JO HARROP & JAMIE McCREDIE - Weathering The Storms Of Life
With album launches at specially arranged and planned gigs a thing of the past for the foreseeable future, it is most reassuring that the release of new music has not been temporarily halted but continues to flourish. The albums are already recorded, mixed and ready to go, and hopefully as an audience deprived of live events, we are more ready than ever to seek out and embrace some new music.
One such album that should most certainly be embraced is Weathering The Storm by Jo Harrop and Jamie McCredie, a delightfully intimate duet recording that sounds that it could be being performed live in your front room, and the beginnings of a fruitful partnership. The music draws in jazz and folk music in a heart melting blend that touches the emotions in a very direct way, with voice and guitar perfectly complementing one another, and like most musical partnerships came about by a chance encounter.
One such album that should most certainly be embraced is Weathering The Storm by Jo Harrop and Jamie McCredie, a delightfully intimate duet recording that sounds that it could be being performed live in your front room, and the beginnings of a fruitful partnership. The music draws in jazz and folk music in a heart melting blend that touches the emotions in a very direct way, with voice and guitar perfectly complementing one another, and like most musical partnerships came about by a chance encounter.
"Jamie and I met about 2 and a half years ago on a ‘swing dance’ gig with London Dance Orchestra at a place called The Scolt Head," explains Jo. "an amazing atmosphere that night and we instantly hit it off musically and because we are both Geordies, we clicked. I remember hearing Jamie play his guitar for the first time and being blown away - he has all the qualities that I love in a musician. I think you just know when you have to collaborate with someone, the same way all relationships begin, there’s a real connection and a need to create together."
Continuing Jo says "We worked together on several more gigs before deciding we should record a demo to try to generate more work, but the first session went so well we thought the recordings were too special to just give away as promos. The first song we actually recorded was the David Gates folk song, 'If' - we both loved it and it really was a first take that also features our bassist friend, Jihad Darwish."
The remainder of the album is just features Jo's soft velvety vocals and McCredie's finely spun guitar lines that are so finely attuned to each of other, and honed over a period of time. "We play a lot of duos." advises Jo. "It’s a simple option for many establishments who want live music but have a small space. Places like The Green Note in Camden for instance… that is really how we love playing - intimate, personal, nowhere to hide - then you can take the audience along with you on the journey. It’s exposed yes, but we weren't afraid to leave a few breaths and things in the recording as they made it more genuine - and we hoped to capture what we do live, on the album, so we always did about two or three passes in the studio and chose from one of the first few takes - most were done in less than 3 takes as we were quite well rehearsed after all the duo gigs. It took around 18 months to record everything. We often recorded late at night after gigs in Jamie's studio, snatching opportunities when we could between other gigs, touring and family life."
Continuing Jo says "We worked together on several more gigs before deciding we should record a demo to try to generate more work, but the first session went so well we thought the recordings were too special to just give away as promos. The first song we actually recorded was the David Gates folk song, 'If' - we both loved it and it really was a first take that also features our bassist friend, Jihad Darwish."
The remainder of the album is just features Jo's soft velvety vocals and McCredie's finely spun guitar lines that are so finely attuned to each of other, and honed over a period of time. "We play a lot of duos." advises Jo. "It’s a simple option for many establishments who want live music but have a small space. Places like The Green Note in Camden for instance… that is really how we love playing - intimate, personal, nowhere to hide - then you can take the audience along with you on the journey. It’s exposed yes, but we weren't afraid to leave a few breaths and things in the recording as they made it more genuine - and we hoped to capture what we do live, on the album, so we always did about two or three passes in the studio and chose from one of the first few takes - most were done in less than 3 takes as we were quite well rehearsed after all the duo gigs. It took around 18 months to record everything. We often recorded late at night after gigs in Jamie's studio, snatching opportunities when we could between other gigs, touring and family life."
The time and patience taken in recording the album is clearly audible in the performances, but the chosen repertoire as well as familiar gems also throws in a few curveballs, as Jo expalins. "We chose the songs very carefully, often if we played a song on a gig and felt it was working we would record it. Other songs, like the Tom Waits 'Take It With Me' and 'Guilty' by Randy Newman, were songs that I was listening to and sent to Jamie, asking him to re work them into a jazzier version. It was important to take it a little bit ‘out of the box’ as we both are very much from a non-jazz background and wanted to tap into the blues, soul & folk roots. We really just like good songs, and these were all songs that spoke to us in volumes so we wanted to get that connection over to the listener. We recorded around 16 tracks originally, but when we played them all together, it was clear this was a certain type of late-night mood album so we set out to record an album of torchy ballads. Sometimes when you listen to slow paced songs, you just want that mood, and a burning tempo can interrupt that feeling. It is quite a deep album, and perhaps one to savour when one is in the mood for something a little bit more melancholic."
