Jo Harrop: Live at The Cowshed

Extraordinary jazz singer Jo Harrop continues to bring new tunes to delight audiences, this time with her quartet and hints of an imminent new album.

Sam Watts, Jihad Darwish, Jo Harrop and Jamie McCredie

I’ve seen Jo several times, with different ensembles, including at Watford Pump House in September 2025 and at Pizza Express Live in April 2025, and interviewed her for Harmonious World in May 2021. For this show in the depths of Hertfordshire, she was joined by Jamie McCredie (guitar), Sam Watts (piano) and Jihad Darwish (bass). As usual, the whole ensemble performed with subtlety and style on standards and original tunes.

From time to time, Jo stripped back the accompaniment, with sections featuring either Sam’s piano or Jamie’s guitar, plus a stunning version of the Duke Ellington ballad Oh Too Soon together with Jihad’s sonorous bass.

There is a confidence to Jo’s singing that makes this a chamber jazz experience with every possible permutation and subtle combinations adding interest for the audience. Once more, one of my favourite tunes was the Leonard Cohen Travelling Light, which always takes me a little by surprise because I’m not a natural Cohen fan.

All the arrangements of tunes are interspersed between Harrop originals like You’ll Never Be Lonely in Soho and - hopefully on the new album - Love Now, Pay Later. One of the loveliest tunes was Everything’s Changing, composed with Sam while they performed as a duo as support for the great vocalist Gregory Porter.

Musical Director at The Cowshed is pianist Marco Marconi, who continues to book high-class, international acts that keep the shows full and the audiences delighted.

On nights like this, Marco makes the perfect MC, alongside owner Lawrie, who runs The Cowshed with everything from sound, lighting, booking, catering and bar staff in hand almost effortlessly - while also supporting charities and local good causes. Together, they make musicians and audience alike feel comfortable and welcome for what is always a great evening of jazz.

Next month at The Cowshed is A Nat King Cole Tribute with Harfoush and Marco Marconi