‘One of the most adventurous vocalists around, a musical explorer…’ The Jazzmann
Improvising vocalist, composer & lyricist
Born in Milan to a Turkish father and Turkish-British mother, Beraha grew up on the Côte d’Azur in France where her first music memories are of sitting and listening to her dad play piano and sing. This musical, multinational and multilingual upbringing combined to inspire and mould one of the most creative vocalists and composers on the UK scene.
Embracing a wide variety of music influences and genres, from jazz and latin to classical and, more recently, electronic, Beraha’s sound is free and fluid with an emphasis on exploration and expression. Fearlessly testing the limits of the voice as instrument, her sound is distinguished by the unexpected, with free improvisation and evocative wordless singing at its core.
This agility, adventurous spirit and limitless imagination all mark her out as a truly exciting and versatile artist with a huge range of experience and creative scope.
She has collaborated with a wide range of leading musicians and recorded a string of critically acclaimed albums. Her first solo work, By the Cobbled Path (2021), saw her curiosity lead her further into the world of electronics and sonic manipulation, deepening the dream-like atmosphere of her compositions. Her fifth album as a leader, Blink (2022) — the follow-up to Lucid Dreamers (2020), featuring George Crowley, Alcyona Mick and Tim Giles — was released on 20 May 2022 and marked the band’s first major touring opportunity since forming in 2020 for a concert at the Queen Elisabeth’s Hall as part of the London Jazz Festival. The 13-date UK and European tour was supported by Arts Council England and an opportunity to continue developing the band’s unique sound and aesthetic. Teasing Reflections (2025) - Her band Lucid Dreamers’ third album and Brigitte’s 6th as a leader - represents a further evolution of her compositional voice and improvisational language. Continuing her exploration of texture, space and lyrical abstraction, the album deepens her commitment to spontaneity and interplay while bringing a heightened sense of intimacy and emotional clarity. It stands as a mature and distinctive statement in her discography, affirming her position as a leading creative voice in contemporary improvised music.
Previous albums, Prelude to a Kiss (FMR, 2005) and Flying Dreams (F-Ire, 2008), equally reveal the constant movement and development of Beraha as an artist. The former, a combination of jazz standards and originals, attests to her love for jazz and latin standards while also setting the tone for her trademark contemporary and ethereal sound, enhanced by the saxophone of Ingrid Laubrock. The second is a more personal collection of original compositions, influenced by Anglo-European and latin jazz as well as Brigitte’s own cosmopolitan upbringing.
Collaborations
Apart from leading her own band ‘Lucid Dreamers’, the main current collaborations Brigitte is involved in are with Ant Law, Façades Vocal Quartet and ‘Tea for Three’. Find out more about these and others on the Projects page.
Beraha has also been involved in a number of cross-genre projects such as the recreation of Basil Kirchin’s music as part of Hull City of Culture 2017 with the BBC Concert Orchestra, the re-imagining of Eddie Parker’s 12-piece Debussy Mirrored Ensemble, and Raising Hell with Henry Purcell led by Ethan Iverson at Kings Place in 2018.
Teaching
Also a top-class educator, Beraha found an affinity for teaching during her studies in London and now teaches jazz vocals at the Guildhall School of Music, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and the Royal Welsh College of Music. She also runs her own masterclasses and teaches on various courses and summer schools throughout the year such as CLJAZZ and LoireMusic.
Further information
Brigitte has worked with an extensive list of established artists and musical luminaries, having performed and/or recorded with Kenny Wheeler, Chris Laurence, Paul Clarvis, Bobby Wellins, Martin France, Yazz Ahmed, Ethan Iverson, Mandhira de Saram, Olie Brice, Cath Roberts, Dee Byrne, Kim Macari, Will Gregory, The BBC Concert Orchestra, Eddie Parker, Evan Parker, Stuart Hall, Winston Clifford, Frank Harrison, Dave Manington, Tom Challenger, Rob Updegraff, Stan Sulzmann, Huw Warren, Riaan Vosloo, Noel Langley, Jez Franks, Geoff Eales, Steve Fishwick, Pete King, Alan Barnes, Liam Noble, John Parricelli, Ingrid Laubrock, Barry Green, Julian Siegel, Jim Watson, Mike Gorman, Cleveland Watkiss, Anita Wardell, Tim Garland, Tim Whitehead, Jason Rebello, Scott Stroman, Malcolm Creese, Andy Panayi, Ivo Neame, Phil Donkin, George Hart, John Turville, Tim Lapthorn, Jez Franks, Tori Freestone, Gwillym Simcock, Josephine Davies and many more.
She has performed and led workshops in the United States, France, Brussels, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Finland, Turkey, Nepal and all over the UK, performing regularly in London at top venues such as the Vortex, the National Theatre, Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Festival Halls, Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Jazz Club, the Spice of Life, The 606 and venues run by the Loop and E17jazz collectives. Brigitte was nominated for ‘Vocalist of the Year’ in the Jazz Fm Awards 2022, Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2021 & 2022 and for the the Ivors Composer Awards 2021.