Pizza Express Live

SHOW'S OVER

Event Has Passed

Last Show: Friday 19 ^th May 2023

PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

Young rising star saxophonist Emma Rawicz has turned her formidable talents to the world of big band, with the formation of the Emma Rawicz Jazz Orchestra. (ERJO). Composition has always been a core part of Emma’s identity, and she now showcases her distinctive writing more than ever before with a twenty piece big band made up of not just well established figures on the scene, but also fiery young musicians of Emma’s generation. Expect to hear captivating, electrifying arrangements of Emma’s music, ranging from edgy, up tempo originals through joyful Afro-Cuban inspired grooves to moving ballads. Emma, whilst making her debut as a big band director, will not be putting the sax down, and will feature as a soloist as well as conducting the band.

"An astonishing new talent"

Jamie Cullum – BBC Radio 2

Emma Rawicz is a multi-award winning young saxophonist and composer, already making waves on the UK music scene. She has been described as "An astonishing new talent" (Jamie Cullum – BBC Radio 2), 'a force to be reckoned with' (Jazzwise) and 'a fast-rising star' (London Jazz News). At the age of 20 she has already recorded and released an eagerly awaited debut album ‘Incantation’ and a second album featuring an all-star band is on the way.

Emma has created a name for herself both as a bandleader and a sideman. A new arrival on the scene, she has already made an impact, regularly playing at major London jazz venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, The Jazz Café and Pizza Express both as a band leader and as a sideman with a wide range of established musicians. 2022 also marked Emma’s debut leading a band overseas, playing at some prestigious international jazz festivals. In November 2022 Emma performed as a featured soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Marcin Wasilewski Trio in their tribute to Tomasz Sta?ko.

Emma is a recipient of the 2021 Drake Yolanda Award, winner of ‘Best Newcomer’ at the 2022 Parliamentary Jazz Awards and nominee for the 2022 Jazz FM ‘Instrumentalist of the year and finalist in BBC Young Jazz Musician 2022.

Growing up in rural North Devon, Emma didn't discover jazz until the age of 15, and didn't pick up a tenor saxophone until a year later, but had spent her childhood otherwise immersed in largely folk and classical music.