Helen Svoboda is the Winner of the 2020 Freedman Jazz Fellowship

Helen Svoboda is a double bassist, vocalist, composer, improviser and nature enthusiast. “With a deep awareness of extra musical concepts that shape inventive improvisation, and great art” (Steve Newcomb, AUS), Helen draws influence from vegetables, flowers and the genres of minimalist neo-classical music, folk and experimental jazz.

Flipped Interview with James Bowers

“Whilst I certainly do have my share of punters coming up to me after shows and expecting me to care about whatever topic they’ve decided we are now going to talk about, it’s probably better than the common alternative that women face of that same bloke giving me a full, unprompted critique of my personal appearance. So, I guess that’s good. It’s also pretty nice having crew/tech not just assume I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Jazz in Adelaide: Reminiscing about the Cellar and the Creole Room

“We immediately moved an initially serviceable, hired, upright piano from the cellar beneath Bill Ross’ parents’ home to the new club; but, because we managed to drop it from about halfway down the stairs to the bottom, it was then deemed no longer serviceable by its owner. “Written off” – and therefore now rent-free – the piano was actually in reasonable shape. It held its tune reliably; and it never left the Cellar until the club finally closed its doors in the early ’70s.”