FEATURE:
Spotlight
after Emma Smith has played Ronnie Scott’s (3rd May) but before she plays in Watford at the Palace Theatre. I have known about her music for a while, though I have never seen her live. It must be quite an experience seeing her on stage. This is an artist that you really need to know about. One of the most effecting and incredible, Smith is a true treasure. I will come to some features and interviews. It is worth grabbing some biography from her official website:
“Parliamentary Jazz Vocalist of the Year winner, Emma Smith’s star is on the rise. With diverse and extensive experience performing everywhere from the Royal Albert Hall in London to the world’s leading jazz clubs, it’s no wonder that Emma’s shows are fast becoming the hottest ticket in town. She has collaborated with the likes of Michael Bublé, The Quincy Jones Orchestra, Jeff Goldblum and Jeremy Pelt / Wayne Escoffery quintet. Along the way, she has built a formidable reputation as a powerful, expressive artist on the global jazz scene, nurturing a loyal fanbase that returns show after show.
Emma’s many accolades to date include the widespread success of her long-established vocal harmony group, The Puppini Sisters, as well as a four-year stint as a broadcaster on BBC Radio 3. She also holds a position with her home club’s acclaimed touring group, the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars. Following a triumphant tour with American supergroup Postmodern Jukebox, Emma’s career continues to soar — with tastemakers tipping her as one of the most exciting voices in jazz today.
Growing up in a family of jazz musicians, it was inevitable that Emma would catch the bug for joyous, swinging music. With a saxophonist mother and a trumpeter-composer father, she was surrounded by jazz chords, bebop records, and three-part vocal harmony from a young age. But Emma cites her biggest influence as her grandfather — an East End trombone player who began in British Army bands and rose to prominence playing with legends such as Sammy Davis Jr., Oscar Peterson, Barbra Streisand, and Frank Sinatra. Emma says, “He never skipped a day’s practice. He taught me that you’re only as good as your last performance. I’ve adopted my Grandad’s work ethic, wide-eyed adoration for the music, deep gratitude for the life it gives me, and limitless ambition.”
That work ethic has paid off. In recent years, Emma has received a range of awards and acknowledgements from both critics and institutions — including being one of only two singers ever to be awarded the Worshipful Company of Musicians Medal, reaching the finals of the Montreux Jazz Competition, and being named Jazz Act of the Year at the 2024 Jools Holland Boisdale Music Awards, competing alongside Ezra Collective, Courtney Pine, and Nubya Garcia. She was nominated for the Parliamentary Jazz Award in the Jazz Vocalist of the Year category in both 2022 and 2023, before proudly winning the title in 2024. Stateside, she reached the final five in the 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, selected from over 280 submissions representing 37 countries — and was the only non-USA-based singer to compete.
Emma’s rise to prominence has been cemented by her critically acclaimed studio work, showcasing her as a multifaceted jazz singer, arranger, and traditional songwriter with exceptional vocal ability. Her solo album Meshuga Baby was hailed as a breakout release, amassing millions of streams and receiving widespread radio support from Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Cerys Matthews (BBC 6 Music), TSF Jazz, and Jazz FM.
Her much-anticipated new album Bitter Orange arrives in summer 2025 via US label La Reserve, where she is the first UK artist to join their ultra-hip roster. An intimate snapshot into the mind and personal life of a self-making female artist, Bitter Orange captures Emma’s mission to be heard and make an impact in today’s world — with a sound rooted in yesterday”
There was a lot of love for her 2025 album, Bitter Orange. A bewitching and beautidul collection of songs, it is an album that I keep coming back to. A new favourite reach time I pass through. Emma Smith displaying her gifts as a vocalist. A truly captivating live talent, I follow Emma Smith on Instagram and can see videos of her performing. You get a window into her life and day to day. I do a series called The Great American Songbook. I spotlight American artists who have a remarkable catalogue. Though, there is no link to the traditional meaning of The Great American Songbook. It is a canon of influential, enduring popular songs and jazz standards, primarily from the 1920s to the 1950s. Emma Smith is masterful and compelling when interpreting these songs and making them her own. I am keen to include this interview from UK Jazz News, where Smith discussed making her third album, Bitter Orange:
“I hope you can hear the camaraderie and the joyfulness which we get from playing together,” declares London singer Emma Smith delightedly, referring to pianist Jamie Safir, double bassist Conor Chaplin and drummer Luke Tomlinson, who accompany her on her latest album Bitter Orange. “It evidences the commitment and loyalty we’ve had with each other for ten-plus years.”
