‘Performance best described as EPIC, soulful, spine-tingling vocal from Jo, and those BVs take it off the scale’ Clive Richardson, Founder of main UK soul station ‘Solar Radio’ and curator of Shout Records whose roster includes likes of James Brown, T Bone Walker, Solomon Burke, Four Tops, Sam and Dave, O’Jays etc etc etc. (ie should know a good vocal when he hears one!)

‘My goodness, is there anything that Jo Harman doesn’t make special?’
Chris Rizik, Editor of US based Soultracks.com, the world’s biggest soul music resource.

It has been a decade now since Jo Harman travelled to Nashville to record her most recent body of original work, the critically acclaimed and commercially successful ‘People We Become’ album, yet her reputation and standing have only continued to grow in the years since. Even a global pandemic and the arrival of new motherhood — a five-year-old and two-year-old twins — have done little to slow her momentum. In a crowded music landscape, Jo seems to be increasingly appreciated as an artist of rare authenticity, depth, and ability.

During this (somewhat ‘fallow’) period, Jo has felt a renewed pull towards Black American music of the late 1960s and early 1970s — songs that offered powerful commentary on social injustice. More than half a century on, their themes resonate strongly with her own concerns about society in today’s troubled times.

This has led her to record her own interpretations of a trilogy of songs, beginning with ‘Someday We’ll All Be Free’, followed by ‘Don’t Give Up On Me’, and now the Ralph MacDonald/William Salter composition ‘Trade Winds’ — a song whose message she feels profoundly. Trade Winds completes this trilogy of 70s soul classics, each chosen for lyrics that speak directly to Jo’s deeply held reflections on the present day.

All of this comes ahead of plans to finally release new original material from Jo from 2026 onwards, which may — at last — develop into the long-awaited third album.

In the meantime, we hope Trade Winds will be as warmly received as Don’t Give Up On Me (already surpassing a quarter of a million Spotify plays) and Someday We’ll All Be Free, which was named Record of the Week by multiple radio stations and reached the Top 5 of the UK Soul Chart.

The ‘Trade Winds’ single is released with the following tracks:

‘TRADE WINDS’ – Main track, new single.

‘BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS’ – Previously unreleased studio ‘out take’ (very much worth a listen!)

‘CYPRUS AVENUE’ – Radio edit, a track only previously available on the LP vinyl version of ‘Signature Soul’ (with Redtenbacher’s Funkestra)

‘TRADE WINDS’ – ‘TV Mix’ instrumental version, with backing but no lead vocals

When one considers that at least 120,000 new songs are released into the market every single day, to get any kind of traction on a new release is quite an ask but Jo’s last single ‘Don’t Give Up on Me’ has attracted international airplay, significant CD sales, two ‘record of the week’ bouquets, featured in various international soul and radio charts, and has already been streamed 200,000 times (and rising) on Spotify alone. It’s also, no doubt, one of the reasons why the world’s biggest soul music resource, soultracks, has nominated Jo for ‘Female Vocalist Of The Year’, the only British act to feature. 

Due to increased demand following this activity, we’ve restocked the CD ‘single’ of ‘Don’t Give Up On Me’ (which comes with a couple of previously unreleased ‘bonus tracks’ as ever) and these can be purchased from Jo’s shop. www.joharman.com/shop

Next up, recording wise, is Jo’s take on ‘Trade Winds’ from the Ralph McDonald/William Salter songbook which will be released formally in the new year. However, the CD single version (again with bonus tracks) is available to pre-order now for £8 via paypal to [email protected] and should be dispatched in time for Christmas. As with ‘Someday We’ll All Be Free’, the lyric resonates with current world events and Jo can certainly relate to it, as reflected in her performance, whilst she contemplates writing new material of her own for 2026.  Here’s a sneak peek at the demo version which, as you might tell, has whetted a few appetites already

