Remembering the life and music of legendary jazz guitarist Emily Remler

We offer a birthday remembrance for Emily
who still burns brightly in our musical hearts.
Born : September 18, 1957.

September belongs to the memory of Emily, join us in celebrating her music all month long. Dig out your most loved album for another listen, request her songs on your favorite jazz station, play some of her tunes in your next gig and most importantly for us all, pass on her legacy to someone not yet familiar with her exceptional good sounds.
If you live near Manchester England, be mindful of a wonderful opportunity for an intimate overview of her musical contributions with Bruce Robinson at the Manchester Jazz Society that will occur on the 18th. Click Here for more details at MJS. Need more? Go Here for the latest rebroadcast of Emily Remler: a Musical Remembrance from WIFU’s Night Lights
for a full hour of memories and music.


Finally, for your enjoyment a few selections of great performances from days past.
Yesterdays ~ How Insensitive ~ Gentle Rain ~ My Latin Brother ~ Nardis ~ Catwalk
Here’s to Emily ~ Cheers

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Deirdre Cartwright & Kathy Dyson have graciously posted a couple of outstanding selections from their duo performance at this years Manchester Jazz Festival that honored the music of Emily, where they presented some original Remler compositions and appropriately mixed in a few from her favorite artists such as Wes Montgomery and Clifford Brown. Enjoy the unique and lovely musical exchanges that only jazz guitars in tandem can provide. All The Things You Are is from an earlier show in May at the Vortex when they appeared as a quartet. Their playing is simply endearing and of great inspiration. We can’t wait to hear what’s next for them both.
Click the button to choose from the three videos.

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Here’s a release we can hardly wait to get our ears on from acclaimed guitarist and composer Sheryl Bailey as she works with the renowned Manchester Craftsmen Guild of Pittsburgh on her latest album, A New Promise. The set list is a great mix of Emily’s songs, an original composition in her honor and a few jazz standards backed by the Three Rivers Jazz Orchestra. Look for an official release date early next Spring. Although no tour announcements are associated with the album at this time, it’s not impossible that catching one of her many performance dates could result in hearing a few tunes from her newest project.

Click to read full article from Jazztimes News: Gone, Not Forgotten.

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It’s quite uncommon to have two women jazz guitarists take the stage together but the audience at this summer’s Manchester Jazz Festival got a rare treat of not only great jazz from the female duo of Deirdre Cartwright and Kathy Dyson but in particular of jazz in honor of the late and wonderful guitarist, Emily Remler. Both Cartwright and Dyson have very extensive backgrounds as advocates, educators and performers and have brought their wealth of experience and love of Emily’s music together in hope of inspiring a new generation of girls to the beauty of jazz guitar as well as new listeners to the music that either Remler composed or played often from her favorite influences.

ATE overseas correspondent Simon Crook was lucky enough to find the best table
in the house to take in the show and has this review to share.

On one of the warmest evenings of the year so far, Kathy Dyson And Deirdre Cartwright opened their set with an elegant take on Wes Montgomery’s Four On Six in front of a good-natured and attentive audience. Following on with Emily’s arrangement of Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise, their soulful playing on this tune was a particular highlight, showcasing Deirdre’s lyrical lines as she skillfully dug into the harmony, choosing only the most meaningful intervals to define Kathy’s solid accompaniment. A well received version of Horace Silver’s perky Sister Sadie was up next. Deirdre spoke about how much Emily had influenced them both and deserved to be remembered and the amazing fact that, as far as they know, they are still the only professional women jazz guitarists in the UK. Jobim’s haunting and beautiful How Insensitive gave them both a chance to stretch out and trade solos. A confident version of Emily’s own composition, Blues For Herb followed, and the mood remained upbeat with Joy Spring, a tune that Emily had arranged and regularly played live, years before recording it with Larry Coryell. Deirdre and Kathy ended the set with the standard, All The Things You Are. Although it would have been good to hear a couple more of Emily’s own compositions it was impossible not to be charmed and thoroughly entertained by their great playing and infectious enthusiasm for the music.

Bruce Robinson caught the show and adds:

This was a great gig. Two distinctly different sounding guitarists influenced by Emily giving their take on her music using the original settings. They both were really enjoying themselves and communicated it to the audience. There are still a few wrinkles to be ironed out but I hope this music makes it to cd.

Of interest, Bruce will also be presenting some of Emily’s music to the Manchester Jazz Society this coming September on the 19th. For more information visit the MJS website.

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If you live in England or plan a visit there soon keep in mind the Manchester Jazz Festival on Saturday, July 26th this summer as jazz guitarists Deirdre Cartwright and Kathy Dyson will perform a tribute show: Remembering Emily, in honor of Remler’s music. Details can be found at Deirdre Cartwright’s website below or click Kathy’s picture on the left to visit Manchester Jazz. Her memory thrives from such performances, support them if you can.

Click to read interview: Five Questions For Kathy Dyson
from UK’s MetroLife section where she shares a few thoughts about Emily and why there are too few women jazz guitarists. Certainly a topic that deserves further discussion and evaluation.

Play on ladies.

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