A New Classic by Emerald Jade

To add to the intimacy, the windows all around the 360-degree perimeter fan out and upwards at an angle, so that seated in the armchairs beside them you feel that you are leaning over the water with the lighted hotel shuttles flitting to and fro. It's a spacious, lofty room, its domed ceiling supported by tall columns which, under low lighting at night appear in shades of pale grey. And the lighting is low, too, when you have just arrived by the glass lift from the brightly-lit hotel, which, as new hotels often do, radiates an optimistic brightness. But club settings shun brightness. At ThreeSixty, the mood is cool, the atmosphere intimate, and if you need more light to read the menu or make a note of a phone number, it is right by your hand on the table. On each one there is a free-standing, portable white lamp whose output of light can be regulated by a switch at its base.

Well known in the US soul and jazz world, Emerald Jade and Craig Anthony perform six days a week at the ThreeSixty Bar.

- Photo by Anussorn Sakseree

The menu offers food items of easy-to-eat sophistication, such as lobster tail risotto with caviar mousseline, a trio of oysters, or foie gras in a port wine reduction. The drinks list is, needless to say, long and varied with encouraging prices. I singled out Charles Steiner Australian sparkling wine as an example, at 1,500 a bottle and 300 baht by the glass. Cocktails abound at 230 baht, 380 if they're with cognac or sake, and 650 baht with champagne. The individual lighting encourages you to feel that you are in your own space, that you have your own section of window and your own view.

The music has been well-calculated, too, voices in cool, jazz neo-soul style combining soothing warmth with distinctive jazz undertones.

The lead voice belongs to Emerald Jade and it is joined on occasions by that of Craig Anthony, an LA session musician who orchestrates the music and accompanies her. "We like what we do," he says. "It's music people can relate to, and we can have fun while we're doing it."

Both are well known in the soul jazz world of the USA, and now, through radio plays of their CD, A New Classic, in Europe as well. The title is appropriate as Emerald Jade is in the classic tradition of soul jazz singers with a modern sound. A New Classic features songs she has written herself, but at ThreeSixty, they were presenting the more familiar sounds of the '70s.

They opened with a song by one of the inspirational figures in their kind of music, "King of Vibes". Roy Ayres' "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" was a sustained riff of words and melody with a hypnotic quality that encourages a laidback state of mind and a jazzy rhythm that is relaxing rather than urgent.

Emerald Jade was originally from Gary, Indiana, "Where the Jackson family comes from," she pointed out. But she has her own family in the music business; her son Jesse Powell and daughters Trina and Tamara are all well known recording artists. She was introduced to Craig by a mutual friend in the business and they decided that they should make the album together.

"In between recordings for the album, we fell in love and got married," said Emerald, and now they're a permanent duet. But what had brought them to Bangkok?

"That's easy," said Craig. "Our agent said, 'How would you like to go to Thailand?' and we jumped at the opportunity."

"It's been wonderful discovering a different culture and trying to learn a new language," Emerald added.

Craig turned to the audience, which, at around 10pm had begun to grow.

"Enjoy the music, feel the vibe," he said, and laid down a funky samba beat for Brazilian Rhyme, over which Emerald sang vocalise, a haunting, fluid melody without words.

The words of the next song were very clear and quite familiar: the smooth, shady voice of Sade was recalled in Smooth Operator, which drew much applause and requests for more of the same. While service staff in slinky black gowns smoothly operated, glided between guests mixing drinks at their tables, Emerald followed with another Sade song, Sweetest Taboo.

Among the artists that they have an affinity for are the soulful romantic, duos that were so influential in the '70s like Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, and the two of them united their voices in The Closer I Get to You and Where is the Love?

It was late in the evening and their final set, and the jazz content, though never absent, had gently faded as the atmosphere at ThreeSixty began to take on a romantic glow. The music, delivered sensitively, was a genuine addition to the atmosphere and the quality of performance was polished, stylish, and compulsive listening.

