She’s been described as “the new face of British jazz” by The Observer, and her voice has been praised for its "rapturous lightness" by The Guardian. And now, artistry already more than recognised, London-based Sweden-born singer Emilia Mårtensson is to embark on the next stage of her career by releasing her latest album Ana for Babel records in February, the first significant vocals-jazz release of 2014 in prospect. While primarily an avant garde instrumental jazz and improv label Babel was important in the establishing of Christine Tobin as a major presence on the national jazz scene with seven albums released between 1995 and 2008, and Mårtensson is a worthy successor to Tobin, like her, a strong jazz singer with eclectic interests and a leaning towards a 1970s singer-songwriter stream.
The new release, which includes strings on the melancholic title track infused as it is with a sense of saudades [“close your eyes before you open up your mind”] and includes some very fresh new original work, follows Mårtensson’s Babel debut And So It Goes a 2012 duo album with pianist Barry Green, an album that combined folk-inspired material from Sweden, Schumann-derived material, and a prevailing inspiration of the album and her live shows, the 1970s singer-songwriter style of James Taylor and Carole King. Mårtensson first became known on the UK jazz scene for her contribution as a singer and lyricist with Adam Waldmann's acclaimed band Kairos 4tet, and appears on Kairos Moment, Statement of Intent (an album that in the year of its release saw the band pick up a MOBO award for best jazz act), and their latest album Everything We Hold released this year.
Tracks on Ana are: 'Harvest Moon', ‘Ana’, ‘Learnt From Love’, ‘Tomorrow Can Wait’, ‘Nar Som Jag Var Pa Mitt’, ‘Black Narcissus Music’, ‘Everything Put Together Falls Apart’, ‘Ana (Reprise)’, ‘Moffi’s Song’, and ‘Vackra Manniska’. Ahead of CD release the album is available for download via www.babellabel.co.uk
Joined by the Fable String Quartet plus pianist Barry Green, bassist Sam Lasserson, and percussionist Adriano Adewale, Emilia Mårtensson plays the London Jazz Festival at the Vortex on 16 November. Tickets: www.vortexjazz.co.uk