‘Don’t Give Up On Me’ is set to be the next Jo Harman single release, following up on her recent ‘SomeDay We’ll All Be Free’ which made the Top Five of the UK Soul Chart – amongst a number of other charts.
It’s a tune once again produced by Mark Edwards, who also doubles on (real) piano and (real) Hammond, supported by Arnie Somogyi (Amy Winehouse, Sir Tom Jones) on upright bass and Darren Beckett (Lauryn Hill, Van Morrison) on drums. Extensive credit also goes to engineer/mix engineer Dave Lynch who, by way of vintage techniques and production gear, created the sound you hear on the record, organically in the room. With added strings but otherwise minimal overdubs, the recording captures a live in the studio performance with Harman singing alongside the band in one complete take, as is her want in most band recording situations.
As ever, Jo’s vocal possesses her trademark sincerity and authenticity but there appears to be some added poignancy in the reading of the lyric which only serves to underlines The Blues Magazine’s assessment that ‘Harman’s voice mainlines the human soul’. A limited edition physical CD will again be available consisting:-
The beautifully produced ‘title’ track running at 4 minutes 44 seconds 
A previously unreleased live band version of a brand new song ‘Enough’ (written by Jo’s long time writing partner Mike Mayfield), again mastered by Jon Astley
A ‘TV’ mix (ie backing track and backing vocals only) of ‘Lonely Like Me’ from Jo’s ‘People We Become’ album, showcasing Fred Mollin’s masterful production (and musicians)
The ‘raw’ band performance of ‘Don’t Give Up On Me’ – as recorded live in one take – without the strings and mastering, just for ‘fly on the wall’ listening.

‘SOMEDAY WE’LL ALL BE FREE’ is a new release by JO HARMAN, her first studio recording purely under her own name since before the pandemic.

A song for our times, no doubt, but one actually written over 50 years ago by Edward Howard about the mental pain that his friend, Donny Hathaway (who wrote the music and was the original artist), endured from paranoid schizophrenia; a condition that cost Hathaway his life when, at the age of 33, he threw himself out of a 15th floor New York window. 

Although several months in the planning, by chance Jo’s version was recorded on the day immediately after the infamous oval office spat between Trump and Zelensky which, in itself, seemed to define a change to the world order. Produced by Harman’s long time collaborator, Mark Edwards, Jo’s performance produced no little emotion in the studio, not least, I suspect, as a result the breadth and scope of the enduring sentiment within the song. Moreover, with Jo singing ‘womanly pride’ and ‘little darling’ one suspects she, in part at least, had her 4 year old daughter in mind with her reading of the song. Details of how to purchase the new release, including the 3 track physical version with over 20 minutes of music, can be found at www.joharman.com/shop

DOUBLE A-SIDE ‘BOWIE’ PICTURE DISC AND CD released featuring Jo’s take on ‘Five Years’ and ‘Life on Mars’. For various and separate reasons Jo has recorded a couple of David Bowie tunes over the years, one being “Five Years“ which is a brand new release. It made sense to us to pair that recording with Jo’s version of ‘Life on Mars’ (a song otherwise not generally available) and to release both tunes on a vinyl, 45 RPM ‘picture disc’. I’m delighted to report that once again celebrated illustrator, Mark Wilkinson has created exclusive artwork exclusively for this project. For those who don’t already know Mark is one of the most successful Illustrators around, with a CV ranging from Doctor Who to Iron Maiden with Star Wars and dozens of other household name projects to his credit. To say that we are delighted to have him involved is a huge understatement. The music isn’t so bad either!

Jo Harman has a very vocal and forthright inner circle of supporters and when we let the cat out of the bag that the whole of her gig at Acapela in Cardiff was professionally recorded (by the venue) they ganged up on us to put out the whole performance complete and unedited.

