Jo Harrop : Live at Watford Pump House
- Hilary Seabrook
- Sep 8
- 2 min read
Although it’s good to discover the work of new musicians, there is also something inspiring about hearing new music from familiar performers. When I saw Jo Harrop performing at Watford Pump House Theatre with her quartet, I was pleasantly surprised by some brand new tracks from a forthcoming album.
Many of Jo’s songs on the night came from her earlier albums, including The Heart Wants, When Winter Turns to Spring and - most recently - The Path of A Tear. I spoke to Jo on Harmonious World in 2021, which included discussion of Weathering the Storm with guitarist Jamie McCredie. I was delighted that her inevitable encore for this latest gig was Charade, recorded for the latter album.
Jo’s collaborators have included the afore-mentioned Jamie McCredie, as well as the marvellous pianist Paul Edis, who I have also interviewed for Harmonious World, in 2022 and 2024 (together with sax player Vasilis Xenopoulous). Edis’s piano and Musical Director duties in Watford were ably supported by Darren Beckett (drums) and Adam King (bass).
The quartet effortlessly moved between tunes from each of Jo’s past albums and her presenting style made the whole performance intensely engaging, from the lovely Umbrellas in the Rain to the somewhat wistful You’ll Never Be Lonely in Soho and the funky Beautiful Fools.
One of my favourite tracks from The Path of a Tear is a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Traveling Light and Jo’s live performance in Watford was a gorgeous rendition of the album version. Apparently, it was a tune suggested by album producer Larry Klein, who has an impressive track record of getting musical choices right. He has four Grammy wins, including Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now in 2001. Jo’s voice and the arrangements on The Path of a Tear owe much to Klein’s experience.
So, no disappointments in revisiting Jo Harrop’s live appearances and I look forward to the arrival of her new album in due course.
Comments