Emma Johnson's Gravy Boat: Northern Flame

Tenor saxophonist and composer Emma Johnson graduated from Leeds Conservatoire in 2014 and she continues to be based in the city. Leeds is in the north of England, from where Johnson hails. Most English jazz musicians have found that if they want to get ahead, they need to move to London. A few, such as trumpeter Matthew Halsall, who is from anoher northern city, Manchester, have declined to migrate but have succeded in building national profiles.

Johnson seems similarly minded, and she also shows signs of having, like Halsall, a head for business, an essential attribute in the circumstances. The cards are stacked in her favour. Which is good, because Johnson deserves to be heard. Northern Flame, Gravy Boat's second album, following 2021's self-released Worry Not, confirms Johnson as a singular and exciting talent.

It has become pretty much standard practice to include the words "and composer" when introducing a musician. It is down by law with Johnson. All the pieces on Northern Flame are Johnson originals. Their appeal is equal parts melodic and sculptural; broad and lofty on some occasions, miniaturised on others. Shapes, big and small, carved in the air. Johnson says that she rather neglected her composing while at college, refocusing on it after graduating. She seems to have caught up now.

Johnson's sound matches her composing. Tall and commanding at times, intimate at others. At its biggest, it can suggest mid-to-late-period John Coltrane. When scaled down, as on the new album's "Home" (check the YouTube below), one is minded of Rob Luft, partly because of the vibe, partly because of the northern-folkish tinge to some of the tunes.

In Gravy Boat, whose personnel predates the first album (and one suspects may go back to, or near to, college days), Johnson has a terrific, empathetic band. It is a quintet, and the inclusion of guitarist Fergus Vickers instead of a second horn works well. Johnson's arrangements leave plenty of space for solos and the musicians rise to the moment. Alongside Johnson and Vickers, take a bow, pianist Richard Jones, double bassist Angus Milne and drummer Steve Hanley.

Northern Flame burns midway between a 3.5 and a 4 star rating. It gets 3.5 because room must be left for development and, with a fair wind, we can anticipate plenty of that as Johnson and Gravy Boat move forward.

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