Jazz songbird Emma Pask in Lismore

AUSTRALIAN award-winning jazz songbird Emma Pask is on a regional tour with the venerable Kevin Hunt and playing Lismore on May 2.

Well known for spending the last 20 years alongside jazz virtuoso James Morrison, she is firmly established as one of this country’s favourite jazz voices with exquisite vocal ability.

With a tight schedule of performing and teaching, Pask is on an uncommon night out while chatting with this masthead and driving to the Sydney Opera House – a venue where she often performs – to see the latest production of Guys and Dolls.

“It’s a pretty rare night where I’m just gonna do something and chill out for a couple of hours,” Pask said.

Pask and Hunt have had a long collaboration for three decades, which she holds in great esteem. Hunt has been a fixture of Australian jazz since 1979 and played a vital part in the legendary Don Burrows Band.

“Kevin has been my wingman for a long time. It’s been 31 years since I started in the business, and it was soon after I started with James that I met him. His approach to piano playing is like no other,” she said.

“We lock in and have a fun, explorative time. I always feel secure and safe. Even though you’re riding on the edge, at the same time, you know you’ll make your way through because you’ve got each other’s back.

“When I meet youngsters in communities at workshops, I always stress how important it is to find a collective of musicians you feel supported, comfortable, and safe with.

“It’s not a flimsy, throw-away idea of just singing a song with someone.

“As soon as you take a breath and the accompanist starts, you know you’re on a journey creating a sound that is uniquely yours, and you never quite know where it will take you, which is super exciting,” she said.

First spotted by Morrison at just 16, Pask joined his band as the lead vocalist and spent the next 20 years touring the world. She has supported legendary guitarist/vocalist George Benson and Grammy-awarded American jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, and she has sung for the late Diana Princess of Wales and Queen Mary of Denmark.

Pask’s band has headlined the Havana Jazz Festival in Cuba, and The Sydney Opera House launched her as the first of its live-streamed concerts during the COVID lockdowns. The performance won the official Time Out award for Favourite Arts Livestream.

Latin Superstar Ricky Martin was effusive about her artistry when she performed in series two of The Voice Australia.

Pask is keen to return to the Northern Rivers.

“Lismore is a beautiful community, and they’ve always been great supporters of live music,” she said.

“It’s such an intimate, electric thing with Kevin and me, and with two musicians on stage, you wouldn’t think we’d create such a big sound, but we do.”

To catch a sprinkle of the Pask magic, visit events.humanitix.com/emma-pask-duo