An ‘outstanding summit between contemporary poets and musicians’

the independent

Words and Jazz is a monthly poetry and music night held at the Vortex Jazz Club. It was founded in 2015 and is curated and hosted by Nicki.

Some of the best contemporary poets and musicians have performed here, including Vahni Capildeo, Mark Waldron, Sasha Dugdale, Melissa Lee Houghton, Jacqueline Saphra, Clare Pollard, Nick Drake, Matthew Caley, Omikemi Natacha Bryan, Tristram Fane Saunders, Amy Acre, Phoebe Stuckes, Ollie O’Neill, George Szirtes, Zena Edwards, Roddy Lumsden.

Emilia Martesson, Alice Zawadzki, Fini Bearman, Bruno Heinen, Heidi Vogel, Tom Olendorff, James Kitchman, Sorana Santos, Dave Hamblett, Riccardo Chiaberta, Dugong, Larry Bartley, Andrea Di Biase, Mark Lewandowski, Fulvio Sigurta and many more.

During the pandemic, Nicki founded Words & Art, an online monthly performance series involving readings accompanied by art painted live by artist Aurelie Freoua. These are available to watch on Facebook live. Poets such as Hannah Hodgson, Carole Bromley, Amy Acre, Mark Waldron and Sasha Dugdale appear alongside Aurelie’s beautiful paintings.  

Words & Jazz hopes to be back at the Vortex in 2022, incorporating live art by Aurelie Freoua.

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