Emma-Jean Thackray announces a new release “Um Yang” and shares two remixes

Emma-Jean Thackray announces a new release “Um Yang” and shares some new remixes. The new long-dreamed project is straight-to-disc record dedicated to the Taoist philosophy of duality and harmony, of balancing melody and rhythm, groove and free improvisation, the cerebral and physical.

The album was recorded and cut direct-to-disk at Artone Studio in Haarlem, Holland, the same way as the previous Night Dreamer releases. The two-track project features Thackray on trumpet, vocals and percussion, alongside Soweto Kinch on sax, Lyle Barton (Golden Mean) on rhodes, Ben Kelly (Paradox Ensemble) on sousaphone, Dwayne Kilvington (Wonky Logic, Steam Down, Bryony Jarman Pinto) on percussion, Crispin Robinson (Galliano) on congas, and Dougal Taylor (Vels Trio) on drums.

“Recording in (Artone) was such a dream. It had all the fantasy analogue equipment you daydream about one day being able to use. The desk looked like something Uhura would use. All the instruments were natural, woods and metals, no plastic in sight, and everything was to be hit or blown, all analogue. I really needed everything to be natural and real, because the music is about the universe, about the energy of all things, and what is more real than that”, Thackray recalls.

Watch below a video to Emma-Jean Thackray new song “Um”, from her forthcoming album “Um Yang”:

She also releases two new remixes. First is her take on Lady Blackbird’s debut single, a cover of Nina Simone’s powerful civil rights anthem “Blackbird”. Lady Blackbird (aka Marley Munroe) is Los Angeles-based singer called already a revelatory new voice on the global jazz scene. “Blackbird” is her first single under this moniker. It’s a stirring interpretation of Nina Simone’s powerful civil rights anthem from a singer’s forthcoming debut album “Black Acid Soul”.

Listen below to Emma-Jean Thackray remix of Lady Blackbird version of Nina Simone’s “Blackbird”:

Music Is My Sanctuary · Exclusive Premiere: Lady Blackbird "Blackbird" (Emma-Jean Thackray Remix)

The second remix is one of her own songs “Open”, which originally appeared on Emma’s recent EP “Rain Dance” released on her own Movementt imprint. Remix features LA rapper Blu from the renowned group Blu & Exile. You can read below what she said about the remix: “I took a drums and Rhodes loop from a session with my band and layered the other instruments myself – using the studio as an instrument alongside live elements to get a perfectly balanced sound. The tune has a real wonk to it and it is in 6, so I needed a rapper with not only deep words but a sophisticated flow. Blu goes against the grain and makes it look easy”.

Listen below to Emma-Jean Thackray new remix of “One” featuring Blu:

From our Blog: Emma-Jean Thackray shared her new song “Rain Dance” and launched a new label.

Emma was also announced as part of the "Blue Note Re:imagined" album also featuring Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings, Ezra Collective, Jorja Smith, and many more.

From our Blog: Blue Note Records and Decca shared an Ezra Collective new version of Wayne Shorter’s track “Footprints”.

Listen below to Emma-Jean Thackray new song “Um”, from her forthcoming album “Um Yang”: