Emma-Jean Thackray
Emma-Jean Thackray has emerged as a standard-bearer of jazz that stands out from the broader UK scene. Following multiple successful EPs in 2020, 2021 saw the release of her critically lauded debut album Yellow – 14 tracks that bloom with brass, strings, choral segments, and ecstatic chants.
It’s an album that sounds like a live performance. Referencing auteur figures like Brian Wilson or Madlib, Thackray straddles instrumentation, arrangement, and production to bring the sound in her head to fruition. “The groove is the most important thing,” says Thackray. “Even if it's a tune that's really mad and free, all kinds of crazy shit happening, there's usually a groove there - an anchor, locking it down.”
Thackray’s long-term band – drummer Dougal Taylor, pianist Lyle Barton and bassist Matt Gedrych – will join her on the road for 4 performances across Australasia. Expect wild compositions, striking arrangements and dancefloor-focused tunes that make it difficult to stand still.
