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EMMA JEAN THACKREY - Rain Dance

Movementt – MVMTT01

Emma-Jean Thackray - trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, bass, keys, drums, voice; Dougal Taylor - drums; Lyle Barton - rhodes; Ben Kelley - sousaphone; Elliott Galvin - synth

 Super-hip London based multi instrumentalist Emma Jean Thackray follows up her Ley Lines ep and enriches her resumé of eclectic jazz-plus projects still further with this latest offering. ‘Rain Dance’ has a Silent Way era Miles feel in to its shifting thirds chords on fender rhodes, but there’s a harder, contemporary Lndn club edge to the rhythm and the fashionable brass bass sound to bring us firmly into 2020. Vels Trio sticksman Taylor excels himself at the kit, bringing some real excitement to proceedings as Thackray blows jazzy squiggles over the groove and Elliot Galvin enriches with squelchy synth textures. ‘Movementt’ ’s compelling club groove sounds very like the jazzy hipster house of St Germaine and will fit seamlessly into the playlist in coffeeshops and branches of Urban Outfitters across the nation. ‘Open’ has spoken word contributions from Thackray herself, crooning vocal choruses and a woozily wonky beat, like a mix of contemporary r&b and beat poetry. It’s super-urban, up to the minute, confidently evocative of late-night urban life, and showcases Thackray’s strong trumpet playing nicely, though there’s the feeling that these sketches only represent a partial view of her abilities. 

Reviewed by Eddie Myer

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