British singer Emma Smith brings a modern attitude to golden-age jazz and traditional pop on 2025’s Bitter Orange. The album works as a strong introduction for U.S. fans, some of whom may be familiar with her 2022 debut, Meshugah Baby, as well as her work as a member of the post-modern close harmony group the Puppini Sisters. Blessed with a big, highly-resonant voice, Smith evokes a potent combination of singers like Sarah Vaughan and Shirley Bassey; big swinging nighclub jazz with a polished edge. She gains empathetic backing throughout via her longtime pianist Jamie Safir (who also co-produced the album), along with double bassist Conor Chaplin and drummer Luke Tomlinson. Together, they dig into a finely curated mix of classic and lesser performed…