Ruthie Culver is a jazz singer known for her eclectic repertoire.  Highlighting her passion for lyrics and storytelling, she draws on French chansons (Piaf, Brel) and German Kabbaret (Weill, Hollaender) as well as her own compositions and some startling jazz arrangements of Benjamin Britten, Stephen Sondheim and Astor Piazzolla.

After studying English Literature and Music at Birmingham University and the Birmingham Conservatoire, she was offered a place at the Vienna Conservatoire, but decided her future did not lie in singing classical music. So she got a ‘proper job’ – first as General Manager of the Harrogate International Festival, followed by English National Opera’s education department.

But she continued to sing, studying jazz technique with various teachers, and singing at weekends with The Jazzberries, with whom she has performed at 10 Downing Street, Royal palaces and Elton John’s mansion.

Ruthie’s debut album REFASHIONED was launched in 2008 with a live performance on BBC Radio 3 and selected as the London Evening Standard “Jazz CD of the Month”.

Ruthie has appeared at London’s Pizza on the Park and Pizza Express, Soho, as well as at jazz clubs, festivals and theatres across the UK. Her successful 2004 Edinburgh Festival show led to a BBC Radio Scotland “Pick of the Fringe” and an invitation to the 2006 New Zealand Festival.

Influenced by Blossom Dearie, Peggie Lee, Chet Baker and Ute Lemper as well as contemporary classical and world music, Ruthie has carved out an individual niche for herself with powerful and passionate performances that combine he personal with the political.

In 2009 she set up The Utter:Jazz Collective to explore music and poetry fusions and their first show – imaginatively entitled Utter:Jazz – received an Arts Council/Jazz Services Touring Award.  Their second show –  Look, Stranger – tours in 2013.

Ruthie is also an NLP Coach and Clinical Hypnotherapist