Bitter Orange Emma Smith

• 1 Hey World, Here I Am! (Intro) 00:36
• 2 I'm The Greatest Star 02:38
• 3 Frim Fram Sauce 02:59
• 4 Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please 02:52
• 5 Tonight 02:24
• 6 Bewiched, Bothered And Bewildered 06:17
• 7 London Pride 02:39
• 8 What Took You So Long? 03:25
• 9 I'm in the Middle of A Muddle 03:08
• 10 Funny Face 00:49
• 11 My Funny Valentine 06:10
• 12 Polka Dots and Moonbeams 03:44
• Total Runtime 37:41

Info for Bitter Orange

Celebrated British jazz vocalist Emma Smith, already a musical force with a devoted and ever-growing following in the UK and European markets, embarks on captivating the US fans with her forthcoming album, Bitter Orange, due out July 18th on La Reserve Records. Known for her virtuosic chops and signature vivacious live shows, Smith, who is a multi-million streams artist, is the first UK artist to join the label’s roster and brings a lifetime of stories to these shores.

Bitter Orange is an intimate snapshot of the reality of Smith’s modern inner life with a sound rooted in yesterday — the glamour and the introspection of a self-making woman trying to be heard and make an impact.

“This album is my space to play with the juxtaposition of bitter and sweet, the humor and heartbreak that punctuate my life — the ups and downs, the wins and the losses,” she says. “There’s camp ridiculousness and raw vulnerability — and somehow, all of that is me.”

Emma was raised in a musically-rich family of accomplished musicians. Her mother played saxophone for Leonard Bernstein and Paul Weller, among others, and her father’s orchestrations were commissioned by The Three Degrees, Herb Miller (brother of Glenn Miller), Princess Diana and King Charles III. But it was her grandfather, Chris Smith Sr., a celebrated East End trombonist, who was her greatest influence. He performed with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Oscar Peterson, and Barbra Streisand, among others. “He never skipped a day’s practice,” Smith recalls. “He taught me that you’re only as good as your last gig.” That discipline, paired with a deep love for the music, became the foundation of Smith’s artistry.

Bitter Orange pays homage to Emma’s musical inspirations including Ella Fitzgerald, Julie London, Oscar Peterson, and British jazz royalty Dame Cleo Laine but with a sound distinctly her own. Smith and her trio have been seamlessly playing together for over a decade. The trio includes pianist and co-producer Jamie Safir, (Kylie Minogue and Claire Martin OBE), double bassist Conor Chaplin, (Jacob Collier and drummer Luke Tomlinson, a guest member of the NDR Big Band).

“We’ve been making records and playing shows together for years,” Smith explains. “There’s a real friendship and deep trust between the trio and me. It’s our hope that listeners can hear the camaraderie that exists between us on every track.”

Songs on Bitter Orange include a stripped-down and haunting “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered;” a playful revival of the forgotten Disney Cinderella gem, “I’m in the Middle of a Muddle,” and a meditative medley combining “Funny Face” and “My Funny Valentine.” Smith honors her British heritage with London Pride, composed by Noël Coward during the Blitz. An original song, co-written with Safir, “What Took You So Long?” is the centerpiece of the album and takes its narrative inspiration from Nancy Wilson’s “Guess Who I Saw Today,” while walking its own path.

“We were really moved by the storytelling in that song,” Smith explains. “So we wrote something that captures that dramatic arc but with a narrative voice that feels more like me.”

Recent accolades Smith has won include the 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Vocalist of the Year, and the Jools Holland Boisdale Music Award for Jazz Act of the Year (competing alongside Ezra Collective, Courtney Pine, and Nubya Garcia). She was also a finalist in the 2023 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, and the only non-U.S. singer in the top five. Her career highlights include collaborations and performances with Michael Bublé, The Quincy Jones Orchestra, Jeff Goldblum’s Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, and Postmodern Jukebox. She is also a longtime member of the internationally acclaimed group, The Puppini Sisters. Having spent four years as a program host for “Jazz Now” on BBC Radio 3, Smith is already a familiar voice to British jazz audiences nationwide.

Smith supports her album release with debut US performances on July 17 at Catalina’s Jazz Club (Los Angeles), and July 19 at the Cultural Center (Palm Springs). Her UK album launch includes four shows at Ronnie Scott’s (London) August 6–7, and additional dates across Europe and North America that will continue throughout 2025 and beyond. She is represented by Music Works International, home to artists including Dianne Reeves, Samara Joy, Emmet Cohen, and Branford Marsalis.

