Having been a success in Canada, jazz singer Tammy Weis made the brave leap to move to London and build a career this side of the pond.

It was a leap worth taking, for she has gone on to gain a growing reputation on the jazz scene here, highlighted by her headline performance at Ronnie Scott's last Thursday to launch her new album, Where I Need To Be.

The record talks about her experiences living away from Canada, something she doesn't regret choosing to do.

"I love Canada and it was great but it's quite different there," she says.

"It is a smallish scene and it is difficult to break out and break away from that but London is different.

"There are so many venues and I have had the pleasure of working with so many fantastic songwriters.

"The album is about being away from home and the situations you find yourself in.

"London is a great place and being away from home it seems to be even more so and that really helped me in most of the writing side.

"I have lived here on and off for about five years and first came over to visit a friend of mine for an extended period of time.

"I then started writing songs in a pop band and we signed a record deal but that fell though unfortunately...well I guess fortunately for me now.

"I started to get a few jazz gigs and played with Jamie Cullum at the Jazz Cafe and my profile has cultivated itself since then."

Weis has co-written all the songs on the album apart from Help, a cover version of the John Lennon and Paul McCartney classic.

"It was a song that came to me in a dream," explains Weis.

"I had some trouble with finances for my album a week or two before it was to be recorded and there was a little bit of stress in my life so I was feeling like I needed help.

"Then I dreamed of the song Help for two nights in a row but had never sung it before in my life and didn't even know the lyrics.

"I sung it down the phone to Julian Joseph and BJ Cole and they said I had to put it on the album, so a week later we were doing it in the studio."

Weis is a fifth generation musician and did her first live solo performance when just three years old and talent contest when seven.

She spent some time away from music as a teenager though before the tragic death of her mother made her realise what she wanted to do in life.

"You go through periods of shying away from music where you think if it is meant to be it will find you again and I am very fortunate that it did," she says.

"With my mother passing away it was a real eye opener and made me think about what is important and what my dreams and aspirations are.

"Mine is making music and sometimes you have to follow your heart and I am very glad I did, I love what I do."

Tammy Weis, Hideaway, Empire Mews, Stanthorpe Road, Streatham, March 7, 7pm, £8. Call 020 8677 7791 or visit hideawaylive.co.uk.