Hetty Kate

British-Australian jazz vocalist Hetty Kate has built an international career over two decades, performing at major festivals and venues across 28 countries. Born in England, raised in Australia, and based in Paris since 2017, she brings a classically trained voice and deep knowledge of the American Songbook to stages from New Zealand to New York.

Critics have consistently praised her work. Chris May of All About Jazz describes her as "charismatic and technically gifted," while jazz critic and author Will Friedwald calls her "one of the best swing-style singers on the current scene." Marc Myers of Jazzwax likens her to "Peggy Lee on a Vespa," and John Shand of the Sydney Morning Herald notes she "reminds me of a good champagne: simultaneously effervescent and restrained." Australian jazz luminary James Morrison observes she has "a stage presence only matched by the clarity of her voice."

Coming up in Melbourne's vibrant jazz scene, Hetty was mentored by some of the city's finest musicians, developing an approach that honors the composer by remaining faithful to melody and lyric. She uses improvisation to serve the song rather than overshadow it, and her vast repertoire reflects a genuine love for each song's history. Her natural wit and warmth on stage create concerts that feel intimate and joyful, even in large venues.

In 2012, James Morrison recognized her potential and invited her to join his touring band as vocalist, a position she held for five years. As featured vocalist for Morrison's symphonic concert "The A to Z of Jazz," she performed with the Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmanian, and Western Australian Symphony Orchestras, the Christchurch and Auckland orchestras, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra at the Prague Proms in 2016. The live recording from Melbourne, released by ABC Jazz, won the Australian Jazz Bell Award for Best Traditional Album.

Her festival appearances include the New York Winter Jazz Festival, Sapporo International Jazz Festival, Prague Proms, Jazz à Vienne, Ascona Jazz Festival, Piacenza Jazz Festival, Malta International Jazz Festival, and the New Zealand International Jazz Festival, along with regular appearances at festivals throughout Australia. She has performed at Duc Des Lombards in Paris, JazzDock in Prague, A-Trane in Berlin, and Pizza Express in London.

Hetty has released ten albums spanning swing to modern jazz. Her 2013 swing recording remains one of the genre's top-selling albums globally, with a single that has reached 380,000 streams on Spotify. "Under Paris Skies" (2019), a pared-back trio recording with guitar, bass, and voice, marked a step toward her current artistic direction. She has also collaborated with classical pianist Simon Tedeschi and recorded with ABC Jazz and Universal Music.

Raised on musicals in London's West End, Hetty has also worked in theatre, winning the lead role of Ava Gardner in Eric McCusker's original musical "Ava at the End of the World" in Melbourne. She appeared as a house band member on "Spicks and Specks," the beloved Australian music quiz show on ABC TV.

Her most recent release, "Jazz in Four Seasons: Spring, Vol. 1" (2025), represents a significant evolution in her artistry. This ambitious four-album project will see each volume recorded in a different country with local musicians, capturing a season through standards and original material. "Spring" was recorded in Prague with Czech musicians and features works by Duke Ellington, Tadd Dameron, and Dave Brubeck, alongside an original composition inspired by Czech poetry. The project reflects her nomadic life and explores how jazz has been embraced and reinterpreted across cultures.

More information about Jazz in Four Seasons can be found at www.jazzinfourseasons.com

Awards

James Morrison 'The A to Z of Jazz' Best Traditional Jazz Album - Australian Jazz Bell Awards 2015