Bitter Orange is a record of contrast — delivered with guts and elegance — from an artist whose story is just beginning in the U.S., but who has spent years laying the groundwork. For American audiences, this is the first chapter. For Smith, it’s a moment she’s been building toward her whole life.

“I feel ready now — secure enough in myself — to be vulnerable through my music and show my edges to the world,” she says. “I’m looking forward to sharing my stories and songs with American jazz fans.”

Emma Smith, vocals
Jamie Safir, piano
Conor Chaplin, double bass
Luke Tomlinson, drums

Emma Smith
Parliamentary Jazz Vocalist of the Year winner, Emma Smith’s star is on the rise. With diverse and extensive experience performing everywhere from the Royal Albert Hall in London to the world’s leading jazz clubs, it’s no wonder that Emma’s shows are becoming the hottest ticket in town. She has already collaborated and recorded with the likes of Michael Bublé, The Quincy Jones Orchestra, Jeff Goldblum, Bobby McFerrin, & Gregory Porter. Along the way, she is building a formidable reputation as a powerful, expressive artist on the global jazz scene, collecting and nurturing a real fanbase that returns show after show. ​

Emma Smith’s many accolades to date includes the widespread success of her long established vocal harmony group The Puppini Sisters, as well as a 4 year stint as a broadcaster on BBC Radio 3, she also holds a position with her home club’s well established touring group; The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars. And after a triumphant tour with American supergroup Postmodern Jukebox, Emma’s career continues to soar with tastemakers tipping her as one of the most exciting voices in jazz today. ​

Growing up in a family of Jazz musicians it was inevitable that Emma would catch the bug for joyous, swinging jazz music. With a saxophonist mother and a trumpeter/composer father she was surrounded by jazz chords, bebop records and 3 part vocal harmony from a young age. But Emma cites her biggest influence as her grandfather; East-ender trombone player who started his career in British army bands and rose to prominence playing with legends such as Sammy Davis Jr, Oscar Peterson, Barbara Streisand and Frank Sinatra. Emma says, “He never skipped a days practice, he taught me that you’re only as good as your last performance. I’ve adopted my Grandad’s work ethic, wide-eyed adoration for the music, deep gratitude for the life that this music gives me and limitless ambition”. ​

The hard work and commitment is paying, of as over recent years Emma has received a range of awards and compliments from organisations and critics alike; including being one of only two singers ever to be awarded the ‘Worshipful Company Of Musicians Medal’, reaching the finals of the Montreux Jazz Competition, and more recently being titled ‘Jazz Act of the year’ at the Jools Holland Boisdale Music Awards in 2024 (where she was up against Ezra Collective, Courtney Pine and Nybyia Garcia). Having been one of four vocalists nominated for the prestigious Parliamentary Jazz Award in the ‘Jazz Vocalist of the Year’ category in both 2022 & 2023, Emma is proud to have won the title 2024. Stateside, Emma made it to the final 5 participants of the 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, chosen from 280+ submissions representing 37 countries by a panel of star judges, Emma was the only non-USA based singer to compete. ​

Emma Smith has continued her rise to prominence with her critically acclaimed studio recordings; showcasing her as a multifaceted jazz singer, arranger and traditional songwriter with outstanding vocal ability. The release of her latest solo album, ‘Meshuga Baby’, put Emma Smith on the global jazz map, receiving rave reviews, racking up millions of streams, as well as receiving wide spread radio support from Jamie Cullum on BBC2, Cerys Matthews on BBC6, TSF, & JazzFM. ​

Emma’s much anticipated new album ‘Bitter Orange’ comes out in Summer 2025 with USA label ‘La Reserve’, where Emma is the first UK artist to join the ultra-hip roster. It is an intimate snapshot into the mind & personal life of a ‘self-making’ female artist, on a mission to be heard & impactful in the world today, with a sound from yesterday. ​

“Extraordinary cumulative power” - Jazz Wise ​

“One of the most stylish and original interpreters of Songbook classics on the scene” - All About Jazz ​

“Emotive power” - Evening Standard ​

“Emma Smith is a singer with a voice that is a breath of fresh air to the jazz world” - Jazz Views ​

“If you want a name for the future, then agents should not wait too long to beat a path to the door of Emma Smith’ - The Telegraph

This album contains no booklet.