I have never really considered myself a jazz aficionado. It's a genre I've rarely sought out, and I don't think I've covered a jazz album in any meaningful way since back in the day. Even then, it was something I only dipped into on rare occasions. Jazz tends to enter my orbit when something in particular piques my attention, rather than through any sustained interest or deliberate exploration on my part.

Anyway, I was not even actively looking for new artists when I stumbled across a YouTube video featuring an ensemble cast of musicians performing Pink Floyd’s "Eclipse" and "Brain Damage" from Dark Side of the Moon. It was a fantastic performance, but it was the lead singer who really pricked my ears up. I caught a European accent and initially assumed it was French, not that it mattered. The spell had already been cast.

Once the video ended, I checked the notes and saw the name Elsa Steixner. A little Googling led me to her website, where I discovered she is actually from Vienna and fronts her own band under the moniker Elsa. As if that were not enough, I learned that an album had been released this year, and before I knew it, I had well and truly disappeared down the rabbit hole.

Like many genres of music, jazz splinters into countless sub genres. I suspect I am more drawn to its smoother side, particularly where the vocal performance takes centre stage. The album opens with "What For", ushered in by a funky guitar line before Elsa’s voice enters, and from that moment I am transfixed and fully on board. The track carries a loose, almost live feel that gives it real warmth and immediacy. Around a third of the way in, there is a lovely shift as the arrangement drops back to just drums and bass. Elsa’s voice gradually re emerges, this time more fragile, beautiful, and almost haunting. The effect is quietly hypnotic, and no matter how many times I hear it, I never quite feel ready for the song to end.

"Clouds Are Clouds" leans into something more folksy, built around just acoustic guitar and vocals. As with the previous track, it shifts gear around the halfway mark, but rather than flowing naturally, the song seems to pause, then restart in a slightly altered form. Vocally, it brings Norah Jones to mind, though there is an added edge here, a smokiness that consistently grabs and holds my attention.

While the melody of "It Won’t Be Long" carries a gently uplifting quality, the lyrics are tinged with loss and longing. It creates an intriguing tension, as Elsa’s vocals remain light and bright, almost hopeful, and you can sense an underlying warmth that suggests happiness rather than despair. That emotional push and pull gives the track its character, allowing it to feel reflective without ever becoming heavy or weighed down.

In "Marketplace", you can almost feel the looseness of the band, as though they are warming into the groove before Elsa’s voice cuts through the smokiness, slow and purposeful. The song unfolds at an unhurried pace, content to take its time rather than push forward. The lyrics are sparse and understated, but they fit the mood perfectly and do exactly what they need to do without overstating their case. There's light brass accompaniment throughout the track, which comes into it's own as the track closes, which at first I thought was overkill, but came to really appreciate it after a few listens.

As seems to be a recurring trend in the albums I have been covering lately, the next track, "Courage", arrives as a brief interlude, clocking in at just 82 seconds. It is built on a synth line with an almost accordion like quality, creating a perfectly judged sound bed for Elsa’s wonderful vocals. The tone once again leans darker, with lyrics that hint at melancholy, before closing quietly, having said exactly what they needed to say.

The aptly titled "Summer Shoes" brings with it a sense of sunshine and happiness which, given I am reviewing this in December, feels like a welcome reminder of the summer long gone. No matter the gloom outside, it's almost as if the song summons its own sunshine. Around two thirds of the way through, there is a lovely break built around an almost ethereal keyboards, giving Elsa’s vocals a canvas to dance upon, a veritable rhapsody in the sunshine.

Bringing things back to a more traditional, piano-based jazz footing is "Sunshine At Goodbye". Think smoky room, a pianist with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and a singer, draped in satin or velvet with bright red lipstick, making love to the microphone. Okay, maybe I’ve watched too many 1940s movies, but this is the feeling the track evokes. It’s not all femme fatale, two thirds of the way in, there’s a burst of heart and passion, which then slinks away again, returning to quiet seduction.

There’s a familiar feeling to "Who Will". It’s almost like a piece from a movie soundtrack, slow, dark, and evocative, hinting at something dramatic, which soon arrives. The vocals are soft and sweet, and then, bam, an almost Joplinesque burst of fire erupts. It hints at a return but never quite follows through for the rest of the track, leaving its mark all the same, but not overwhelming this otherwise great track.

The title track, "JUMP!", is another deceptively simple piece, built around acoustic guitar, Elsa’s beautiful vocals, and rich, layered harmonies. It doesn’t unfold like a conventional song, instead, it feels more like a soundscape, a carefully crafted moment in time. Listening to it is like being summoned away on a blissful journey, a brief sojourn that carries you effortlessly along, leaving a lingering sense of calm and wonder.

The album concludes with "Inbetweening", which, to my mind, leans less toward jazz and more into the singer-songwriter realm, in the vein of Billy Joel or Don McLean. It opens with an extended piano introduction, accompanied by bass, setting a contemplative mood. It is one of the longer tracks on the album, yet it remains unhurried and never feels laboured. Eventually, Elsa’s vocals enter, and the story unfolds. Like several tracks before it, the vocals begin soft and calm, but then building to an almost overwhelming crescendo of frustration, teetering on the edge of anger, only to return once more to quiet reflection. The sentiment and sorrow in the closing moments are almost heartbreaking, making for a deeply thought-provoking and powerful conclusion to the album.

For someone who rarely seeks out jazz, this album has been a real discovery. Elsa’s voice carries through a wide range of moods, from intimate, folksy moments to smoky, cinematic jazz, always with a sense of honesty and presence. The arrangements are simple but effective, and the subtle shifts in tone and instrumentation keep each track interesting. What started as a chance YouTube find turned into a deep dive, with the album revealing more each time I listened to it. A fantastic find and an artist I hope will keep me posted on future releases.