Audio: Jaye Ward goes funky for Love Child

Jaye Ward has been at the heart of London’s party scene since the mid-80s. Back then she was getting an early taste for rave culture during the UK’s acid house explosion, cutting her teeth playing records at some of the capital’s best squat parties. By the early 90s she was heading across the pond to play small clubs in New York, where she would establish her name as one of the regular faces at the fabled Manhattan spot Nell’s. Back home she was also building her profile as both a resident at The End’s FYP night and one of the co-founders of Soft Machine, all the while holding down a string of jobs behind the counter at some of Soho’s key record shops for dance music. These days she’s still active in the scene here in London, with regular appearances at queer haven Dalston Superstore, as well as a fresh venture with us at our Sunday night Love Child sessions. Her mix for us, recorded ahead of her first set at Love Child this weekend, is as discerning as you would expect from someone with four decades of digging experience: acid house, funk shufflers, deeper bits – Ward lays down everything that’s informed her tastes here, showing that a stack of old records can still sound as fresh as anything in the right hands. Download: Jaye Ward Sundays at fabric x Love Child Promo Mix Jaye Ward plays Love Child's 1st Birthday on Sunday 3rd November. Tickets are available here.