In a first time JW3 x EFG London Jazz Festival collaboration, Emma Smith and long-term musical collaborator-pianist to the stars, Jamie Safir, meet on stage for a one-off evening of musical expression and storytelling.
Their rapport is infectious, and the two of them promise to take the audience on a journey through jazz music and all the joy and heartbreak that comes with these much loved songs of a bygone era.
Featuring hits from Emma’s most recent album Meshuga Baby, including Makin Whoopee and the controversial reworking of There’s No Business Like Show Business, as well as never-before-heard arrangements of Sinatra classics and Gershwin toe tappers, this evening of song is one not to miss!
Emma Smith
Emma Smith’s star is on the ascendant. With diverse and extensive experience performing everywhere from the 02 Arena to the world’s leading jazz clubs, collaborating and recording with the likes of Michael Buble, The Quincy Jones Orchestra, Jeff Goldblum, Bobby McFerrin and Seal along the way, Emma Smith has created a formidable reputation as a powerful and expressive artist on the global jazz scene.
Emma Smith’s many accolades to date includes the widespread success of her long established vocal harmony group The Puppini Sisters, as well as a 4 year stint as a broadcaster on BBC Radio 3, not to mention a range of awards and compliments from organisations and critics alike, including winning the ‘Worshipful Company Of Musicians Medal’, reaching the finals of the Montreux Jazz Competition and more recently being nominated for a prestigious Parliamentary Jazz Award in the ‘Jazz Vocalist of the Year’ category.
Now with the release of her first solo album in 10 years, Emma Smith has continued her rise to prominence as a multifaceted singer-songwriter with outstanding vocal ability – ‘Meshuga Baby’ has been received with critical acclaim, and became one of last year’s stand out releases and an important addition to this year’s cultural diaspora.
Racking up millions of streams since it’s release, going up for Grammy Consideration, as well as receiving radio support from Jamie Cullum on BBC2, Cerys Matthews on BBC6, TSF, & Jazz FM, ‘Meshuga Baby’, is a nod to Emma’s proud Jewish heritage. A play on words based on ‘Meshuga’, the Yiddish word for ‘crazy’ – a judgment that Smith describes as “so often passed on brave ambitious women that are not afraid express their opinions and showcase their talent.”
Quotes
“Extraordinary cumulative power” Jazz Wise
“An astonishingly mature performance…Exceptional agility” The Times
“One of the most stylish and original interpreters of Songbook classics on the scene” All About Jazz
“Emotive power ” Evening Standard
“Emma Smith is a singer with a voice that is a breath of fresh air to the jazz world” Jazz Views
“If you want a name for the future, then agents should not wait too long to beat a path to the door of Emma Smith’ The Telegraph
