Emme Kemp
*The birth of Emme Kemp is celebrated on this date in 1945. She is a Black pianist, vocalist, band leader, Broadway composer, actress, lecturer, and an American music researcher.
Born in Chicago, Emmelyne Kemp was a child prodigy at the age of three, and she grew up on community gospel and the blues. She attended Morgan Park High School and advanced her musical skills at Northwestern University and two conservatories. She also served in the Women's Army Corps. She is a protégé of Eubie Blake. She is best known as a Broadway composer and actor for Bubbling Brown Sugar. She is known as an actor in the Woody Allen film Sweet and Lowdown. She has performed throughout the United States, Germany, and Japan.
Kemp's genre is blues, jazz, ragtime, and gospel. She recorded with Eubie Blake. Her music label is Emme Kemp. Her trio consisted of Earl May (bassist) and Earl Williams (drums). Kemp performs on college campuses. She appeared in Woody Allen's film Sweet & Lowdown, starring Sean Penn. On Broadway, she composed music for, and acted in, Bubbling Brown Sugar, and wrote music for The American Dance Machine and Don't Bother Me I Can't Cope, and Lorraine Hansberry's musical "Raisin. She has performed her original tunes on the Guiding Light and Captain Kangaroo. She was coached by, and a student of Egon Petri. Kemp is multilingual, performing in six languages.
