Heather Stewart Press // EPK
“Heather Stewart sings like a genuine pre-war blues era diva and plays very fine blues fiddle to boot.” Dan Dinnen
“...their music is honest always, raw when it feels like it, dainty otherwise, and breathing all the time. These recordings are magnificent. And unruly. And alive.” - Michael Steinman, “Jazz Lives” https://jazzlives.wordpress.
“Heather Stewart is a remarkable vocalist…Barker has collected great bands on two continents and you should acquire both.” - The Syncopated Times October 2021 - https://syncopatedtimes.com/
“Dancers will find nothing but gold on this album. Songs like Play The Blues And Go and The Pearls bear up to repeated listenings, and would make excellent songs for performances. The combination of ‘live’ and studio recordings across the two discs offers dancers that mix of exciting high energy and more thoughtful engagement that make for great dancing.” - Sam Carroll http://dogpossum.org/2022/09/
-
Russian Lullabye 2:100:00/2:10
-
You Are My Sunshine 3:280:00/3:28
-
Body and Soul 4:220:00/4:22
Heather Stewart Biography
Winner of the 2025 Hot Club de France - Jazz Vocal Album for Live in La Garenne with Heather Stewart, Nicolas Montier and 3 for Swing.
Heather Stewart is a uniquely talented vocalist and violinist in the international live music scene. An Australian based in Paris, Heather writes and records original music & songs, performs with independent musicians in jazz, ragtime and string bands, acoustic blues, country, folk music and occasional orchestral concerts. Heather has published two albums of original songs, eight albums with bassist Leigh Barker, won awards for multiple albums, been invited to record albums and produce vocals and band albums, and recently published magazine articles about musician life in Paris.
Heather began her career studying classical violin and voice at uni, completed an honours in cognitive neuroscience, a Masters in pedagogy and a Graduate Diploma in Jazz. Between years of intense study, H moved to London working in semi-professional orchestras and operas and working determinedly to write original songs and build her jazz repertoire and experience. At 23, Heather left her classical trajectory and chose follow the individual pathway of original music and jazz. She delved into performing, workshops, masterclasses, lessons and solid training alongside the best swing and traditional jazz musicians in London and Australia.
University letters:
•B.Mus.hons = bachelor of music with first class honours and a detour into cognitive neuroscience @ Melb Uni
•A.Mus.A = concerto level violin diploma. Relentless practice!
•P Grad Dip = year graduate course in jazz and improvisation at VCA
•Masters of Arts = big thesis & more practice at Monash Uni - Fintan Murphy
Classically speaking…Heather's training background allows her to do perform special chamber music and orchestral concerts. Recent highlights have been performing original composition Suite by fellow Australian Melissa Cox and the huge 2022 Zoot Symphonique performance at Le Théâtre des Champs Elysees of three new compositions for orchestra and jazz octet by prominent musicians Neïl Saïdi, Noé Codjia et David Paycha.
“I realised when I looked up at my family watching from the balcony, I was performing on the same stage Stravinsky's Rite of Spring was first performed with the turbulent audience reaction. I had achieved a dream playing in a seriously good orchestra in this beautiful space, and playing music which spoke closely to Stravinsky's endeavours of writing music which spoke directly from himself.”
While being devoted artistically to folk music, 1900s-1940s jazz, acoustic blues, ragtime, country folk/fiddle music, Heather finds historical and musical links that weave these musical worlds to repertoire found in western classical/art music.
Heather's singing holds a depth and understated artistry that can only come with high level instrumental training making her a rare musician vocalist.
Dan Barratt: "I didn't like your singing. I loved it! Thank you. What you do is so special. It is so good."
Recent concerts have included Paris's illustrious Le Bal Blomet and Caveau de la Huchette (La La Land) with sold-out capacity crowds for The Dirty Ragtimers Orchestra, Leigh Barker Band, Orchestre Delmar and Collectif Paris Swing. Heather has toured throughout Europe, UK, USA and Australia and brings her unique style, warmth and skill to the repertoire of great jazz and songwriting from the 1900s to 1940s. Heather has won multiple awards for albums collaborating with husband Leigh Barker, and her self-titled Heather Stewart Band album of original songs and fiddle tunes. Heather composes for theatre and dance projects and is currently writing songs for several groups.
In Paris, Heather Stewart has shared the stage with Branford and Jason Marsalis, Matt Munisteri, Collective Paris Swing, Giacomo Smith, Nicolas Montier, Christophe Davot, 3 for Swing, Orchestre Del Mar, Duved Dunayevsky, Leigh Barker Band, Jake Sanders, Lucas Montagnier, Mathieu Meyer, and many more. With a collection of quality music projects always on the go, a natural presence and joy on stage, Heather is steadily winning the hearts of audiences everywhere she performs.
Heather's quartet collaboration with Parisian fingerpicking guitarist Lucas Montagnier, pianist Mathieu Meyer and bassist Leigh Barker is called The Dirty Ragtimer Orchestra. Their first album "Fairytales of Montmartre" recorded at Hi Style Studios was a sold out performance exhilarated the crowd filling Paris' illustrious Le Bal Blomet. Their second album "String That Music" was recently released to a sold-out crowd at Bal Blomet and they are doing concerts and touring this album.
Influences: Annette Hanshaw, Mildred Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Lester Young, Bessie Smith, Jelly Roll Morton, Irving Berlin, Gene Aubrey, Bix B, Scott Joplin, Big Bill Broonzy, G and I Gershwin, Hoagy Carmichael and so many more.
For a specific biography or interview - please email
“Heather Stewart is a remarkable vocalist. "Indian Summer," on the Paris set, rises above, a moving rendition worthy of the timeless lyric. Across the disc she enriches the presentation of "He ain't got rhythm," "The song has ended," "Lonely one in the town," "Chinatown, my Chinatown," and several other engaging titles.... Joe Bebco. The Syncopated Times: Exploring the world of hot jazz, ragtime, and swing.”
— The Syncopated Times: Exploring the world of hot jazz, ragtime, and swing.