FEATURE: Spotlight: Georgia Cécile

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Georgia Cécile

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ONE of the most remarkable young artists…

in any genre of music today, the amazing Scottish Jazz artist Georgia Cécile is someone whose music I adore. Her remarkable, passionate, hugely beautiful, and soulful voice has elements of Jazz and Soul legends of the past, but her accent and distinct sound comes through. It is a magnificent and intoxicating blend of sounds that makes her an artist that people need to know about. I think that certain genres do have an issue crossing into the mainstream or getting wider exposure. Stations like Jazz FM are great sources to discover the best new and classic Jazz, but artists like Georgia Cécile should be spun and championed by national radio stations and everyone else. A wonderful artist who has a great future ahead, I want to bring in some interviews and bio about Georgia Cécile. She has been nominated for the Scottish Jazz Awards for the Best Vocalist. It is well deserved when you hear her beautiful and hugely powerful voice. Such a remarkable artist! I will start off with Jazzwise’s introduction back in 2020:

“Upcoming Edinburgh singer-composer Georgia Cécile almost became a lawyer, but fortunately for jazz, the lure of music proved too strong, and she is about to record her all-originals debut album. Peter Quinn talks to her about carrying on a family tradition

“I would expect the clarity of her tone, her creativity and ability to sing with genuine emotional depth to take her a long way”. The prophetic words of 606 club owner and musician, Steve Rubie, quoted in the ‘Who to look out for in 2019’ column in the Dec2018/Jan2019 edition of Jazzwise.

With an acclaimed 2019 London Jazz Festival debut under her belt and a ‘Best Vocalist’ gong at last year’s Scottish Jazz Awards, it would be fair to say that the Edinburgh-based vocalist Georgia Cécile hasn’t disappointed.

As well as being shortlisted for Vocalist of the Year in the Jazz FM Awards 2020, the singer was due to perform at both Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Love Supreme this year – the pandemic sadly put paid to that. Cécile appears sanguine about lockdown.

“I’m grateful to be well and safe,” she tells me. “I teach vocals with Napier University one day a week at the moment, and that's been supplementing my income. I'm lucky enough to live with my partner, Fraser [Urquhart], who's an amazing piano player, and we've been doing some livestream shows and people have been very generous.”

Just as the great Kurt Elling may have been lost to the world of academe, Cécile looked set to follow a legal career after signing up for a law degree at Strathclyde University. But the pull of music was too strong: she dropped out after a year and switched to a four-year BA Hons in Popular Music at Edinburgh Napier University. Cécile traces her love of jazz back to her childhood. Her grandfather, Gerry Smith, was a jazz pianist in Glasgow who toured in the 1950s and 60s, while her Aunt Ann was a jazz singer.

“Unfortunately they’ve both passed away now so they haven't lived to see me carry the baton,” she notes.

Napier represented a formative experience for Cécile, a time when she not only started to write songs but also met her co-writer, the pianist and composer Euan Stevenson.

“We've had a long-term collaboration now, over 10 years,” she says. “We have very similar influences in terms of our upbringing in music, that was apparent right away: Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder, but also Gershwin, Ellington, Cole Porter. He’s a real jazzer at heart.” Anyone who’s heard the duo’s 2019 single ‘Blue Is Just A Colour’ will know just how good a songwriting partnership this is.

In terms of her own musical aesthetic and what has influenced her both as a writer and singer, Cécile’s ‘Game Changer’ track which she chose for BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Jazz Nights’ programme – Duke Ellington and Mahalia Jackson’s performance of ‘Come Sunday’ from Black, Brown and Beige – was telling.

“I feel like music is a gift for me and it's my duty to share that gift,” she says. “I think Duke Ellington and the performance of that song – there's nothing egotistical about it, it’s just for pure love, and to make other people feel that love. When I first heard it I just felt safe and comforted. It's very powerful but in a subtle and dignified way. And that's the power of Duke Ellington's music. It touches me on such a deep level.”

The choice of ‘Come Sunday’ also provides deeper insights into the elements of music which Cécile values most highly as an artist.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rianne White

“Certainly, the first thing I feel and admire is that unveiling of true self and honesty, and authentic emotion and storytelling. For me, whether it's an instrumentalist or a singer, they have to be telling a story, they have to be purely in it to connect with the listener and open themselves to let that magic, that music, flow from them. I think you are the vessel. And you have to let go of worry and stress and just let that thing flow from you. And that's what I try and do when I sing.”

