Mama remembers Billie Holiday after 110 years

Mama remembers Billie Holiday after 110 years

Author: JOY 94.9 - LGBTI, LGBTIQA+, LGBTQIA+, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGB, Gay, Lesbian, Trans, Intersex, Queer Podcasts for all our Rainbow Communities March 18, 2026 Duration: 22:33

Jazz singer, cabaret artiste & gender transcendent diva Mama Alto, visited the Bent Notes studio and spoke about using Strength in Softness and Power in Vulnerability in her songs and other presentations; and her love of the music of Billie Holiday – one of Mama’s Idols of song who had a great ability to use Strength in Softness and Power in Vulnerabilty.  Mama notes that the power of subtlety, and subtle choices are such a core element of a Jazz Singer’s art.

Hear Mama also chat about Salted Caramels!

Mama first perfomed her Billie Holiday songbook in 2015, on the 100th anniversary of Billie’s birth, and has chosen to perform that show again in the David Li Sound Gallery at the Monash University Big Jazz Day Out on Saturday March 21, 2026 – remembering Billie after 110 years.

Hear what Mama had to say in this podcast from Bent Notes on JOY 94.9.

Mama Alto was guest of Bent Notes on Sunday March 15, 2026
Bent Notes – 2 hours of Jazz and Improvised Music – 7 o’clock every Sunday night
JOY 94.9 – Out.Loud.Proud – Your Voice – Your Radio Station

Support this podcast, Donate to JOY; Become a member

The post Mama remembers Billie Holiday after 110 years appeared first on Bent Notes.


Tune into Bent Notes for a vibrant exploration of jazz that stretches across decades and defies easy categorization. This podcast, from the team at JOY 94.9, is more than a simple music show; it’s a curated journey through sound that connects the dots between the foundational rhythms of ragtime and the innovative pulses of contemporary remixes. Each episode serves as both a listening session and a conversation, weaving together tracks with thoughtful commentary and engaging interviews that provide context and highlight the artists-particularly those from LGBTIQA+ and rainbow communities-who have shaped and continue to redefine this ever-evolving genre. You’ll hear stories behind the music, discover new interpretations of classic sounds, and gain a deeper appreciation for jazz’s incredible diversity. Whether you're a lifelong aficionado or simply curious about where the music can go, this podcast offers a fresh and inclusive perspective, celebrating the rich, sometimes unconventional, and always compelling history of jazz in all its forms.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Bent Notes
Podcast Episodes
Adam’s First Rhythms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:20
Composer, percussionist, painter, educator and proud Kamilaroi man Adam Manning spoke with Bent Notes about his growing up with music and rhythm and their becoming then a key feature of his life. He said that his decisio…
Darcy’s World of Cello [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:38
Emerging Melbourne based Cello player, composer and educator Darcy Gilkerson spoke with Bent Notes about his Debut album – Acteon, and his music which works to build a bridge between contemporary classical composition an…
The Village Square – Live from Studio A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:09
Guitarist Robbie Melville, Cello player Zoe Knighton and Actor Richard Piper performed excerpts from Robbie’s latest creation – The Village Square – LIVE from Studio A at JOY 94.9. Robbie talked about his writing a short…
Jason’s Hammerhead Jazz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:10
Saxophonist Jason Bruer spoke with Bent Notes about his being taken with the music of John Coltrane and Weather Report in London for the first time when he was 16 years of age. Jason’s only previous musical experience ha…
Serge’s Wang Hang Advice for 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:18
Serge Carnovale, Artistic Director of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about this year’s festival, providing his guidance for your Wang Hang! This is the 2nd festival that…
Hamed’s East-West Fusion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:56
Hamed Sadeghi asked his mother for a TAR when he was 14 years of age, after hearing it played on the radio and falling in love with the sound of the instrument. He decided that Music was to be his career when 18 years of…
Paul and Michelle’s Sad Songs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:19
When Paul Grabowsky and Michelle Nicolle visted the Bent Notes studio they spoke about the feelings, emotions and memories they recall after gigs and projects, and their consideration of the history of songs and music in…
Quinn Knight talks about TL;DR – Too Long;Didn’t Read [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:13
Quinn Knight visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about his musical upbringing, developing musical career, and the debut album of his father’s TL;DR project. The album is called Too Long;Didn’t Read – an album described…
Music of your day  – Mina Yu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:48
Mina Yu spoke on Bent Notes of starting her classical piano education at a really young age and of taking up the Jazz mantle when the concept of Jazz was introduced to her. Mina has not become a Jazz musician, but rather…
Michelle’s Silent Wish [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:08
Melbourne based vocalist and composer Michelle Nicolle visited the Bent Notes studio upon the occaision of the release of her 11th album – THE SILENT WISH. Michelle was about to leave Australia for a visit to America to…