Essie Jain

Essie Jain is an English singer-songwriter born and raised in London, who is now based in New York City.

Biography

Her first published work was a single track, "Why", on the album The Sound the Hare Heard, which contains a single track each from a large number of artists including Sufjan Stevens and Colin Meloy. This record was curated by Slim Moon and released by Kill Rock Stars.

In July 2006 she did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon. In this session, Essie plays acoustic guitar and sings "Understand" and "Glory".^[1] Both songs would soon be release on her first full-length record. "Glory" was featured in director James Kicklighter's 2011 film Followed.

Her first full-length record, We Made This Ourselves, drew comparisons to the British folk singers Sandy Denny and Vashti Bunyan.^[2][3] This record was originally released in the United States on Ba Da Bing records and was later released in the rest of the world on The Leaf Label.

The New York Times wrote that "Ms. Jain builds stark miniatures out of a few light strums of guitar and her haunting alto. On her captivating new album, We Made This Ourselves, her voice is multitracked in precise harmonies that can be warm or ghostly."

Her second release The Inbetween was released on Ba Da Bing Records and received much praise in the press. Pitchfork's Amanda Petrusich said: "The Inbetween is a remarkably wistful album, the kind that can be trying or cathartic, depending on when and how you listen, but Jain's voice is mostly stunning-- it's indicative of her precise time and place, and, accordingly, means something to all of us." The Leaf Label released this record outside of the US with different artwork and two additional tracks: "Not Yours" and "I Remember It Just Like This".

Essie Jain recorded a Daytrotter session that was released April 7, 2010.

In 2011, she started her own record label and released Until The Light Of Morning which is an album of original lullabies for parent and child, written and recorded by Jain. As she says on her website: "This record is made for every parent and every baby (and anyone else) who needs to rest and head off into the land of sleep."

In 2013, Huffington Post announced the release of "All Became Golden" her first audiovisual release; the result of a collaboration with filmmaker Natalie Johns and critically acclaimed composer/arranger Nico Muhly.^[4] Inspired by Frank Sinatra's recording process, a small audience was invited to witness these live orchestral recordings in the beautiful DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York City, capturing a magical collaboration of Nico and Essie, the recording process and Jain’s deep connection to the music.

Discography

Multiple Artist Albums

• The Sound the Hare Heard (Kill Rock Stars, 5/9/2006) (One song on here from Ms. Jain, titled "Why")

Albums

• We Made This Ourselves, US Release (Ba Da Bing, February 13, 2007)
• We Made This Ourselves, Worldwide Release (The Leaf Label, March 31, 2008)
• The Inbetween, US Release (Ba Da Bing, May 13, 2008)
• The Inbetween, Worldwide Release (The Leaf Label, November 17, 2008)
• Until The Light of Morning (Light of Morning, March, 2011)
• All Became Golden (Worldwide Release July, 2013)

Videos

• 3 live videos at Intimepop.com
• 2 Take Away Shows at La Blogotheque
• 1 live video at pollifax.com
• "Glory" taken from All Became Golden - Vimeo Staff Pick at
• Official Trailer All Became Golden at Vimeo.com

External links

• Essie Jain Music website
• Until The Light of Morning website
• Essie Jain on The Leaf Label
• Essie performs on The Current
• Some background information
• Review of The Inbetween
• Daytrotter session
• pollifax.com WANDERER SESSION

References