‘This album now takes its place among some of the very best vocalists in my collection.’
press
"'The Heart Wants' is way up there with the best of them" - Bebop Spoken Here /
“I could write about this one forever - it's a milestone in jazz singing - but I just want to listen to it forever or at least until her next album.”
'Gorgeous songs that other artists will want to cover in the years ahead' - Kind of Jazz ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /
The cover of The Heart Wants, the new album by singer Jo Harrop, sees her sitting at a desk piled with literature, putting pen to paper. This seems appropriate, as the album is comprised primarily of self-penned tunes, which comes as a surprise after her breakthrough (Weathering The Storm, with guitarist Jamie McCredie), saw her interpret – with considerable style – the songs of others.
Better still, she proves herself to be a fine songwriter. The ideas took hold during the long months of lockdown. “I finally began to work on the album that I had longed to make for many years,” she explains. “Ideas that I had talked over with (producers) Hannah (Vasanth) and Jamie (McCredie) began to unfold, and emotions that I’d always pushed aside began to spill on the page.”
After the word-of-mouth success of her debut, which even drew praise from the likes of Iggy Pop, The Heart Wants is a bigger budget affair, with guest appearances from bassist Christian McBride and pianist Jason Rebello, to name but two of the many musicians who play on the record.
The title track opens the album, with Jo’s warm, rich voice delivering a heartfelt vocal. Hannah Vasanth plays piano on this track, and Christian McBride contributes his distinctive sound, which provides additional depth. There’s also some simmering, late-night trumpet from Andy Davies to enjoy.
Ellington’s All Too Soon – one of the few covers – is up next, and sees Jo ‘duet’ with McBride. There’s nowhere to hide as a singer, and she handles it with aplomb – one of the album’s many highlights.
Everything’s Changing and Life Inside are pop-jazz of the highest order, gorgeous songs that other artists will want to cover in the years ahead. The former sees Nicky Brown join on Hammond, an added strong section, and a lovely solo by Andy Davies. Life Inside is absolutely stunning, and includes a guest vocal by Marcus Bonfanti. One of my songs of the year, it’s that good.
The album’s first single Red Mary Janes And A Brand New Hat is as stylish as the title suggests, a real statement of intent, and co-written – over a glass of wine or two, I would imagine – with Hannah Vasanth and Natalie Williams.
Paul Edris contributes the wonderful Wise Words, which could easily pass for a Nina Simone tune, and co-writes two songs with Jo – What If and If I Knew – which sound like standards waiting to be discovered.
Rainbow Sleeves is a Rickie Lee Jones tune that was penned by her ex-lover, Tom Waits, and is given a delightful read here, accompanied by Jamie McCredie on guitar and Sarah Bowler on cello. The album closes with the soulful Weather The Storm, which demonstrates her versatility as a singer, and features a ‘choir’, that includes – amongst many others – Natalie Williams, Fiona Ross, Robin Phillips and Simone Craddock.
The Heart Wants is inevitably a more varied album than its predecessor, and demonstrates Jo’s range in a number of different settings, from simple duets through strings and choirs. But more than that, it sees her emerge as a songwriting talent in her own right. It was a courageous move, but one that has paid off in spades.
'A landmark vocals-jazz moment for 2021' - Marlbank Jazz Blog ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /
A landmark vocals-jazz moment for 2021 and it's not just for the stellar personnel participating. And yet it's a huge plus point that one of the world's most iconic bassists and bandleaders Christian McBride joins the very fine London via Chester-Le-Street singer Jo Harrop on a number of tracks led off by the very bluesily-soulful 'The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants', McBride a stately presence, and on 'All Too Soon' and 'Wise Words' (begun with chords like you'd hear on Billy Taylor's 'I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free)'.
The Guardian gives Jo Harrop's 'The Heart Wants' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: ‘A rare mix of delicacy & boldness - sheer perfection’ /
How many musicians vowed to use the sudden, blank silence of lockdown to plan and prepare the album they had long dreamed of making? And how many actually got round to doing it? Well, Jo Harrop certainly did, and the result is impressive and moving. It’s her second album, the first being last year’s Weathering the Storm, an exquisite miniature for her warm, intimate voice and Jamie McCredie’s guitar. This time, Harrop has 21 musicians (not all playing at once), including such notables as Christian McBride, Tony Kofi and Jason Rebello, and, for the first time, most of the songs are originals with her own lyrics.
Their themes do tend towards uncertainty, regret and making the best of things, although there’s also a wonderfully life-affirming number called Red Mary Janes and a Brand New Hat. Anyway, it’s how the words and music come together to tell a story that matters. Here, they combine with a rare mixture of delicacy and boldness, the arrangements understated but always ear-catching. As for musicianship, listen to the voice and double bass duet by Harrop and McBride in All Too Soon. Sheer perfection.