Zoe and Rob are a “nationally regarded couple, it tells in the power and professionalism of their performance…”  

(born in Bahrain into a military family, six schools by the age of six - could read music before she could read - so packed off to boarding school just before her seventh birthday…)

A very young Zoe began her musical journey at a convent boarding school, where she sang sacred music in church several times a week. A natural singer, she was often chosen as a soloist and conducted the church schola. Despite the strict rules, Zoe broadened her musical horizons by secretly listening to John Peel under the bedcovers on a tiny transistor radio, falling in love with bands like The Clash and The Stranglers.

In her early teens, her uncle Colin introduced her to Billie Holiday — a moment that became the crucial stepping stone toward Zoe finding her true musical home in the blues.

By the time she left school, Zoe had achieved Grade 8 in piano, clarinet, music theory, and singing — not to mention countless hours spent noodling on an acoustic guitar and dabbling in early songwriting.

From here, the real journey began…

For someone with such a natural feel for, and ability to convey, emotion through singing the blues, Zoe had a surprisingly unorthodox start to her musical journey. Raised in a musical family, her early experiences were rooted in the world of classical music. She went on to earn a BA in Performing Arts from Trent Park, Middlesex University, and spent the following years performing in a range of styles — from modern improvisational and classical music to drama and dance. During this time, she worked with notable artists including Keith Tippett, Scott Stroman, Harrison Birtwistle, and Emma Kirkby.

Like many musicians starting out, Zoe faced the financial realities of the profession, taking on part-time temp work to bridge the gap between gigs.

Her early musical explorations also included singing in indie pop bands, participating in improvisational theatre workshops and performances, and performing at a variety of London venues — from The Bass Clef, The Barbican, to the Royal Festival Hall.

Zoe turned up the heat on her musical career in the autumn of 2001. While attending a course at Dartington International Summer School, she impressed Keith and Julie Tippett, who invited her to perform a set of Billie Holiday songs at a concert. The experience was transformative. Inspired, she returned home and began searching for like-minded musicians — and that’s when she met Rob Koral.

This meeting became the catalyst Zoe needed. After several years of performing together at major jazz clubs and festivals — including a week at Ronnie Scott’s — Zoe and Rob officially formed Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion in January 2012.

In addition to their acclaimed Blue Commotion albums, Zoe and Rob recorded Slow Burn, a beautiful, intimate trio album. It not only showcases Zoe’s distinct blues phrasing but also serves as a personal statement, capturing the range of influences that have shaped her musical journey — most notably, the profound impact of Billie Holiday on her artistic identity.

See the ‘Bands’ and ‘Press’ pages for the next chapters…