Born in New Jersey in 1938, American organist and singer Rhoda Scott was discovered in Harlem by Count Basie and later in France by Eddie Barclay, who quickly helped her record albums. Having lived in France for over half a century, the artist known as _the barefoot organist_ has become the leading ambassador of the Hammond organ in the country. Popularized in jazz by Jimmy Smith, this instrument—traditionally found in Black churches—migrated into the jazz world, unveiling its full expressive potential.
Rhoda Scott has also been a pioneer in bringing more women onto the international jazz scene. Since 2004, she has surrounded herself with top female instrumentalists—such as at the 2018 _Jazz à la Villette_ Festival, where she performed alongside drummers Anne Paceo and Julie Saury, trumpeter Julien Alour, and saxophonists Géraldine Laurent, Lisa Cat-Berro, and Sophie Alour. With a strong swing feel, their album title, _We Free Queens_, perfectly sets the tone.