PROJECTS
J.A.M. STRING COLLECTIVE
The Guardian
"sinuously entwined ensemble inventiveness, succinct solo breaks and cruising grooves”
Jazzwise
“The impassioned urgency of the playing [is] simultaneously beautiful, brash and starkly fragile”
Zoe Rahman, MOBO awardee jazz pianist
“J.A.M. String Collective [give] us a really strong and unique performance with a wide variety of textures and grooves as well as a meaningful narrative in their improvisations. It was very moving to hear them play.”
Soweto Kinch, BBC Radio 3
“…incredible range of mood and textures, you can really hear them thinking and storytelling.”
Contemporary jazz string trio, J.A.M. String Collective (pronounced ‘jam’) bring improvising strings to the fore. The all-female group is based in London, formed of violinist Jan Halen, violist Julia Dos Reis, and cellist Miranda Lewis-Brown.
In November 2025 the group released their debut album, ‘She Looks Up at the Trees’, featuring a collaboration with composer Oleta Haffner, funded by the Peter Whittingham Developmental Award. The music occupies a fluid space between jazz and contemporary string sound worlds, with improvisatory elements running throughout. The album garnered radio play on BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM, and One Jazz, as well as reviews in numerous publications such as Jazzwise, The Guardian, and MOJO.
In May 2023 they released their debut EP “JΔM” joined by legendary British saxophonist Steve Williamson and emerging drum talent Zoe Pascal. In support of the release there was an 11-date UK tour, including a sold-out EP launch gig at Toulouse Lautrec, and a number of festival performances including Glastonbury, We Out Here, and Brick Lane Jazz. Remixes by Leafcutter John, Wonky Logic, and Nomieye were also released.
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SOLI STRINGS
Soli Strings perform much loved pop and jazz classics at weddings and events, as well as public concerts. They have recently joined composer/pianist Ilario Ferari for his live performances, performing his original 'Be Yourself" album at a launch event at King's Place, London. The music takes influence from the string writing of Debussy and Ravel, with featured string improvised solos.
Julia enjoys arranging for the quartet - her arrangements offer fun takes on pop/jazz classics, keeping the essence of the original. Features of the arrangements include the inclusion of extended and percussive techniques such as ‘chopping’, moments of improvisation, melodic lines passed around all players, and solid grooves.
Arrangements available here.