Album review: JO HARMAN – People We Become

JO HARMAN - People We Become

Sands Foley Entertainment [Release date 03.02.17]

So who the hell is Jo Harman? Her 2013 debut album Dirt On My Tongue blended rock, soul, blues and jazz with a maturity way beyond her tender years. Get Ready To ROCK!’s Pete Feenstra described it as a surprisingly mature a ‘after hours’ album ‘tied up with her evocative phrasing, pristine diction and a husky voice that swamps the lyrics in honey’.

She might hail from Devon, but Harman’s musical roots lie many thousands of miles away across the Atlantic in the blues and soul of the Deep South of the US of A. Her gospel soulfulness reminds of Anita Baker, her pop sensibilities of Annie Lennox, and her mainstream singer songwriter appeal of Sarah McLachlan. Benchmarks Harman clears with seeming ease.

My issue with both her debut, and People We Become, is that she doesn’t emerge with any clear self-identity or direction.

But by Harman’s own admission she’s not trying to fit in anywhere, but “trying to write classic songs, and present them with classic production. When you try to chase what’s going on at the moment, then it’s going to sound old very quickly.”

In that sense, People We Become is mission achieved – an exquisite album rooted in the classic, timeless music of past generations (Julia Fordham, in particular, springs to mind), and quite possibly the finest female blue eyed soul vocal performance you’ll hear this year.

But there’s a certain irony that its primary appeal will lie with a generation who are most likely now grandparents, food shop at M&S, and whose annual holiday plans will include at least one cruise. A facet magnified by a cameo appearance by Michael McDonald – the man whose soulfulness drained the Doobie Brothers of their own.

But, if you like your waffles served with a large dollop of maple syrup (as opposed to bacon and grits), and Michael McDonald at the ‘Albert’ is on your bucket list, People We Become will not disappoint. ***

Review by Pete Whalley

Tour dates (Feb/March 2017)

EXETER PHOENIX, DEVON Thursday 2nd February
BROADWATER, WILTSHIRE MUSIC CENTRE Friday 3rd February
PARADISO, AMERSTERDAM Thursday 9th February
DORCHESTER ARTS, DORSET Saturday 11th February
JUNCTION 2 CAMBRIDGE Tuesday 14th February
MUSICIAN LEICESTER Thursday 16th February
JAZZ CAFE, LONDON Sunday 19th February
TRADES CENTRE, HEBDEN BRIDGE YORKSHIRE Weds 22nd February
BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER Thursday 23rd February
BREWERY ARTS CENTRE, KENDAL, CUMBRIA Friday 24th February
1865 SOUTHAMPTON HAMPSHIRE Friday 3rd March
APEX, BURY ST EDMUNDS, SUFFOLK Thursday 9th March
JOE’S PUB, NEW YORK, USA Tuesday 28th March
ARTRIX, BROMSGROVE W. MIDLANDS Friday 31st March

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)