Smith and Safir co-arranged the songs on Bitter Orange, which are mainly from the Great American Songbook. “We do the arrangements together, in the same room at the same time – we’re able to think musically as one person,” she says”.
Smith makes bold changes to many of the songs. The album begins, for example, with a brief introduction, which she gives the title ‘Hey World, Here I Am!’ This comprises several lines extracted from the song which follows, ‘I’m The Greatest Star’. Smith personalises these lyrics, so that the ‘American Beauty nose’ becomes a‘big beautiful Jewish nose.’ The song of course comes from 1964’s Funny Girl, the musical in which Barbra Streisand starred on Broadway. “It’s important to find your own voice within such a repertoire,” reflects Smith. “And I’m so connected to my Jewish identity [that] it’s a real statement for me: I’m reclaiming something I used to get bullied about, for the whole world to hear on a record that will live on the internet for ever and be in people’s houses across the world.”
Smith explains further her feelings about the song: “It’s an affirmation of confidence. But when Fanny Brice, Barbra’s character, sings it there’s an element of desperation and sadness that I really relate to. When she sings, ‘That’s why I was born/I’ll blow my horn/Till someone blows it,’ that always cracks me open because there is a feeling of, ‘I was born to do this and when is the world going to recognise it?’ I’m sure many artists can relate to that.”
Smith has also found success as a broadcaster and for four years presented Radio 3’s Jazz Now, with Soweto Kinch and Al Ryan. “The concept of the show was fantastic because it was artists interviewing artists,” she says. “Maybe after I’ve won my Grammys and played at the Royal Albert Hall and sung a James Bond soundtrack, I’ll go back to broadcasting!”
Smith released Meshuga Baby, her follow-up to The Huntress, in 2022. “It was nerve-wracking because there were ten years between the albums so I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it right,” she admits. “It was very important for me to highlight my Jewish heritage and I got to showcase the fun and bold artist that I am. I’m really proud of that work and still sing songs from it every gig – Willie Dixon’s ‘Seventh Son’ is a really fun encore and we do ‘Makin’ Whoopee’ because it’s been streamed over two million times on Spotify alone.”
The sexism that exists in the music industry infuriates Smith. “I’m running my own business, I’m my own manager and until recently my own agent and label, so now most men treat me with respect. But there are still some who don’t. We’ll arrive at gigs and people will only talk to Jamie as if I’m incapable of receiving the information about when soundcheck is! It’s a constant fight to be taken seriously and recognised for what I do – [I’m] not just able to sing in a nice frock and heels, I do all the arrangements, with Jamie, I design all the front covers, I do the liner notes, the set list, all the advance publicity for my tours, the marketing campaigns, the ads for the shows, I create all social media content, I design the T-shirt, get the T-shirt printed, I go and press the vinyl, I write the mailing list … Every single element! And so when you get patronised by a man it’s incredibly frustrating and insulting”.
I will end with a review for Bitter Orange. However, I did find this feature from Orinda News. Orinda is in California. Emma Smith played some U.S. dates recently and went down a storm. Playing at an iconic New York venue, this is an immense talent that I feel should played more. I know her music has spread beyond Jazz stations, though I have not heard her much on mainstream stations and covered by some of the biggest music and culture websites:
“It’s easy to see why England’s Emma Smith sold out her recent six concerts at New York’s storied Birdland, despite a raging storm that had most of the East Coast snowed in. Her powerful voice is enhanced with vocal nuances and her playful attitude creates an intimate relationship with her audience – making it seem as if she is singing to each one individually.
Bay Area audiences have a chance to see this dynamic performer when she makes her West Coast debut at the Live at the Orinda! concert series March 22.
In a recent interview, Smith noted she might do one or two original songs, plus some unusual fringe songs, including something from the 1950’s “Cinderella” musical.
“But I’ll concentrate mostly on the Great American Songbook, which is my jazz home,” Smith said. “It’s so fantastic, and I just do my own arrangements of some of those fabulous songs.”
Smith also plans a homage to her rich family history which includes her mother (saxophonist), her brother (guitarist) and her father (trumpeter/composer). But it was her grandfather who became her mentor.
