チューバ＆スーザフォンを操るヨークシャー時代からの盟友・BEN KELLY、「JAZZ REFRESHED」注目グループ・GOLDEN MEANの鍵盤奏者・LYLE BARTON、精神的な支柱となるVELS TRIOのドラムス・DOUGAL TAYLORをメインに、エイミーワインハウスも惚れ込んだというサラブレッドなサックス奏者・SOWETO KINCH、WONKY LOGICのDWAYNE KILVINGTONといった、息と心の波長合う名腕プレイヤーたちと挑んだセプテット・セッション！父親から教えられたという「道教」の精神、ウムとヤン（韓国の陰陽）をアルバムのコンセプトに掲げ、２つのパーカッションが管楽器と絡み合いフリーかつミニマルな演奏が繰り広げられ、EMMA-JEAN THACKRAY自身のヴォイス・チャントでピークに突流していく”Um 음”サイド、天才的なトランペットのインプロヴィゼーションのコンダクトで着陸する”Yang 양”サイド、オランダのダイレクトディスク・レコーディング・スタジオにて録音された、サンプリングやオーヴァーダブ一切なし、希少なレコーディングアルバム！ (DNT)

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Emma-Jean Thackray, an outstanding figure in the UK jazz scene, releases Um Yang, her long-dreamed project dedicated to the Taoist philosophy of duality and harmony. A highly ambitious and personal record that sees Thackray leading a septet featuring Soweto Kinch and Steam Down’s Wonky Logic, recorded straight to vinyl.

An accomplished trumpeter, beat-maker, singer, composer and DJ, Thackray draws on far wider influences than jazz. Her sound is distinctive; in the words of The Guardian like “Bitches Brewera Miles entering the dub chamber with a New Orleans marching band – in a good way”.

Raised in Yorkshire, Thackray inherited a grounding in Taoism from her father, and approaches her music with the same pursuit of harmony between Um & Yang (the Korean Ying & Yang), balancing melody and rhythm, groove and free improvisation, cerebral and physical. For this one-off recording, Thackray has applied this ideology in every sense, even down to the ensemble itself featuring not one but two percussionists. Um commences with ethereal interplay between keys, percussion, and Thackray’s trumpet, recalling the spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane’s classic records. As the piece builds, an earthy groove emerges. On both trumpet and vocals, Thackray leads the ensemble further out until the piece peaks with an epic breakdown. On the flip, Yang starts on the same cacophonous note but progresses to a joyful groove before returning to a peaceful state again, balance restored.