar

Marcus Bonfanti acoustic guitar

Henry Thomas acoustic bass

‘The Sisterhood’ is a labour of love – a hard-won new triumph in an already prolific life at the cutting edge of contemporary music-making. Sarah Jane hand Tony Remy have stepped up to another creative level to create a richly referential, highly complex and strikingly original collection, clarifying the story of women in popular song. “It’s the best project I’ve ever been part of” says Sarah Jane with the passionate felicity of the true artist to the latest incarnation of their creativity.

She describes her conviction simply: “It’s the passing of the torch from sister to sister”. Amen to that.