We thought that’s crazy – no one puts a complete, unedited performance out – but put it out we did. The complete concert, the whole darn shooting match; albeit nicely mixed, has been released as a limited edition double CD, with zero ‘fixes’ and totally organic in terms of performance.
What’s more the great Jon Astley, whose previous clients include the likes of The Who, Led Zeppelin, George Harrison, Eric Clapton and others, very generously offered to master it. And if that wasn’t enough, Mark Wilkinson (whose cover arts clients include the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Marillion) agreed to do the artwork which includes Mark’s wonderful illustration of Jo herself, front and centre!

The ‘3 Hearts’ reference? Well, Jo was pregnant with the twins at the time of the show. As such, she hadn’t gigged much over preceding months and consequently, was refreshed and in particularly fine form. Unaware the show was being recorded, Jo seemed very relaxed, breathing new life into some well trodden repertoire, joking with the audience throughout, and enjoying the natural reverb and ambience of the chapel venue, The Acapela in Cardiff. 

I’ve said it before and it remains true. Playing in Jo Harman’s band is one of the most demanding on the circuit. Her ‘sound’ is timeless and, without being in any way ‘retro’, very much rooted in the sensibilities of late 60’s/early 70’s ‘golden age’ and her musicians have to cover heavy rock, pop-rock, blues-rock, soul which sometimes verges on jazz, gospel, ‘singer-songwriter’ material, heartfelt ballads, and more, with total authenticity and conviction. Moreover, she doesn’t believe in rehearsals, instead believing in people knowing the shape of the song but, other than that, creating in the moment depending on her, and their, mood. If she goes left, they are expected to follow. No song is ever really played the same way twice. Quite deliberately. 

In these days where music can often sound mechanical, generic, predictable and samey, it’s refreshing to hear 5 particularly skilled humans perform organically, slight ‘missteps’ and all’, with commitment, sincerity and authenticity and with something to say. Long live that approach, regardless of what maybe – well, inevitably – is heading down the track. Humanity and authenticity is everything as this particular set demonstrates only so clearly.

Following their initial collaboration on the ‘A Case Of You’ single, Stefan Redtenbacher invited Jo Harman to record another Joni Mitchell tune; Jo chose ‘Blue’ by the way – for the Redtenbacher Funkestra album featuring a number of singers who have a deep love for Joni’s music. Appearing on the album alongside Jo are some great singers, many of whom are good friends, including the likes of Mike Mayfield, Mim Grey, Rumer, Hamish Stuart, Sarah Jane Morris and more.

Moreover Stef has asked Jo Harman, Mim and Mike to go on the road early next year to perform as guest singers (all 3 together) at the following venues, which we are delighted to do. As you might have already gathered, Jo likes variety and artistic challenge.Jo is one of those artists who struggles with the concept of playing the same show, night after night, note for note the same, so she jumped at the chance to be part of this set up as a sideline to her own touring. It should be great fun!

8th February The Apex, Suffolk

9th February Norden Farm Centre For The Arts, Maidenhead

10th March Wolf Ferrari Theatre, Munich

25th March St James, Guernsey

The nationwide tour with Mike Farris is nearly here!!

Now we’re in mid October it’s now only a couple of weeks before Jo joins US grammy Winner Mike Farris on the her first major tour for several years, visiting Exeter, Devon on 3rd November Haslemere, Surrey (4th Nov), London, Jazz Cafe (5th), a hop to TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands (7th), back to Liverpool (8th Nov), and then Apex, Bury St Edmunds (9th). A day off on the 10th (for Jo anyway), then the tour continues to 11th at The Platform in Morecambe, The Place, Telford (12th) before finishing off at The Civic Centre at Uckfield on Sunday 13th November. 
Mike and Jo will be sharing an all star band consisting of Stevie Watts on keys, Nat Martin guitar, the return (from Switzerland!) of Andy Tolman on bass and the powerhouse Magic Johnson on drums. Both artists will be performing full sets before joining together for the finale. 

We got the band back together! Full tour dates here.