Award-winning Soul and Blues singer-songwriter Jo Harman returns to Band on the Wall to celebrate the worldwide release of her new LP, ‘People We Become’, the follow up to her critically acclaimed 2013 debut ‘Dirt On My Tongue’. Recorded in Nashville, at Sound Emporium and other noted studios with producer Fred Mollin (Billy Joel, Jimmy Webb, Carly Simon, Joe Cocker, Johnny Mathis and many more) the album features Michael McDonald on the first single ‘When We Were Young’.
Soul. Blues. Gospel. Beatles-worthy pop. These are the core ingredients of Harman’s style, and ‘People We Become’ is a modern album rooted in the classic, timeless music of past generations.
Raised in Southwest England, Harman found success on her own terms. Her debut LP was released independently in 2013 and supported by a touring schedule that found Harman sharing the stage with icons like Patti Smith, Joan Baez and Sinead O’Connor. ‘Dirt On My Tongue’ was embraced with particular devotion by the blues community in the U.K, with Harman racking up more than a half-dozen nominations from the British Blues Awards. Looking to expand her horizons beyond any single genre Jo began teaming up with her long-time co-write, Mike Davies, to write new songs that took their cues from some classic artists — including Carole King, Cat Stevens and David Bowie — whose music had filled her childhood home. She wasn’t looking to be a throwback artist; instead, she was narrowing her focus to the building blocks of ageless music, from powerful melodies to organic, natural-sounding arrangements.
‘People We Become’ marks the biggest leap of Harman’s career. To make it, she headed overseas to Nashville, Tennessee, where she found a trusted collaborator in producer Fred Mollin. While a winter storm raged outside, Harman and Mollin holed up inside the city’s famed Sound Emporium Studio for three weeks, focusing on a warm sound — full of upright piano, Rhodes, unaffected bursts of electric guitar, and the soulful sweep of Harman’s voice — that contrasted with the town’s snowy weather. In March Jo will return to Nashville, a fitting start to her first American tour.
The album features award-winning players Tom Bukovac, Greg Morrow, and Gordon Mote — as well as a guest appearance by Grammy winning Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers). McDonald lends his harmony vocals to the 70s-worthy soul of “When We Were Young”. The most striking instrument on the album is Harman’s voice, sharpened by her years on the road, and sounding better than ever.
Support comes from blues, country and soul songstress Elles Bailey who will be playing an exclusive ‘stripped back’ set, featuring new material from her debut album. Recorded in Nashville the album features the excellent lead single ‘Wildfire’.
*This is a standing show.*