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Q & A (MARCH 2005) www.thejazznation.com

www.honeysoul.com

www.soultracks.com

JULY 2004......ALBUM OF THE MONTH.....SOUL EXPRESS MAGAZINE......GO TO: www.kolumbus.fi/soulexpr/emeraldjade.htm

***UPDATE***

Rick Gould 97.1 FM Las Vegas SUNDAYS 8am - 12pm

Carlaya 88.1 FM Las Vegas Sun - Wed 6pm - 10pm

Radio: WUNV 91.5 FM JAZZ Las Vegas

NEW ARTIST RADIO

KCLA 93.3 FM Los Angeles

KECG 88.1 FM Oakland, CA

BHA Myrtle Beach, S.C.

WCLK 91.9 FM, Atlanta, GA (Ken Batie 2pm - 6pm est) substantial rotation

Lagniappe Jazz New Orleans www.lagniappe.la

Reviews:

Q & A (interview) www.jazzusa.com

jazzusa.com/stories/anewclassic.asp

www.soultracks.com/emerald_jade.htm

Retail Outlets (USA)

TOWER RECORDS (Las Vegas)

TOWER RECORDS (Los Angeles)

V.I.P. RECORDS (Los Angeles)

Earwax Records (Atlanta, GA)

Mood Music Records (Atlanta, GA)

Tower Records (Atlanta, GA)

Dusty Groove America (Chicago, IL)

RADIO AIRPLAY: INTERNATIONAL

Radio Airplay : Soul 24/7 (David Smith) London

Smooth Jazz FM (Mike Chadwick) London

Smooth Jazz FM (Mike Ward) Yorkshire

Jazz FM 102.2 FM (Peter Young) London www.soulwalking.co.uk/Peter

Soul Sauce Smooth FM (Richard Searling) UK

Soul Source Jam FM (Florian Diehl) Berlin Germany

Solar Radio (Sky Digital Channel 879) www.solarradio.com

Smooth FM 100.4 FM (Richard Searling) London

Run 106.4 Radio www.run.be Universitaire Namuroise - France

Jazz Lynx - Canada's Smooth Jazz Connection

JAZZBLUESTOUR RADIO...105.4FM & 103.4 CABLE...Alphen Stad FM Netherlands

Retail Outlet

www.soulbrother.com - (London)

www.saunalahti.fi/~stown - Soul Town Records (Finland)

COMPILATION: Expansion Records - "New Soul Heaven" (London)

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There are voices and then there are voices--sultry, sexy voices-that stay with you long after the song has ended. Emerald Jade has a voice that people have been waiting for; her voice is undoubtedly one of the most classic voices since Ella, Dinah, Billie and Sade, to hit the scene in recent history. Originally from Gary, Indiana now residing in Los Angeles, this mysterious stunning vocalist has created a buzz in the Urban Contemporary Jazz market, everybody wants to know, who is.... That!?! This recording is an instant classic and collectible worthy of being passed down from generation to generation. This release entitled "A NEW CLASSIC" is a collection of songs written by Emerald jade speaking about what she wanted in a relationship, unbeknownst to her became a reality while in the process of creating this album with the musical mastermind producer, Craig Monroe. Listening to this gem will treat the listener to a blend of jazzy pop, neo soul, and R & B, with catchy melodies capturing the joy, love, and happiness throughout the entire CD. The opening track "Vibe Queen" is a tribute to the queens before her, who made it possible for her to come along with her vibe. The second track "Delirious" has a guest vocal appearance by her now husband Craig Monroe; this track is about a couple having romantic evenings and endless afternoons with champagne, a bed of roses and a bubble bath. The third track "My Man", an unmistakable classic reminiscent of old school with the new; this is about a woman giving praise to her man who treats her like the queen she is. Track number six "Shine" is dedicated to her talented family of recording artists, "Jesse Powell", "Trina & Tamara" and upcoming soulful vocalist "Jacob Powell", this is where she tells them to "Shine" no matter what, and just keep your head up! On "Afternoon at Ricardo's" Emerald jade's voice is so captivating that you could hear a pin drop when the song is finished, this is definitely movie soundtrack material. This classic album is in the top ten for one of the greatest albums ever made!

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