In terms of artists on the scene today that she particularly admires for having that storytelling quality, Cécile namechecks the aforementioned Elling (“he's got that ability to put himself aside and just give to the music”) and Cécile McLorin Salvant (“she isn't just a song stylist, she's an artist”).

When lockdown ends, Cécile’s thoughts will immediately turn to finishing her debut album (all originals), which was tantalisingly close to being done and dusted, with a band that features bassist Mario Caribé and drummer Max Popp, in addition to Stevenson on keys.

“I feel I’ve found my family – they've always got my back, they know my voice, they know what I'm going to do on a live gig and they follow me. We’ve lived with these songs for two, three, four years and we’ve played them live a lot, which has been a blessing because we’ve realised what works.”

This next step on the singer’s journey will, you feel, surely be worth the wait”.

I have been a fan and follower of Georgia Cécile for a while now. I will come onto her debut album soon, but I have put her social media links at the bottom. Please go and check her out and follow this sensational artist. Discover Gigs ad Tours spoke with Georgia Cécile in October 2021. Having released her Only the Lover Sings album, it was getting a lot of praise. You do not have to be a fan of Jazz to appreciate her music and fall in love with her:

“How does it feel to have topped the UK Jazz charts with your new album, ‘Only the Lover Sings’? Tell us all about it!

This album has been a long time in the making, we started writing some of these songs around five years ago, so to finally see it out there in world, and for it to be received so positively is wonderful. It’s an album of 10 original songs, all of which I write with my pianist Euan Stevenson. We’ve got a telepathic songwriting relationship, where we both know what the end goal should be. Sometimes we don’t even speak, we just sing and play until it’s right. Every song is different to the next and no two songs sound the same. This album is the result of 10 years of growth, both personal and musical. I think you can really hear that in the music. You can tell I’ve lived these songs… so I’ve been told.

For people that haven’t seen you perform live before, what can they expect?

Lyrically, I like taking people on an emotional journey through my music, where each song takes a step through a different doorway of the heart.

Sonically you can expect sweeping cinematic piano and strings with cool vivacious horns, all framing the intimate lyrics.

Jazz and soul music are at the centre of our sound, so groove and improvisation are another big element. We’ll be playing all the new music from my debut album.

If you had to file your sound next to some big names in the industry, who would you be filed next to?

I’m mostly inspired by artists from days gone by – Duke Ellington, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Donny Hathaway. But I would say my music is relative to that of modern day artists such as Celeste, Laufey, Norah Jones, Gregory Porter. I actually just found out I’ll be supporting him on his next tour which is absolutely wild.

Which track are you most excited to perform and why?

Harpoon. It’s my favourite song on the album! It started off as a love poem so the music has a sensual old school Latin flavour. The dramatic slow build up to a fortissimo crescendo ending reminds me of something from a 1960’s Bond movie. It always shocks people! Maybe it could be the next Bond song, who knows?”.

I am going to wrap up fairly soon. There is so much to explore when it comes to Georgia Cécile and her fabulous body of work. One of the most moving and naturally talented artists I have heard in years, who knows just how far she can go! Square Mile interviewed Georgia Cécile in October 2021 too. I love the fact she mentioned how she’d love to write a Bond theme. I could see her knocking that out of the park if she is ever asked:

“SCOTTISH JAZZ SINGER Georgia Cécile not only has a beautiful voice but also a wise head on her shoulders.

Take her perspective on social media. "There is a lot of pressure to keep up a presence on social media," notes Cécile. "Some days we just don’t feel like sharing every aspect of our lives."

However she also embraces its benefits – such as showing off cute animals. "I recently gave my kitten an Insta account because the world needs to see how beautiful she is, so I can't complain, really..."

Nobody can complain about additional kitten pictures in the world. Nor can anyone complain about more music from the extravagantly talented Cécile – she supports Gregory Porter at the Royal Albert Hall this week and released her latest album Only The Lover Sings last month.

What upcoming project(s) are you most excited about?

I have known that I’m going to be singing at the opening gala of the London Jazz Festival with the Guy Barker Orchestra for almost a year now, so the excitement and build up has been excruciating.

