Kate Williams – New Album ‘On The Wing Of A Dragonfly’

Key Takeaways

• Album drops 1 May 2026 on Kate Williams Trio
• Trio format spotlights piano, bass, and drums interplay
• Title track honors a late childhood friend, Pullman‑inspired
• Features original pieces and a reimagined “Jitterbug Waltz”
• Launch concert set for 13 May at London’s 606 Club

Pulse Analysis

Kate Williams has been a quietly influential figure on the UK jazz scene since the early 2000s, when the John Dankworth Award first singled her out as a talent deserving wider recognition. Over the past decade she built a reputation for ambitious projects that blended her acoustic trio with horns, strings, and full orchestras, producing richly arranged albums that showcased her compositional depth. "On The Wing Of A Dragonfly" marks a deliberate retreat to the essentials—a piano‑bass‑drums trio that foregrounds spontaneous interaction and the subtle nuances of collective improvisation, offering listeners a more intimate glimpse of her musical language.

The album’s emotional core stems from a personal loss. A close childhood friend’s funeral in early 2025 prompted Williams to channel grief into a three‑note motif—D‑E‑B—that became the seed for the title track. Borrowing a lyric from Philip Pullman’s "The Amber Spyglass," she frames the record as a meditation on fleeting moments and natural beauty, echoing the quote about living in birds, dragonflies, and sun‑lit specks. The setlist weaves Bill Evans‑style ballads, witty bebop twists, and a daring deconstruction of Fats Waller’s "Jitterbug Waltz," illustrating how personal narrative can coexist with sophisticated jazz vocabulary.

For the broader jazz market, the album signals a resurgence of trio‑centric projects that balance compositional rigor with improvisational freedom. Critics and streaming curators are likely to spotlight the record as a benchmark of modern British jazz, especially given the upcoming launch at the iconic 606 Club—a venue known for introducing breakthrough releases. As Williams continues to evolve without compromising her artistic integrity, "On The Wing Of A Dragonfly" may attract both longtime aficionados and new listeners seeking emotionally resonant, technically adept jazz experiences.