Estelle recorded 2 singles when she was 18. Her stage debut in 1987 with jazz super group Phambili at Kippies in Joburg caused a sensation. She went on to guest with South African World Music Stars Bayete, also appearing with SA Jazz greats Barney Rachabane and Mike Makhalemele. "South Africa, here is a real jazz singer” Don Albert, South Africa
In 1988 Estelle joined jazz fusion band Rush Hour and their album ‘The Perfect Way’ went on to top the charts. The band embarked on a successful tour of the club, festival and concert circuit in South Africa.
Estelle moved to London in 1993 and soon established herself on the live scene, performing at Pizza Express and The Vortex Jazz Clubs, Cambridge Modern Jazz Cub and Band on the Wall in Manchester.
She has performed at the Cork, London and Soho Jazz festivals, as well as the Dusseldorf Jazz Rally, clubs and theatres in Switzerland and Germany.
Estelle released two studio albums ‘Alternative Therapy’ (1999) and ‘Information’ (2006) with London based line-ups that include Mick Hutton, Alan Skidmore, Tristan Powell, Rod Youngs, Yaron Stavi and Gene Calderazzo.
‘Where Is the Rainbow’ from her SAMA nominated album ‘Information’ (2007) featured on a popular South African TV series ‘A Place Called Home’ and South African Strictly Come Dancing winner, actor/singer Emmanuel Castis recorded one of her tracks on his CD ‘South of Nowhere’ (2008).
A Culture of Closed on the 15th of September 2019 at PizzaExpress, will explore themes and inspirations of my new songs from a variety of sources, including a serial killer, Pythagoras and a builder turned artist.
There's a story about an online scrabble caper in Faro, which includes a marriage proposal from a man I've never met who is already engaged. This in turn inspired a song called Meal Online for One (MOFO), where clichés are questioned and proverbs are tested.
Then there’s the one about a sidekick who pretends to be a lady and her abusive rocket man. It’s called Hash Tag Ged, drawing inspiration from the #metoo campaign.
When Genghis Khan and his warriors invaded Asia it's been said that so many people were killed by him and his warriors, that the forests reclaimed the farmlands. Sediment from his grandson Kublai's silver mines, however, still pollutes Lake Erhai in the Yunnan province of China.
The Longest War is a part jazz/part classical lament. The story takes place under a bridge in Kabul and The White House Hotel in Jalalabad, with references to the Golden Triangle and the opium trade.
The Israelites and The Mother of all Bombs is about a shared journey with Homer and Poseidon, skimming the eye of the needle while Orion unties his belt and swings to the backdrop of the mother of all bombs. Jacob views it all from the sanctuary of his ladder.
https://estellekokot.com
