The Scotsman Sessions #280: Rebecca Vasmant and Emilie Boyd

Welcome to the award-winning Scotsman Sessions. With performing arts activity curtailed, we are commissioning a series of short video performances from artists all around the country and releasing them on scotsman.com, with introductions from our critics. Here, Glasgow-based DJ and producer Rebecca Vasmant records a version of her new track Autumn Leaves with the singer Emilie Boyd

Like many of her musical peers, Rebecca Vasmant is now back on the road, accepting a flurry of gig offers. The Glasgow-based DJ, producer and promoter kickstarted her career with a residency at the city’s legendary Sub Club and is now an established go-to for her uplifting, erudite jazz, funk and Latin sets – her livestreamed appearance at the Glasgow Jazz Festival was a recent joy.

But she has also used the confinement of the last 18 months to build on her enthusiastic advocacy of the Glasgow jazz scene by launching her own label, Rebecca’s Records, and releasing her lush debut album. The balmy jazz suite With Love, From Glasgow features a whopping 23 musicians from the city, including drummer Graham Costello, bassist Brodie Jarvie, saxophonist Harry Weir and guest vocalists from Luca Manning to Nadya Albertsson, all recorded in her bijou southside flat.

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Her Scotsman Session version of album track Autumn Leaves was recorded in that self-same “beautiful little space that I call home” with one of her album collaborators, the singer Emilie Boyd. “We decided to choose this track because it marked the start of an amazing musical relationship between myself and Emilie,” says Vasmant.

“Lockdown had a profound impact on me in that it made me really evaluate what’s important in life,” she says. “I’m very grateful to have gone through such a deep and emotional time. If it wasn’t for the lockdowns, then this album might never have seen the light of day.”

The nascent Rebecca’s Records catalogue is set to expand by the end of the year with a number of releases soon to be announced. “I am looking to support female-led Scottish jazz projects for the next 12 months,” says Vasmant, “and am very excited to share these amazing artists’ music with you all.”

With Love, From Glasgow is out now on Rebecca’s Records

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