Gemma Sherry - Let's Get Serious (2020)

Gemma Sherry's third full length album, the ironically titled ‘Let's Get Serious’ is a collection of joyful songs recorded specifically to bring a smile to the listener. Faced with the live music landscape of 2020 which put an unscheduled end to her 2019-2020 world tour, Gemma decided that rather than retreating she would re-double her efforts and record an album of what the world needed most; happy, playful, cheeky music.

Bringing together a band of standout musicians including Grammy-nominated guitarist Paul Bollenbeck, session pianist Rick Germanson, jazz legend George Coleman’s son, George Coleman Jr. on drums and one of the newest most sort-after double bass players on the scene Eric Wheeler.

Hand selecting each song on the album, Gemma chose to record primarily lesser known songs, with a few well known classics mixed in as touchstones to a wider audience. Songs such as “The Alley Cat Song”, “Try Your Wings” and “Doodlin’ Song” haven’t been widely recorded in over 50 years. “Try Your Wings” is a message to others to follow their dreams no matter what. Something Sherry strongly believes in and encapsulates her view on life. While the well known tracks such as “Give Me The Simple Life” and “Straighten Up and Fly Right” are light and joyful.

Gemma's past records have been exceptionally well received. She has recorded standards from the Great American Songbook, Bossa Nova, as well as underground house music. A Bandcamp Best Seller since her debut release and recommended by MTV with an ever growing organic fanbase that spans the world from the U.S. to Brazil, Italy and Japan, this is definitely just the beginning for her.

Hailing from a picturesque town in the Australian outback, Gemma has lived in NYC and Philadelphia since 2010. She studied classical saxophone, was the lead singer of her own original Acid Jazz band and later studied vocal improvisation at the New School in NYC under Billy Harper. She has gone on to record with various Amerian, European and British producers including none other than ATC founder Billy Woodman on her 2019 recording “Songs I Love”.

For this project, Gemma brought together her stellar team, multi-platinum award-winning mixing engineer Clint Murphy, LA based film photographer Fabian Fioto, alongside set designer Daniel Danielson for the album cover artwork, as well as the mastering wizards at Sterling Sound. This latest record was recorded at beautiful Rittenhouse Soundworks Studios in Philadelphia with Michael Richelle as Engineer. The world needs happy music and here it is!