emma-jean thackray: yellow
Francisco Espregueira
Yellow is the long awaited debut album from one of the most exciting artists of the contemporary UK jazz scene. Emma-Jean Thackray is not only a trumpeter but a singer, bandleader, beat-maker, radio host, DJ and now a label head, with her own imprint, Movementt. This record feels like the sort of thing we’ve been longing for a while: a transcendent, human, shared experience. Across its 49 minutes, Yellow draws glowing lines between ‘70s jazz fusion and P-Funk, the cosmic invocations of Sun Ra and Alice Coltrane, and the gorgeous orchestration of the Beach Boys.
The success of previous EP’s, collaborations, creations has created an aura around that Thackray that is more than justified. Her compositions are of a spiritual and 70s jazz-fusion persuasion, and yet they are often aimed at the dancefloor – nourishing late-night heaters that bring the restless freneticism of broken beat and house into the fray. Beyond groovy and intricate compositions, Thackray delivers an important message too, as we listen to her taking more and more vocal duties. Yellow is a sunburst of stoner jazz, Roy-Ayers-soul, funk, serene strings, and even chanting and windchimes, as she encourages unity, harmony and hope. Available on vinyl via Movementt.
“Everything I release is based around the mantra ‘music to move the mind, move the body, move the soul”