Emma-Jean Thackray Headrow House: Jazz powerhouse to perform intimate gig in Leeds on UK tour

The MOBO Awards nominee and Jazz FM ‘Jazz Artist of the Year’, who grew up near Morley, was principal cornet in Tingley Brass Band by the age of 13.

After moving to London to take a master's in orchestral jazz composition, Emma-Jean formed a band and by 2016 she was playing live shows across the Capital.

Her debut album Yellow spent six weeks at number one on the Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart this summer and is already on its third vinyl repress.

Its fourteen tracks feature performances from Thackray’s long-term band – drummer Dougal Taylor, pianist Lyle Barton and tuba player Ben Kelly – cut and spliced with brass and strings, choral segments and euphoric chants.

She will perform at Headrow House on Friday February 26 as part of her UK tour.

"I’m really excited for the homecoming show," Emma-Jean said.

“It’s going to be different to every other show we’ve played, because that’s what happens when you use so much improvisation.

"Things can go different ways and every show has its own ephemeral thing that will never be repeated.

“It’s my first proper UK tour, which is crazy to say, but it was something that never logistically worked and then kept getting rescheduled."

Tickets cost £13.20 and can be purchased here.

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