It has always been a dream of mine to sing at the Royal Festival Hall with a live orchestra; the fact I will be singing one of my own songs with them too, feels like a real milestone moment.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

I would say completing my debut album to the standard I had always hoped is my proudest accomplishment so far. Myself and my co-writer Euan Stevenson worked hard for many years towards the goal of creating a classy, timeless body of work.

It was not without struggle, and I had to push past a lot of people who thought they knew better. I think when you have something that appears to people as a product on the outside, it can be easy to let others determine what you are going to do with your art and how you are going to market it. Finishing this album has been an opportunity for me to be courageous and learn to trust myself.

I am proud of the obstacles I overcame to present something that is authentic and true. To hold the finished record in my hand was actually the best feeling ever.

If you could change one thing about your career, what would it be?

Having a career in music is extremely fulfilling and rewarding, but you can't be afraid of hard work. Singing on stage and connecting to audiences is where I feel most alive and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

If there was something though, I would say there is a lot of pressure to keep up a presence on social media, and because we are only human, there are some days we just don’t feel like sharing every aspect of our lives.

I’m intrigued by other creatives like Saoirse Ronan and Lea Seydoux who have never used social media at all, yet somehow achieve and maintain mainstream success in their art forms.

Still, I love sharing new music and connecting to fans on social media, and I recently gave my kitten an Insta account because the world needs to see how beautiful she is, so I can't complain, really...

What do you hope to achieve that you haven’t yet?

I want to write and sing on the next Bond movie song – let's bring back the real Shirley Bassey glamour and sophistication!

Outside of your family, who is / was your biggest inspiration?

Besides my family and musical heroes, I am inspired by the great poets and writers!

My album title ‘Only The Lover Sings’ was inspired by a book by the German philosopher and author Josef Pieper who wrote about the idea that music can open doors of the heart, and that through music-making and listening, we can discover, know and love the darkest and furthest corners of our souls.

This sentiment deeply resonated with me and so it was crowned album title.

Tell us something nobody knows about you…

Contrary to what my confident nonchalant persona might present externally, I am actually very sensitive and take things all too personally at times. I care so much about hurting others, sometimes at the expense of my own progress.

That being said I am becoming more aware of my feelings and try not to take criticism too personally, especially on my art.

Before coming to a fairly recent interview, it is worth getting in a review for Only the Lover Sings. Jazzwise had some very positive things to say about Georgia Cécile’s wonderful debut album. I have been listening to the album a lot. There is something transformative about it that puts you in this particular headspace when you hear it. Such is her brilliance and command, I keep coming back to Only the Lover Sings are am moved by it:

“2021 was definitely something of an annus mirabilis for the vocalist and songwriter, Georgia Cécile. She won a host of new fans supporting Gregory Porter on his four dates at the Royal Albert Hall, made her Ronnie Scott's debut, delivered a standout performance at the EFG London Jazz Festival's opening gala, Jazz Voice, and released her debut album, Only The Lover Sings, which scooped ‘Best Album’ at the 2021 Scottish Jazz Awards.

With 10 superbly-crafted original songs, outstanding arrangements courtesy of Cécile's long-standing songwriting partner – pianist and composer Euan Stevenson – plus a central vocal performance which mixes passion, power and playfulness, this debut is an astonishing achievement. Cécile kickstarted proceedings at ‘Jazz Voice’ with her fine original – and album opener – ‘The Month Of May’. It's one of several songs (‘He Knew How To Love’ and ‘Goodbye Love’ are two more) which possesses a Bacharach-like richness both in terms of its arrangement and its harmonic journey. The moving ballad ‘Come Summertime’ showcases Cécile's ability to sustain and really sing through the melodic line. Tempos and textures are nicely varied, with ‘the radio-friendly ‘Always Be Right For Me’ shifting easily through the gears, while the pulsating ‘Blue Is Just A Colour’ emphasizes what an incredibly tight band this is”.

I am going to bring things fairly up to date. In August, Jazzwise spoke to Georgia Cécile again. They are huge supporters of her work! I feel that she will pique the interest of some of the most popular newspapers and music magazines very soon. No doubt about the fact Georgia Cécile will be a major star of the future:

“The release of a truly stunning debut (Only The Lover Sings) which garnered ‘Album of the Year’ at the 2021 Scottish Jazz Awards; supporting Gregory Porter at the Royal Albert Hall on four consecutive nights; a sold-out debut at Ronnie’s; part of an all-star gala concert at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival; as well as airplay aplenty across BBC Radios 2 and 3, 6Music and Jazz FM… It would be fair to say that, since we last chatted on Zoom during the first UK lockdown in 2020, things are most definitely on the up for vocalist and songwriter Georgia Cécile.

