about

The Jazz Baddies are a collective of some of the most exciting Black jazz musicians in America. While the all-women lineup is immediately striking, the real story is the caliber of the musicianship: these are masterful practitioners of their instruments, period. The band’s foundation predates the Jazz Baddies name. Beginning with a duo tour opening for Sons of Kemet in 2022, Melanie Charles and drummer Ruthie Price began developing a musical chemistry that would eventually become the heartbeat of this new configuration. As Melanie began building the live world of The Lunacy of Not Believing, she realized that this music called for a distinctly female perspective and expanded that chemistry into the Jazz Baddies: Amina Scott on upright bass as the pillar of the sound, Ruthie bringing a rhythmic language that is both powerful and fluid, Ashlei Peoples on keys, grounding the music in her gospel foundation, and Melanie serving as conductor, vocalist, flutist and sonic unifier. Together, they move effortlessly between straight-ahead jazz, live sampling, hip-hop and Jersey club, honoring the tradition while pushing it forward. The public response has been explosive because the Jazz Baddies are not a novelty or an “all-girl band.” They are a world class band whose chemistry, virtuosity and perspective create a live experience that feels genuinely new.

Melanie Charles - vocals, flute, sampling, electronics

Amina Scott – bass

Ruthie Price – drums

Ashlei Peoples – piano/keys