JAZZ USA - Emerald Jade brings a sassy style and great sense of musical timing to her music…….
BANGKOK POST - ……. delivered sensitively, was a genuine addition to the atmosphere and the quality of performance was polished, stylish, and compulsive listening……...
DUSTY GROOVE AMERICA - A great singer with a truly classic style -- the sensual Emerald Jade, heard here in a strong debut set! Emerald has a style that recalls 70s work by Jean Carne and Phyllis Hyman -- a smooth, sophisticated approach to soul -- sung in a mature and loving manner, and set to modern arrangements that have some warm keyboards and lightly funky beats. The set's got a great crossover sound -- never too over the top, but slinky and soulful in just the right way.
JAZZ USA - Raymond Redmond......We here at JazzUSA think that Emerald Jade's recent CD A New Classic should be considered for vocal jazz album of the year. This lady's got the feel and the flow that makes the music go! We recently caught up with Emerald for a quick moment of Q & A
SOUL EXPRESS - Soul Music Magazine; Barry Towler.............My personal favourites, though are the bassy, bluesy "Delirious" featuring a duet with Craig Monroe and the excellent Fender Rhodes filled swayer, "Afternoon At Ricardo's". The latter is a very simple song, and I adore the keyboards used on this CD. This beautiful, beautiful song and the whole CD in fact, remind me of happier bygone days for real soul music and it is a pleasure to hear such melodies and lyrics. "My Man" is a fantastic jazz tinged smoky club affair with some tasteful muted trumpet and incidental scat vocals that are reminiscent of Manhattan Transfer at their best. More muted trumpet can be found on the sassy "Tippin'" which has our heroine displaying some softer qualities of the great Chaka Khan (one of her influences). "Tippin'" is a fine exponent of what we would deem funky jazz. Those peddling the tired smooth jazz format really do need to stop and take a listen to this CD. They could learn much from Emerald's style and delivery.
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES– Ron Beckham (Instrumental Women ) “ .....and singer Emerald Jade, artist director of the event, brought her own uniquely rhapsodic touch to ‘Summertime’ and ‘Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby.’
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES – Robert Mattson “…with a vocal style reminiscent of Nancy Wilson, Emerald Jade takes us on a sentimental journey…her gentle phrasing enhances the lyrics with timeless standards on her CD “A New Classic”
THE LAS VEGAS WEEKLY – View Section: Jazz and Pop Music Reviews “Guest soloist Sunday were … and superior jazzy soul singers Emerald Jade and piano player/singer Craig Anthony who wowed the audience with a the timeless classic “Unforgettable”
L.A. WATTS TIMES– “Jazz at Drew” “Emerald Jade and Craig Anthony,” whose voice quality, range and phrasing closely approximates Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, was next and impressed the audience with “The Closer I Get To You” and “Ain‘t No Sunshine”
JAZZ NOW MAGAZINE – “New Sounds” “…Emerald Jade and Craig Anthony uncompromising jazzy soul singers – that is clear from the evidence of this CD. With hints of Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole they sing some of the most musical songs with ease and panache suggesting one of the most exciting duos around today! ”
THE JAZZ SCENE – “Spotlight On Jazz” with Emerald Jade“…and riche-toned keyboardist/singer Craig Anthony”
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER – Nightclub Review: ......and a very hot duo, Emerald Jade and Craig Anthony, providing some steamy vocals”