A highlight of the young jazz wave sweeping the UK right now, award-winning multi-instrumentalist and RBMA-alumni Emma-Jean Thackray counts Fela Kuti as a major inspiration and Gilles Peterson as her #1 fan. Her debut EP, Ley Lines — written, produced, recorded and mixed home alone — was released last week on The Vinyl Factory and is the ultimate showcase of her many talents.
Opening track, Make Do, is totally beautiful; a lo-fi and very mellow jazz odyssey. “I wanted to create an all-consuming soundscape that you can ride like a wave,” Emma-Jean told us over email. “The tempo moves, the tuning moves, it should soothe and rock you like a lullaby.”
Today we’re excited to share the accompanying music video, dreamed up by London director Isolde Penwarden. The video is centered around The Florida Project actress and choreographer Mela Murder with her baby daughter Amethyst, ‘making do’ as she juggles being both a single mother and young female creative. “Listening to Emma Jean’s song for the first time instantly put an image in my head,” Isolde shared. “It seemed natural to bring together an all-female team to make this video.” Turn that racket up and feel the jazzzzz.