“A lot of people have said how much they love the songwriting,” Cécile notes regarding the phenomenal response to the debut, “which is the biggest thing for me – take away the arrangement, take away the window dressing – the actual songs themselves, the melodies and the lyrics, what Euan [Stevenson] and I have crafted and worked on for so long. To be acknowledged for that and to be recognised as a serious writer is such a big thing to me.

“When you put out your first album, there's a lot of pressure and a lot of anxieties about how it's going to do, but what I've realised is that it's out in the world now and it’s got its whole life ahead of it.”

While you might be forgiven for thinking that being offered a last-minute support slot for the aforementioned Gregory Porter in one of London’s most iconic venues would faze even the most seasoned of singers, Cécile clearly took it all in her stride.

“It was amazing, being on that stage where all my heroes have stood and sang. I felt like I had arrived home. I was a little nervous, but it felt very natural. I felt ready – the band, the songs, everything had been building up to that moment over the last however many years. When the opportunity came, literally within a week of the date, I felt ready for that.”

Of her Ronnie’s debut, she notes that “the audience was amazing – so warm, so enthusiastic, loved the music and queued up to buy the CD afterwards. It was a great night.”

Since we last spoke, singer and band have also made their debut appearance on US stages as part of the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.

“PRS Foundation, a great supporter of emerging artists, gave us the opportunity to go,” Cécile tells me. “We had two showcases, one at a really cool jazz club called Elephant Room, the other on a stage for UK artists. We had a great time and checked out loads of other bands, there was something like 16,000 gigs on! We got to meet a lot of other artists from the UK and from the US, other agents, other industry people, so it was a really good networking opportunity.”

Watching the vocalist perform live at last year’s Jazz Voice, the EFG London Jazz Festival’s opening night gala concert, it was clear that the storytelling and stagecraft elements of her artistry were both things that she highly values.

“That's something I’ve always worked at and included as part of what I do. I have literally spent hours and hours on YouTube studying people like Nancy Wilson and Tony Bennett – I’ve watched all of his concerts with Ralph Sharon on piano – seeing what they do, how they join songs in a set, how they communicate, and just really studying that, practising it, and building on it. All these little tips and tricks that I've picked up from watching the greats, but keeping the real focus on the song and the story and honouring that at all costs and making the audience feel part of that journey.

“For me, it's not enough to just get up and play songs back-to-back. People are paying money to watch you, when times are hard, and I want to leave them with something that they will remember forever and make them feel transported, uplifted or moved in some way. Taking them on that journey through the ebbs and flows of the music and the stories behind the songs – and presenting that visually as well – is really important.”

Cécile reunited with Guy Barker to perform on the opening night gala concert with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Barker’s big band at this year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival, where she reprised ‘The Month of May’ from Jazz Voice and also sang Duke Ellington's ‘Prelude to a Kiss’. Originally broadcast on BBC Four, you can still watch the concert on the BBC website (‘Jazz All Stars: Cheltenham Jazz at 25’).

PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Hare

Even on first listen, the 10 superbly-crafted songs on Only The Lover Sings sound like future standards. Songs such as ‘Harpoon’ possess an almost Ellingtonian elegance of construction, and it comes as no surprise that Cécile and her pianist Stevenson share a huge love of the Duke’s music.

Other songs such as ‘Blue Is Just A Colour’ nod to the influence of US soul greats. “I've spent a lot of time listening to Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. For ‘Blue Is Just A Colour’, I came up with rhythmical ideas that go against the groove or against the piano, singing in all the gaps and the offbeats and coming at it from a more percussive position. ‘Love The Stars You’re Under’ started off as a metre-based poem which was inspired by the Don McLean song, ‘Vincent’. We wanted to write something that sounded like a stream of consciousness. I think we just sat outside one day under a tree in the park and I started writing down these things that I was seeing – the birds, the trees. I'm always really inspired by nature”.

I am going to leave things there. Someone whose live shows are always so memorable. A recording artist that is unique, and yet you can feel elements and influences of others weaved into the mix, I know that Georgia Cécile has a passionate online following already. This is going to expand and increase through 2023. Her must-hear music has a…