Evelyn Axton with Strings

Following the release of her debut EP The Birds, Evelyn Axton will be bringing her songs to PizzaExpress Live for the very first time. Accompanied by a full band and string quartet, her jazz-folk songwriting will blossom with new musical possibilities. From drums to bass clarinet, this will be a beautiful synthesis of songwriting and the jazz tradition, featuring lyrical improvisation and attentive collaboration. For fans of Joni Mitchell, Madison Cunningham, Ella Fitzgerald and Hohnen Ford.

Evelyn Axton writes songs which sit in your back pocket like the fold of your grandfather’s old handkerchief - her music is an ever-comforting presence, and yet a heavy memory filled with deep meaning and unanswered questions.

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 and Labi Siffre, but her vocal style is shaped by the jazz 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. Having performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Love Supreme Jazz Festival with many larger ensembles, this is the first time she has forged ahead as a solo artist.