Sounding the Archive: Professor Jen Wilson’s Lifework

This location marks the heart of Jazz Heritage Wales and pays tribute to its founder, Professor Jen Wilson, who dedicated her life to uncovering the untold stories of jazz in Wales. Following her passing in 2023, her legacy continues to resonate — not only through the archive she established, but through the many musicians, researchers, and educators she inspired.

To honour her contribution, a street piano was installed in the foyer of the Dylan Thomas Centre — a tribute created by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to mark Swansea’s hosting of the international Documenting Jazz Conference in 2022. Jazz Heritage Wales played a key role in bringing the conference to the city.

At this location, you are listening to "The Force that through the Green Fuse" from the album Twelve Poems – The Dylan Thomas Jazz Suite by the Jen Wilson Ensemble. This work reflects Jen’s lifelong commitment to connecting poetry, politics, and jazz through collaborative performance.

You can explore Jen Wilson’s book Freedom Music or listen to the full Dylan Thomas Jazz Suite via the Jazz Heritage Wales archive and select streaming platforms.

Contributors

In this section, you’ll hear from two musicians who worked closely with Jen:

Margot Morgan is a Swansea-based singer and educator known for her work in community music and jazz performance. A regular collaborator with Jen Wilson, Margot has been involved in a wide range of Jazz Heritage Wales projects — including workshops, recordings, and The Dylan Thomas Jazz Suite, where she was the featured vocalist. She is also the conductor of the Brynmill Community Choir, helping to keep spirituals and freedom songs alive in local performance.

Deborah Glenister is a saxophonist, improviser, and music educator based in Wales. She first met Jen Wilson in 2005, and from 2006 to 2013 they ran a series of all-female jazz workshops together. Deborah has since continued to perform, teach, and contribute to projects supporting women in jazz across South Wales, maintaining a strong connection to Jen’s mission of representation and mentorship.

Their reflections offer a personal insight into Jen’s mentorship and the lasting impact of her work in performance, education, and cultural memory.

If you're inside the Dylan Thomas Centre, take a moment to find the street piano — it’s not just an instrument, but a symbol of the living legacy Jen helped create.

Street Pianos Across Swansea

The Dylan Thomas Centre piano was one of a series of hand-painted street pianos placed across Swansea during the Documenting Jazz Conference, organised by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. The project was designed to celebrate the city’s relationship with jazz and to bring colour, creativity, and music into public spaces.

Each piano was uniquely decorated by local artists and placed in key cultural venues — including Swansea Arena, Swansea Museum, National Waterfront Museum, and Swansea Railway Station. The installations invited passersby to stop, play, and reflect on Swansea’s rich and often hidden jazz history.

These pianos not only honoured the legacy of jazz in Wales but also encouraged new conversations about music, place, and memory — core values shared by Jazz Heritage Wales and its wider community.