Queen’s Buildings: A Cornerstone for Women in Jazz

The Queen’s Buildings (next to the Queen’s Hotel) once housed Women in Jazz Swansea, the early incarnation of what is now Jazz Heritage Wales. Founded in 1986 by Professor Jen Wilson as the Women’s Jazz Archive, its original mission was to record and celebrate the creative and social contributions of women in jazz — particularly within Wales.

By 2002, the archive had formally become Women in Jazz, offering educational programmes, curated events (including a 2005 concert at the Queen’s Hotel), and a growing collection of personal stories and rare recordings. Over time, its focus expanded to include Black musicians, working-class artists, and grassroots musical communities — evolving into the broader and more inclusive project known today as Jazz Heritage Wales.

In this audio, Margot Morgan — singer, educator, and long-time collaborator with Jen Wilson — reflects on that journey of transformation. She discusses how the archive grew from a women-centred initiative into a diverse cultural heritage project that continues to uplift underrepresented voices in jazz.

She also highlights the contribution of Phil Cope, a photographer, writer, and exhibition designer, whose visual storytelling has helped document and promote Welsh cultural history, particularly around music, place, and tradition.

You'll also hear from Kim Collis, County Archivist for West Glamorgan, who recalls the archive’s move from Cambrian Place to the Townhill campus of Swansea Metropolitan University — a key phase in its institutional development.

At this location, you are also listening to “A Process in the Weather of the Heart” from the album Twelve Poems – The Dylan Thomas Jazz Suite, composed and arranged by Jen Wilson and performed by the Jen Wilson Ensemble. This piece reflects the project’s deep connection to Welsh poetry, improvisation, and the emotional landscape of jazz.