Emma Hedrick: Newcomer

In the competitive world of young jazz vocalists, Emma Hedrick stands out as an artist who both respects tradition and offers a distinctive personal voice. On her confident debut album Newcomer, she channels seven years of lived experiences into 10 original compositions that serve as a musical memoir of that period, while never losing sight of her influences, namely Duke Ellington for his sense of orchestral colour, and Ella Fitzgerald for her impeccable phrasing.

Accompanied by a group of rising talents, including pianist Connor Rohrer, drummer Anton Kot, bassist Thor Eide Johansen and saxophonist Shane McCandless, with several guest artists featured on individual tracks, Hedrick varies the instrumentation to reflect each piece's mood. "The Idea of Love" opens the set with a warm, harmonically rich arrangement that blends Rohrer's piano voicings with McCandless' supple soprano sax lines, as Hedrick's voice glides over the changes with natural ease. "Dreamscapes" drifts into a more ethereal mood with some interesting articulation featuring Hedrick and the horns, followed by an inviting melodic solo from trumpeter David Sneider.

The title track, "Newcomer," is an understated ballad and a testament to the singer's ability to convey emotional nuance without theatrical excess. The interpretation benefits from the addition of strings, which enhance the arrangement. The varied inspirations shine in "Tone Poem in Greenwich Village," where the imagery of a Langston Hughes poem is channeled into the energy of the New York City jazz scene and translated into a vibrant city soundscape.

The back half of the album maintains the previously established emotional arc. "Inside Your Mind" has a probing quality that delves into the need for sharing. Sneider and trombonist Zach McRary take the solo spotlights, both playing in a spare manner. "In the Garden" offers pastoral lyricism enriched by Johansen's lyrical bass solo. The band joins Hedrick at the mic as a choir to take the song out. "Come on Home," with its pop-inflected phrasing, might feel right at home on the pop charts. Helping with this approach, Hedrick is joined by guitarist Andrew Tinch and Peter Eldridge on vocals.

The session closes with "Waste No More Days," a buoyant exhortation filled with rhythmic vitality. Participating with Hedricks on background vocals in the number are Any Azzara and Faith Quashie, reminding listeners that her artistry is as much about hope as reflection.