This 'double A' side release demonstrates contrasting sides of Jo...an artist who can pin you to the back wall with her power on minute (River) and break your heart with a whisper the next (Case of You).
For those who desire to dig a little deeper into each song, I should perhaps say that Jo always likes to try and keep things fresh and the inclusion of 'A Case Of You' - a song she had originally recorded as part of Stefan Redtenbacher's 'Joni Re-Imagined' project - came as a bit of a surprise to her band members on the night. Steve Watts had never played the tune before and Nat Martin maybe a handful of times, at best. With a hastily written out chord chart and with no rehearsal whatsoever (not even in soundcheck) Jo decided to go for a piano and guitar only rendition, largely to 'find something new' in her own performance, with instructions to her trusted band mates to 'find their own parts in the moment'. Which is what they did, and then some. After a tentative start the performance 'sits in' by the time the second verse arrives and the fragilty and open sensiibility makes for a particularly inspired rendition. Not just from Jo, but Stevie's beautifully understated piano (beautiful solo) weaving with Nat's wonderfully judged, chimimng improvised arpeggios makes for a one-off 'edge of the seat' rendition which one could never get from a rehearsed, multi take studio performance. Quite sublime, in fact.
Conversely, 'Underneath The River' has an assurred swagger that can only come from a band that had, individually and collectively, performed the song many hundreds of times, first appearing as it did on Jo's debut 'Dirt On My Tongue' album. A happy mix of knowing the song inside out but somewhat 'fresh' from Jo's recent break from constant touring post COVID and starting a family. Hence, an enoyable swagger from all concerned with a particularly blistering guitar solo from Nat Martin, about whom Jo can be heard remarking off mic 'Yes mate, you're on fire!!' and she was not wrong. As some reviewers have commented, Jo always bring 'soul' to everything she does, not just with her sometime 'gospel' phrasing but also by dint of her unforced emotional connection. So this blues rocker definitely benefits from a bit of 'black' sensibility, as Jo and the gang bring a dose of r&b to everything they do, even though she is very much a gender fluid artist.
A big part of 'Jo Harman' music is her (handpicked) band which is why for this double live album she reverts to the old 'Jo Harman and Company' monicker which befits the teamwork on display for this record, as Jo honours the great contribution and debt she owes to the all the incredible musicians who have been part of her magical (and always 'on her own terms') career to date.
Credits:-
'A Case of You' (Joni Mitchell) - Jo Harman, voice, Stevie Watts, piano, Nat Martin, guitar
'Underneath The River' (Jo Harman/Mike Mayfield) - Jo Harman, voice, Stevie Watts, Hammond, Nat Martin, guitar, Sonny Winslow, bass, Magic Johnson, drums
Recorded at Acapela, Cardiff, mixed by Chris Daniels, mastered by Jon Astley; artwork by Mark Wilkinson.
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