An East End trombone player who began playing in British Army bands and rose to prominence playing with such legends as Sammy Davis Jr., Oscar Peterson, Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra, he helped hone the young musician’s skills.
“He never skipped a day’s practice,” said Smith. “He taught me that you’re only as good as your last performance. I’ve adopted my Granddad’s work ethic, and I have a wide-eyed adoration for the music and deep gratitude for the life it gives me.”
Her aunt also influenced Smith’s singing style, which has a fun theatrical, sassy side to it.
“My auntie was in musical theater and performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company among many others. She taught me from a young age to be a storyteller,” Smith said. “I grew up watching such old musicals as ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ ‘Funny Girl,’ ‘Hello, Dolly’ and ‘Chicago’.”
Surrounded by jazz chords, bebop records and three-part vocal harmony from a young age, Smith was destined for a musical career.
Following her studies at the Royal Academy of Music, Smith first received widespread success with the vocal harmony group The Puppini Sisters as well as her studio work, which solidified her multifaceted talents as a jazz singer, arranger and traditional songwriter with exceptional vocal ability.
“The Puppini Sisters are such an important part of my music education,” she said. “I just love the close harmonies we did.”
Smith also enjoyed the retro glam dresses they wore for such songs as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and, when she went solo, Smith included the look in her concerts.
“When traveling, I like to go vintage shopping. What I’m wearing in a show is often a marker of my travels,” said Smith.
And travel is something Smith often does.
Last year, she traveled for over 11 months, spending the holidays in Athens and celebrating Christmas Day at the Acropolis.
“Luckily, I love traveling, especially to Poland and all these amazing Italian towns,” Smith said. “Being on the road so much, I don’t have time for a personal life, so I just create a social life wherever I am. I also like to tour with musicians who I enjoy socializing with”.
With one of the most striking and memorable album covers of last year, Bitter Orange won a lot of praise. The award-winning artist bringing life to old classics. The Arts Desk provided their thoughts on the exceptional Bitter Orange. It is one of my favourite albums from last year. Emma Smith is truly wonderous:
“Emma Smith, one time Puppini Sister, has established herself over the past decade or so as one of the UK’s most compelling jazz singers, now signed to hip Brooklyn label La Reserve, with Bitter Orange, a new album of classics from the Great American Songbook. The 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Vocalist of the Year launched the album from the stage of Ronnie Scott’s over four sets across two hot, high-summer Soho nights.
She’s got artistry and showbiz all sewn up in one body-sculpting outfit, and between songs delivered very funny, sassy and illuminating asides – best of which was a story about her granddad, who stole a trombone from a music shop while working on the Docks during the war (he paid for it eventually). He went on to become a player in British Army bands, then for the likes of Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand and many others. One of Smith’s earliest memories is being on stage with him at Ronnie Scott’s, around the age of three.
Smith’s Bitter Orange comprises 12 songs, and from the opening snippet of “Hey World, Here I Am” through that seasoned drinker’s lament “Make It Another Old Fashioned Please” (the club’s bar obliged) to a ‘lost’ Disney song from Cinderella, “I’m In the Middle of a Muddle” and an existential, expressionist primal take on “Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered”, it’s a powerful, lived-in reimagining of some very well known songs. On “Bewitched” her vocals dig in and reach into the murky depths of complex passions and emotional hotspots with a mixture of power, force, delicacy and nuance, holding and bending grace notes and bringing out the song’s unspoken emotions.
Along with “Bewitched”, the album peaks with the final three – “Funny Face”, which segues into “My Funny Valentine”, and “Polkadots & Moonbeams”. Here is some of her finest singing to date. It’s rich, deep and delicately nuanced, and she’s ably supported on stage and on record by her regular three-piece of pianist Jamie Safir, bassist Conor Chaplin and drummer Luke Tomlinson on drums. Smith’s Bitter Orange is no forbidden fruit – it’s time to make it one of your five a day”.
I will finish it there. I wonder what is next from Emma Smith. After her tour dates. She might not yet be thinking about another album, though I wonder if she will mix in newly-written songs with standards from The Great American Songbook and beyond. These older tracks that she breathes new life into. Her voice carries so much emotion and power. That is why I am keen to see her live one day. If you do not know Emma Smith and her music at the moment, then you really should set aside some time and…
GET to know her.
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