Emilia Mårtensson with the Fable String Quartet
@ the 606 Club
22 November 2014

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Biography

Emilia Mårtensson is a London based Swedish/Slovenian vocalist and composer of considerable repute. Since graduating from Trinity College of Music, Greenwich in 2007, Emilia has built a well- deserved reputation as one of the most exciting young vocalists on the UK Jazz scene. Her gently expressive voice and highly personal compositions are firmly rooted within the folklore and countryside of her native southern Sweden, adding to the mystique and allure of a distinctive and truly original artist.

Her critically acclaimed contributions (both as vocalist and lyricist) to Jazz’s newest stars Kairos 4Tet no doubt helped them bring home a 2011 MOBO Award, while her distinctive voice led The Observer to deem her ‘The New Face of British Jazz 2012'. In the same year, she released her debut album “And So It Goes…” on Babel Label. The album is a project between Mårtensson and established pianist Barry Green, which documents the duo’s shared love of a wide range of material, presenting fresh and exciting arrangements of a superb choice of songs. Drawing on the wistful folk songs of Mårtensson’s homeland alongside some of the greatest songs of the last century, the recording is a finely poised blend of Jazz, Folk and artful Alternative.

On new album “Ana,” dedicated to her grandparents and named after Mårtensson Slovenian grandmother’s Ana-Emilia, Mårtensson continues to blur the lines between Jazz/Folk and Alt - Pop through her own compositions as well as collaborations with some of the finest writers that London’s music scene has to offer. Personal interpretations of tracks by Paul Simon and Joe Henderson also feature and of course a couple of Swedish Folk songs, one of which Mårtensson wrote herself. This second album demonstrates Mårtensson constant evolution as both a songwriter and performer, retaining tender poignant tones with powerful observations of human nature through her lyrics. The musicians on the album fully compliment this journey, adding their own magical touches to the heartfelt arrangements.

Mårtensson has toured the UK extensively and in 2013 was nominated by Svensk Jazz for their so called Pulsslags Turnen, commissioning a 2 week-long tour across Sweden, along with her band. Mårtensson has also performed in venues and festivals such as Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, The Royal Albert Hall, Pizza Express Jazz Club, The Vortex, The 606 Club, on Jamie Cullum’s BBC Radio 2 show, The Love Supreme Jazz Festival, The London Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival (to name just some of the places). She has also appeared on large international stages and in festivals such as Bimhuis in Amsterdam, Sunset Sunside Jazz Club in Paris, Baladoor Jazz Festival in Slovenia, Vossa Jazz Festival in Norway, Umea Jazz Festival in Sweden and Ystad Jazz Festival in Sweden and Fashing in Stockholm.

Apart from her own albums, Mårtensson collaborates on many other projects, such as the new ‘Folktronic’ project, going by the name Embla, featuring some of London’s top producers and musicians. Mårtensson is also featured on many other projects, continuing success with Kairos 4tet and more recently featuring on Fringe Magnetic’s new album “Clocca” and Samuel Crowe’s new album “Towards the Centre of Everything.” She also recently recorded vocals for Dave McKeans’s new film ‘La Luna’ as well as music by accordionist Janez Dovc for the Slovenian movie ‘The Tree.’