Critically acclaimed vocalist, songwriter, musician, arranger, and producer Emily Saunders returns with a new single, Rugged Waves, from her forthcoming album, ‘Moon Shifts Oceans’, and a launch concert at the Forge in Camden on Saturday 16 September. Dubbed “The UK’s queen of jazz fusion,” Saunders’ music has reached Top 10 status in international iTunes and Amazon charts in the UK, USA, Germany, France, and Indonesia, and has been played on BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, Jazz FM, and national stations worldwide. Rugged Waves is already featured on Apple Music’s official jazz playlist.
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The Creative Process Behind “Rugged Waves”
LondonJazz News (LJN): What was the inspiration behind Rugged Waves and how did you go about writing and recording it?
Emily Saunders (ES): While visiting a friend in Greece, I found inspiration sitting on rocks at the edge of a beautiful cove. The sun was shining, and the sea was rugged in the fresh wind. The words of the verse of Rugged Waves came to me on a tune, followed by the groove and bassline. I quickly recorded everything on my phone. Back in London, I expanded the musical ideas and composed the structured piece. I booked State of the Ark studio to record the initial core rhythm section, trumpet, and voice parts for Rugged Waves and the whole album.
Wearing Many Hats in Music
LJN: You’re a songwriter, singer, musician, arranger, and producer; what are the advantages or even the disadvantages in filling all these roles?
ES: I view producing and composing as part of my singing, and they are all the same vehicle of musical communication for me, which creates a ‘sound’. The advantage of producing is the freedom to create, but it’s time-consuming. Being a vocalist and exploring sound is a way of life for me, sitting equally with composing and producing.
Musical Influences
LJN: What music were you listening to in the run-up to writing Rugged Waves, and are there any musicians who have had an impact on your current writing?
ES: I’m not sure what I was listening to at the time, but some influences include Chick Corea, Hermeto Pascoal, Airto Moreira, Frank Zappa, Billie Holiday, Betty Carter, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Santana, Mongo Santamaria, and Herbie Hancock, among others.
Collaborating with Other Musicians
LJN: Who are the musicians involved in the recording, and what qualities do they bring to your work that you particularly value?
ES: I recorded the core rhythm section plus horn with keys (Chris Jerome), bass (Paul Michael), drums (George Hart), trumpet (Byron Wallen), and my voice. Later, I brought in more musicians: Billy Adamson on guitar, Carl Hudson on synths, and Cosimo Keita on percussion.
The Forge as a Venue
LJN: What is it about the Forge that attracts you to it as a venue?
ES: The Forge is a fantastic space with a vibe, made up of different areas connected into one. It was closed for a bit and reopened with a renowned live event promoter in spring this year. It’s thriving with great acts and is in Camden, an area renowned for music and a strong scene of great events happening!
Launch Gig Expectations
LJN: What feelings would you like the audience to take away from the launch gig?
ES: Happiness and connection – it’s a feeling we need a lot of right now. I hope for musical inspiration, and for the audience to love the sounds they’re hearing or buy some music. Every gig I’ve attended has always inspired me in some way, so I hope people take something away from this too.
LINKS: Listen to Rugged Waves, Buy tickets to the gig at The Forge, Emily Saunders’ website
