Downstairs Living Room: Evelyn Axton

Doors 6:45 PM, Music 7:15 PM - 1 set of music Line-up: Evelyn Axton - Voice Lior Solomons-Wise - Piano Guy Dempsey - Double bass Jonah Phillips – Drums About: Following the release of her debut EP ‘The Birds’ in May, Evelyn will be performing her songs as part of the Downstairs Living Room series for the first time. Featuring a jazz quartet set up, this performance will be a beautiful representation of how her songs translate in a more explorative jazz setting. Evelyn is a London-based jazz vocalist and songwriter whose solo work blends the beauty and narrative of American and British folk songwriting with jazz. She is influenced by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Labi Siffre and Nick Drake. Her vocal style is shaped by these artists alongside the jazz tradition, taking inspiration from the greats – Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, Carmen McRae. Evelyn’s music is marked by the jazz harmony she studied at the Guildhall School of Music, but her lyrical vulnerability sets her apart. Originally from the Lake District, her work is centred in nature, taking inspiration from contemporary poets like Wendy Cope, and using this interconnection to explore her own interior world. Having performed at renowned venues such as The Troubadour and the Vortex Jazz Club, Evelyn released her debut EP The Birds in May 2026, gaining traction with Cerys Matthews on BBC 6 Music and Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2. This year she will perform and launch her EP across the UK - having sung with orchestras, choirs, and many larger ensembles, this is the first time she has forged ahead as a solo artist. ‘this voice […] will stop you in your tracks […] just that essence of a jazz singer – someone who’s able to capture the moment, capture what they’re feeling in the moment, and able to use their voice exactly how they want to – but also with that gorgeous songwriting as well’ – Jamie Cullum, The Jazz Show on BBC Radio 2