Jo Harman and Company - Live at Lustleigh Hall, 21st May 2011

Jo Harman’s evocative and soulful blues voice has seen her dubbed one of the most exciting singers of her generation.

Having worked with Grammy winning and nominated producers, Jo is now excited to be pursuing her own artistic direction with her band formed of world class musicians, whose credits include playing with such luminaries as Sting, Bob Dylan and David Bowie.

Musically, this is a live show comprising of classic sounds - think Stones, Joplin, Mavis Staples, Stax Soul revues... a lovely melting pot of old school R'n'b, soul, blues and rock.

With a raw to the floor live album 'Jo Harman and Company - Live at Hideaway' not long been released, and in advance of a much anticipated studio debut album scheduled for release later in 2011, Jo brings her London/Brighton band to the unlikely village of Lustleigh for a one-off, never before seen in the southwest show. Originally hailing from the picturesque Dartmoor village, and fresh from supporting world-class artists such as Average White band and Marlena Shaw, Jo has decided to return to her home land to mark the official Southwest release of the band's live album.

"Real singer, real music, real deal" – BBC "Best British voice to emerge in decades” - Time FM “Establishing a reputation as one of the great white soul voices of her generation” - Radio Reverb “A blues-fuelled chanteuse of rare distinction”- The Source

“Jo Harman - raising the bar very high indeed’ - BBC Introducing

Tickets are £10 and available from the Lustleigh Dairy, or www.wegottickets.com (search Jo Harman) or alternatively, email jeff@bigiam.co.uk or ring 01647 277306 please leave a message and someone will get back to you. PLEASE BOOK EARLY TO AVIOD DISSAPOINTMENT

To purchase 'Jo Harman and Company - Live at Hideaway' visit www.joharman.com, have a listen to Jo and the band at www.myspace.com/joharmanproject and join the ever-expanding Facebook page at www.facebook.com/joharmanmusic

Jo’s story so far&..

Moving to London to gain a degree in performing arts, Jo subsequently travelled the world before coming to Brighton, her current home town, to study at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. From there, Jo attracted the attention of the infamous London/Brighton Soul Reality Collective where she was invited to take centre stage with some of the best around, including musicians who have worked with the likes of Massive Attack, Jools Holland, Tom Jones, Iggy Pop, Paul Weller and many, many other A-list greats.

Quickly encouraged by these guys to form her own band, her fast growing reputation secured prestigious bookings - gigs at the famous 606 club, a couple of BBC introducing sessions and a guest slot with the legendary Average White Band, included. These early gigs instantly showcased a natural stagecraft and a deeply expressive voice that drew instant, (if sometimes unhelpful!) comparisons with any manner of other singers as diverse as Janis Joplin and Dusty Springfield and the classic Memphis performers.

From this fast track apprenticeship, in 2009 Jo teamed up with Grammy winning producer Pete Smith (Sting, Joe Cocker) and Boe Larsen of the noted Mill Factory in Denmark. After a handful of critically acclaimed gigs the project hit the rocks. Jo said, “I’ll always be grateful to Pete and Boe, it was a fabulous experience and we recorded some great tunes but at the end of the day it was their project, their vision, not mine. I was a hired hand, a very willing hired hand, but at the end of the day I’m an artist and, for better or worse, artists have to speak to their own soul”. 

Jo also worked with other major label producers but, now in her mid twenties, she has determined to follow her own musical vision, without fear or favour of current trends or fashions.

The result is homage to great songs, real musicianship and simply brilliant emotion fuelled, musical expression. There is already a strong buzz about her much anticipated studio debut album scheduled for release later in 2011, attracting attention from both sides of the Atlantic.

So, those able to attend the Lustleigh gig will be able to witness all this first hand, a local girl really making good.