Music: Emilie Conway launches new album Dear World at JJ Smyth’s

Reviews:
“Splendid. Emilie Conway gets better all the time.” – The Sunday Independent

“Her own vocalese to Coltrane’s solo demonstrating her abilities to their fullest, flitting through the lyrics at a tempo most rappers would be envious of, while maintaining a bouncing melody and clarity of diction throughout. ” – GoldenPlec

“Star of the show is Conway’s voice.” – Hot Press

Jazz critic Barry Ulanov described Alec Wilder’s melodies as “leaping and lovely, sinuous and sequested, elusive and wistful.” In “Dear World,” award winning Dublin jazz singer Emilie Conway and her quintet bring the music of the enigmatic Alec Wilder to life.

With arrangements by gifted pianist and musical director, Johnny Taylor, Wilder’s songs emerge in all their sparkling originality, beauty, humour and warmth; vibrant with fascination with life. The album brings the listener on an evocative, reflective, at times relaxed, then piquant journey through some rarely heard songs like “Is It Always Like This?” and “Crazy in the Heart,” and “Blackberry Winter.” This recording marks the debut recording of the title track, “Dear World.”

Emilie is joined by her regular band members: Johnny Taylor (piano), Damian Evans (double bass) and Dominic Mullan (drums). The fifth member is the outstanding Brendan Doyle (saxophones / clarinet ). Special guest Julien Colarossi, (guitar) joins Emilie and Johnny on “Dear World.”

Since the release of debut album, The Secret of a Rose, 2012, Emilie has received invitations to perform and collaborate with musicians in Europe, Northern Ireland – and the Caribbean! A 2015 highlight was the discovery that Emilie’s music had an audience in the Dominican Republic where it was being featured on local radio. Subsequently, Emilie, together with her pianist, Johnny Taylor and bassist, Damian Evans were invited to perform in Belles Artes Concert Hall in Santo Domingo to mark UNESCO International Jazz Day. The Trio’s concert was received with a standing ovation from an audience of over 600. Especially loved was their arrangement of a piece called ‘Romantico’ by local legendary composer Rafael Bollumba Landestoy, with lyrics written by Emilie. On their return journey to Ireland the Trio stopped off in Paris to perform a second concert for UNESCO International Jazz Day.
At home, the Emilie Conway quartet has given sell out concerts in the John Field Room, National Concert Hall. In 2014, in association with Jazz on the Terrace, the Emilie Conway Quintet received an Arts Council Award to research and present the music of Alec Wilder in a nationwide tour. The songs chosen for this second album have been selected and developed from the repertoire for the 2014 tour.