Doors 7pm, music 7.30pm
Line-up:
Emma Johnson – Saxophone
Fergus Vickers – Guitar
Richard Jones – Piano
Angus Milne – Double Bass
Steve Hanley – Drums
About
Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat is a contemporary, cinematic jazz quintet led by Leeds based saxophonist and composer Emma Johnson.
Emma’s writing displays a contemporary sound rooted by infectious melodies and the group have been described as demonstrating a “strong and joyful bond, immediately apparent in their sound”. Gravy Boat is a band that aspires to write and perform melodic, accessible jazz that anyone can enjoy.
Gravy Boat have been played on BBC Radio 3 & BBC Introducing Leeds and play ‘a relaxed, melodic and distinctive style of contemporary jazz’.
Regarding Emma’s playing, a recent review on Bebop Spoken Here noted: ‘Johnson gets a great sound on tenor and has a technique to match. Not one of those in your face players but someone whose solos build gradually and logically, with a natural lyricism reminiscent of Coltrane.’
Gravy Boat released a well received single ‘Where Were You Hiding?’ in 2020, featuring Manchester based vocalist Nishla Smith, as well as a series of live music videos entitled ‘Seafarer’s Suite’ and an EP in previous years. The band were selected for the Jazz North Northern Line scheme for the year 2019 and have performed at many prominent festivals including Marsden, Manchester and Lancaster Jazz Festivals.
Emma has been awarded a Peter Whittingham Development Award and thanks to the support of Help Musicians UK, the band have released their debut album Worry Not to much acclaim last year.