Undisputed darling of Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Natalie Williams, is a veteran of the British music sphere. Since beginning her residency during the re-opening of the Club in 2007, the vocalist and songwriter has enjoyed a rich, varied music career, garnering awards and devoted fans along the way. Whilst Williams' name may not crop up regularly in the music media, most successful vocalists coming out of the UK are on familiar terms with the influential musician. Grammy winning artist, Sam Smith, once went to watch her show as a teen. Smith says,

“Natalie helped me understand Soul music, and her Soul Family Sundays residency at Ronnie’s is what made me realise,‘this is what I really wanna do!'”

The last decade or so has seen her collaborate with artists from Goldie to Incognito to Jacob Collier. Williams' reach extends to many artists across a diverse scene. She has toured extensively with the Ronnie Scott's house band, the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, playing the Blue Note Caribbean Jazz Cruise alongside Gregory Porter, Diane Reeves, Pat Metheny and Marcus Miller, Birdland Jazz Club in NYC; Rochester Jazz Festival and their annual residency at the Zermatt Unplugged Festival in Switzerland where she has performed with Paolo Nutini, Gabrielle, Lisa Stansfield, Emeli Sande and Jessie J. This included a performance at the Royal Albert Hall, in November 2019, for Ronnie Scott’s 60th Anniversary concert, alongside Roy Ayers, Kurt Elling, Van Morrison and Imelda May. Additionally, Natalie has regularly toured France and Europe with one of France's most celebrated jazz and funk musicians, Eric Legnini, playing the Nice Jazz Festival and St Emilion Jazz Festival amongst others. Her own band, Natalie Williams' Soul Family, are a staple favourite of the Love Supreme Festival, with their Youtube videos having combined views of more than 8 million streams.

She's known in the business for her skill as an early identifier of songwriting talents, often discovering artists on their way to major label success. Natalie Williams' Soul Family Sundays, her 17 year sold out residency at Ronnie Scott's, has hosted performances from artists such as; Kwabs, Jamie Cullum, Emeli Sande, JP Cooper, Jamie Woon, Lalah Hathaway; and Shoshana Bean. Getting hold of a ticket is like trying to get loo roll in lockdown. Up until the venue was temporarily shuttered along with the rest of the world, Natalie had never missed a show throughout her 17 year run, even once performing with a broken leg.

That ear for identifying talent in others comes from her own inherent skill as a songwriter. In a way, it's in the blood. Her father, the poet, John Hartley Williams, encouraged her love for stories and music from when she was a little girl. She has released 9 studio albums and this is her first EP as a solo artist on her own label. From early career albums such as MOBO nominated My Oh My, or critically acclaimed Secret Garden, showcasing her soul and R&B background; to the straight jazz, Where You Are; and the folk tinged Kaleidoscope, her powerful penmanship shines through and identifies her as an observant, poetic and often quirky lyricist. This is especially true for her latest release, the EP Straight on Til Morning, written in collaboration with her husband, bassist and producer, Robin Mullarkey.

Locking in to that childhood love of stories, Natalie says: “Straight on Til Morning was inspired by my love for Peter Pan and all the things he stands for. Never growing up, dreaming big, flying and generally trying to have the best time in life despite any obstacles or ups and downs. When I was a very young girl my family took me to see a production of Peter Pan and I was utterly mesmerised. At the end of the show, a random kid got pulled out of the audience and got to ‘fly’ on stage. I wished that kid had been me for a very long time and it’s never really left my memory.”

The masterly musicality of Robin Mullarkey, Williams' producer, co-writer, bass player and husband all-in-one combo, jumps out of every track. This is their third collaborative project, as musicians and as an IRL couple. Says Robin on working with his wife: “Nat and I are at our most creative working together. We're trying to find that sweet spot where we can draw on all those sounds that we love from our jazzy background, but bring them together and make catchy songs. When we combine our influences it always seems to always seems to result in real gratifying, sonorous, soul harmony. Of course it's a joy working with such a great singer as Natalie. Sometimes, I struggle not to overcomplicate, as I'm often inspired by my ultra-talented colleagues such as Jacob Collier, but when Nat sings, it all suddenly sounds effortless.”

Effortless is how to describe the beautiful, bluesy ballad Sleep.Williams' vocals soothe over Mullarkey's luscious string arrangements. “I know some people who can lay their head on a rock and still be out like a light, minutes later. I, sadly, am not one of those people, so Sleep is a song written for all the fellow insomniacs out there.”

The familiarity between the two writers, both musically and personally, breathes into all the songs on the E.P. Not least, the quirky, witty Don't Kiss Girls on Bikes, written by Natalie as an affectionate dig at Robin's love for girls on bicycles!

Whilst it was written a little time before the Coronavirus pandemic took it's grip on the world, the aptly titled, Broke, will ring true for many in the current climate. Although Williams can even find wit in being skint, with lyrics like 'only got pockets that jangle, when all we need is money that folds'. “'We may be broke'” says Williams, quoting the song, “cos musicians plus no gigs equals broke, but 'we ain't broke,' because despite the financial shortcomings we may face sometimes, we can actually have a really lovely time together and get through anything. Considering Robin was meant to be on tour with Jacob Collier for 3 months and then ended up being home with me, every minute of the day, it was nice to know we could really hang without being at each other's throats, after an extended lockdown together!”

Mullarkey's personal favourite track on the EP is the opening track and inspiration for the set, Peter Pan. It's joyful, light and a persistent ear worm. Says Mullarkey: “I think it really succeeded in capturing a sense of excitement and I could listen to those chords all day.” You can't help but smile at the youthful exuberance it exudes, especially in the closing bars. It captures the essence of Natalie Williams herself, an artist who, like in the lyrics of the song, is 'a star getting golder'.