ABOUT
The youngest daughter of cabaret star Hutch (jazz singer/pianist Leslie A. J. Hutchinson, embodied as the character Jack Ross in Downton Abbey), Emma Hutchinson doesn't remember her father, who died when she was a child. At the height of his career, Grenadan-born Hutch was the highest-paid entertainer in Britain, and his torrid love-life included affairs with both men and women including both
Cole Porter and Edwina Mountbatten. Emma's father's identity was kept secret from her until her early teens, but her mother played her his records while growing up in rural Dorset and she thus learned many jazz standards by osmosis, without realising that the person singing them was her father.
Exposed to a wide variety of music – her stepfather played blues guitar and the songs of Big Bill Broonzy, Fats Waller, Django Reinhardt and Bob Marley, her mother loved Gilbert and Sullivan and classical and her sister’s Led Zeppelin and Genesis albums reverberated round the house - she was obsessed with singing, writing poetry and listening to the radio, to which she attributes her broad taste in music. Influences include Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Motown, Bryan Ferry, Squeeze, the Beatles, Elvis Costello, ELO, The Police, Billy Joel and Bacharach & David.
Her musical career began as a backing vocalist in soul and funk cover bands while working her day-job as an export manager. Her fascination with accapella music led to the formation of Thrush, an all-girl accapella group performing her satirical and politicised songs with titles like “The Green Shoots Of Recovery”, “Women On Their Way To Work” and the environmental plea “Give A Voice To The Voiceless.” The success of Thrush led to her joining semi-professional accapella group Sweet Soul Sisters as a songwriter/vocalist. Live concerts, international radio & TV appearances and the popular Freshly Squeezed CD followed.
In 1995 Emma moved to Hollywood. There she taught herself jazz guitar chords and played through jazz real books to rediscover the repertoire associated with her father. Participating in the late, legendary jazz drummer Billy Higgins' workshops and sitting-in at gigs and jam sessions honed her vocal jazz chops. With her new-found musical knowledge she began writing again and composed many of the soul-jazz songs which were to appear on her debut CD Hummingbirds (2003). Returning to the UK in 2000, Emma became a full-time musician and formed a jazz quintet, blues band and groove trio, gigging around the UK. In 2004 she collaborated with regular pianist Gary Bamford to produce the VoxPop Vocal Warm-Ups & Workouts for Contemporary Singers CD, a vocal exercise resource for students and teachers. Her second CD, Let Me Be Me, was released in 2005. Her third album, Coming Home, was released in 2015.
Cole Porter and Edwina Mountbatten. Emma's father's identity was kept secret from her until her early teens, but her mother played her his records while growing up in rural Dorset and she thus learned many jazz standards by osmosis, without realising that the person singing them was her father.
Exposed to a wide variety of music – her stepfather played blues guitar and the songs of Big Bill Broonzy, Fats Waller, Django Reinhardt and Bob Marley, her mother loved Gilbert and Sullivan and classical and her sister’s Led Zeppelin and Genesis albums reverberated round the house - she was obsessed with singing, writing poetry and listening to the radio, to which she attributes her broad taste in music. Influences include Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Motown, Bryan Ferry, Squeeze, the Beatles, Elvis Costello, ELO, The Police, Billy Joel and Bacharach & David.
Her musical career began as a backing vocalist in soul and funk cover bands while working her day-job as an export manager. Her fascination with accapella music led to the formation of Thrush, an all-girl accapella group performing her satirical and politicised songs with titles like “The Green Shoots Of Recovery”, “Women On Their Way To Work” and the environmental plea “Give A Voice To The Voiceless.” The success of Thrush led to her joining semi-professional accapella group Sweet Soul Sisters as a songwriter/vocalist. Live concerts, international radio & TV appearances and the popular Freshly Squeezed CD followed.
In 1995 Emma moved to Hollywood. There she taught herself jazz guitar chords and played through jazz real books to rediscover the repertoire associated with her father. Participating in the late, legendary jazz drummer Billy Higgins' workshops and sitting-in at gigs and jam sessions honed her vocal jazz chops. With her new-found musical knowledge she began writing again and composed many of the soul-jazz songs which were to appear on her debut CD Hummingbirds (2003). Returning to the UK in 2000, Emma became a full-time musician and formed a jazz quintet, blues band and groove trio, gigging around the UK. In 2004 she collaborated with regular pianist Gary Bamford to produce the VoxPop Vocal Warm-Ups & Workouts for Contemporary Singers CD, a vocal exercise resource for students and teachers. Her second CD, Let Me Be Me, was released in 2005. Her third album, Coming Home, was released in 2015.
Website copyright Emma Hutchinson 2016
