At just twenty one years old, vocalist Emily Masser seems to have sprung on to the UK jazz scene as if from nowhere as a fully formed musician with something to say and the talent and technique with which to say it. The truth is somewhat different as Emily has been studying music for some considerable time, studying classical saxophone firstly at Chetham’s School of Music and then at the Guildhall, London.
Starting to sing just four years ago, and nurturing her love of jazz in the process, Masser decided that singing was now her vocation and switched from classical studies to the Guildhall’s jazz course.
Since then, her progress has bordered on the meteoritic, bursting onto the jazz scene and astounding all her who heard her. From listening initially to mostly instrumental jazz and bebop in particular, Emily has a firm grasp of singing wordlessly and can deliver an improvised scat chorus along with the best.
With the release of her debut album, Songs with My Father, Emily has made a not just an impressive recording but a personal statement in the process, letting us know just who Emily Masser is and what she is about.
Now the dust has settled after the initial frenzy and excitement upon its release, it was lovely to catch up with Emily to find out a little more about the album and how it has impacted on her fledgling career.
My first encounter with hearing you sing was on the first album you featured on, Introducing Emily Masser. It must have been quite an experience recording that album, one that I’m sure stood you in good stead for recording your own debut album.
It was definitely an experience – I had just turned 18 and my gig CV could’ve fit on a Post-it note! I learnt a lot from that project, both musically and socially. Playing with such high-calibre musicians as my first gig was the dream and I’m lucky enough to have continued that friendship with Graham (Harvey), Alex (Clarke) and James (Owston). In fact, we have some dates with Steve Brown in the foreseeable.
It gave me a massive kick in the right direction and lead to me recording my first album Songs with My Father which features Matyas Gayer (piano), James Owston (bass), Steve Brown (drums) and my dad, Dean Masser (saxophone). I felt much more at ease this time and it was my dream band too! It was all very in the moment, we’d never played together before, in fact Matyas and James met for the first time during breakfast before we drove to the studio.
Songs with My Father is a wonderful recording on all counts, but for you and your father Dean is a very personal and poignant album. How did you come to select the material for the album?
Thank you! Yes, it’s a project that’s very special to me, the album is actually in memory of my late mum, Gill, who passed away when I was 17. Recording this album with my dad has brought me closer to them both, and I know she’d be looking down and smiling at us and be on the front row of every gig! The majority of the tunes on the album are songs my mum loved, or songs that relate to her. My dad and I played ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ at her funeral, and when I sing it, I get transported into all these memories of my mum. She was a very happy person, who always had a smile on her face, that’s something I want to take from her, so I kept the album as positive as possible.
Some of the material at first glance is not an obvious choice for a vocalist. I’m referring to ‘Room 608’, ‘Hackensack’ and ‘Blew B♭’ where there are no lyrics. What was it that drew you to these compositions?
Ah yes! Well… this is where me and the old man have some fun! When I started singing at 17, I didn’t really know what was “expected” of a vocalist, I’d never gone to a singer’s gig – always instrumentalists. They’d play the tune in, take a couple of choruses and then take it out, so that’s what I knew. I sat transcribing every day, I’d listen to Phil Woods, Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon, and sing along at full speed – it was way more fun than studying classical saxophone! (That’s when I knew I was in need of a course change at the Guildhall). From that moment on, me and my dad were on the phone most nights chatting about records and he has so many anecdotes about all these players (it was like college but free!). These bebop tunes highlight our love for it, and our constant need to one-up each other!
Among the standards there is just the one original composition, the lovely and heartfelt ‘Song for My Mother’. Is writing something that you enjoy and hope to develop further?
Yes, I’ve got a little bit of time now before my next tour and I’d really like to start writing more. However, I must write my dissertation first!
I understand that you studied saxophone before you started to consider singing as the medium to express your music. Do you feel that your studies as a saxophonist have helped and influenced as a vocalist, especially when singing wordlessly and scatting as you do so skilfully?
It’s interesting, so much of music is linked! Studying the saxophone has opened a lot of doors and I’m sure it’s helped my singing along the way. There is a lot I need to practice, I wish I knew the secret to skilful scat!
What was it that made you switch from saxophone to studying as a vocalist, and do you still play your saxophone?
I’d studied classical saxophone for over 7 years at Chetham’s School of Music and then started the Guildhall in the saxophone department too, I think I lasted 2 weeks on the course, before switching to jazz. I’ve started trying to transfer my (jazz) language onto the saxophone, and it’s something I’d love to push later in my career.
Growing up in a household with a jazz saxophonist for a father, I’m guessing you were exposed to the music from an early age. Have you always shared this passion with your dad, or is your love of jazz something that has come a little later?
Yes, there was always something on in the house, either my dad practicing, or my mum listening to opera, or sometimes both at the same time which drove me and my brothers up the walls! I always loved classical music growing up, so jazz is a newfound love.
You have a very distinctive and unique style as a vocalist, something that is not easy to achieve. Who have would you say have been your major influences?
My major influences are Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, Annie Ross and Betty Carter. But I’m really trying to broaden the stuff that I’m listening to recently. The new head of jazz at Guildhall, Jo Lawry has massively enhanced the number of masterclasses that are on offer, Sullivan Fortner was here recently, and Vincent Herring is coming in May, so I’m making the most of that. And Jo herself is one of my hero’s, so I’ve been listening to all her albums recently.
Songs with My Father was released at the end of January this year. How have things been for you since the release of the album, and what next for Emily Masser?
Wow, time flies when you’re having fun! We’ve just finished a 21 date tour, I had the time of my life playing with the guys and seeing where all my arrangements ended up going. When I decided to record this album, I sort of expected it to sit on a shelf at home and me and dad would put it on once every 10 years, but it’s really been flying off the shelf – I’m very lucky to have received such a positive reception for it, it’s all thanks to the band!
Next, Alex Clarke and I have numerous gigs coming up, and then I’ve got a quartet tour in June and July which will be fun (I’ve not done many quartet gigs, so I’m looking forward to the new challenge!) I want to get my head down a little bit at the Guildhall, do some more duo playing, I want to do a 10K run, and I’m about to be an auntie for the third time, so I think a few of my weekends might be going into my family!
For more information visit emilymasser.co.uk
Click here to read our review of Songs with My Father by The Emily Masser Quintet
