Freedom Music

‘In Freedom Music, archivist and pianist Jen Wilson embellishes established narratives of Welsh culture with the “blue notes” of transnational, African American and feminist histories. Her explorations of musical influences, the politics of performance practices and the social effects of cultural transference open up new areas of research. This is a wide-ranging, suitably-illustrated and engaging book that documents the cross-cultural and transatlantic dialogues that were the making of modern Wales.’
-Professor Daniel G. Williams, Swansea University

‘This ground-breaking history of jazz in Wales from its earliest days focuses on the central part women played, making extensive use of the rich archival material so meticulously preserved over the years by the author. It is also a fascinating insight into popular culture and changing social attitudes in Wales.’
-Professor Sir Deian Hopkin, President of the National Library of Wales (2011–15)

'Wilson’s style is lively and lyrical, situating the local culture, incidents and personalities that are the book’s bedrock within a larger history and the retrospective analysis of thinkers...'
- Planet Magazine

Jen Wilson 'makes a major contribution to Welsh women’s history and contributes to a growing body of work on transatlantic cultural exchange'.
- Kirsti Bohata in the Journal of British Studies.