Weathering The Storm is one of those albums that comes complete, so much so that the complex arrangements and hours spent perfecting the material to bring a personal touch can be forgotten as the finished performances sound so natural and spontaneous and totally absorbing. Again, as Jo elaborates, "We worked on the arrangements a little bit on the gigs and some in the studio - a bit of both. The live gigs are actually a great place to work things out but they don't always work in the studio … sometimes the studio recordings had to be a little more mellow or more whispered.
"I think Jamie has done an amazing job into getting the different flavour interpreting the songs in a fresh way. There was a huge influence from the duet albums of Joe Pass and Ella Fitzgerald and also Bill Evans and Tony Bennett, but we wanted to avoid a copy or tribute type album and very much wanted to create something of our own style and sound.
Jamie will be able to talk about the technical side of how we achieved the sound, but for me, it's about telling a story. Interpreting the lyrics from a personal place, that hopefully the listener will understand, feel & relate to. That’s how I hear music - I feel it so deeply, the lyrics, melody, rhythm, so I try not to touch a song that I don’t relate to well. You have to be honest and truthful in your approach to a song so people believe it and can connect."
"Yup exactly, so we knew the geography of what we’d do, but not what we were about to play. Thankfully that was made up on the spot. I don’t think I have the brain power to remember anything note for note." laughs Jamie. " Jo is quite unique insomuch as she has the most beautiful, gentle singing voice. My idea when going in to record these tunes was to try and give the whole album a sound identity and to take advantage of that softness and record her up very, very close, in a particularly modern way - and juxtapose that with an older style of recording the guitar. So a modern/vintage vibe really. The guitar is a blend of my Hamstead amp on one mic, and the neck of the instrument on another, blended around the vocal left and right, kind of like a Venn diagram. I particularly wanted to bring out the folky/acoustic sound, and leave in much of the stuff that would traditionally be taken out; breaths, wobbling ends of strings against the music stand etc. so that there’s no doubt it was all recorded live, and you could imagine sitting there watching the recording taking place. If you listen really carefully to 'Guilty', (recorded vey late at night) you can just make out the sound of a passing police siren through the studio door. It was about 2am so I didn’t bother closing it. You can barely hear it, but the first time Jo says the title word in the 1st chorus, it's there. Promise. I love it."
Weathering The Storm is one of those albums that comes complete, so much so that the complex arrangements and hours spent perfecting the material to bring a personal touch can be forgotten as the finished performances sound so natural and spontaneous and totally absorbing. Again, as Jo elaborates, "We worked on the arrangements a little bit on the gigs and some in the studio - a bit of both. The live gigs are actually a great place to work things out but they don't always work in the studio … sometimes the studio recordings had to be a little more mellow or more whispered.
"I think Jamie has done an amazing job into getting the different flavour interpreting the songs in a fresh way. There was a huge influence from the duet albums of Joe Pass and Ella Fitzgerald and also Bill Evans and Tony Bennett, but we wanted to avoid a copy or tribute type album and very much wanted to create something of our own style and sound.
Jamie will be able to talk about the technical side of how we achieved the sound, but for me, it's about telling a story. Interpreting the lyrics from a personal place, that hopefully the listener will understand, feel & relate to. That’s how I hear music - I feel it so deeply, the lyrics, melody, rhythm, so I try not to touch a song that I don’t relate to well. You have to be honest and truthful in your approach to a song so people believe it and can connect."
"Yup exactly, so we knew the geography of what we’d do, but not what we were about to play. Thankfully that was made up on the spot. I don’t think I have the brain power to remember anything note for note." laughs Jamie. " Jo is quite unique insomuch as she has the most beautiful, gentle singing voice. My idea when going in to record these tunes was to try and give the whole album a sound identity and to take advantage of that softness and record her up very, very close, in a particularly modern way - and juxtapose that with an older style of recording the guitar. So a modern/vintage vibe really. The guitar is a blend of my Hamstead amp on one mic, and the neck of the instrument on another, blended around the vocal left and right, kind of like a Venn diagram. I particularly wanted to bring out the folky/acoustic sound, and leave in much of the stuff that would traditionally be taken out; breaths, wobbling ends of strings against the music stand etc. so that there’s no doubt it was all recorded live, and you could imagine sitting there watching the recording taking place. If you listen really carefully to 'Guilty', (recorded vey late at night) you can just make out the sound of a passing police siren through the studio door. It was about 2am so I didn’t bother closing it. You can barely hear it, but the first time Jo says the title word in the 1st chorus, it's there. Promise. I love it."
While this is the debut album for Jo and Jamie, Jo, had previously released her album Songs For The Late Hours last year, which also features standards but is very different from the new album. I asked Jo how she felt her approached has changed for the two recordings? After a pause, she says "Songs For The Late Hours, my first jazz album, was recorded in 2018, with a burning young band that I work with - Will Barry (piano), Harry Sankey (guitar) & Joe Downard (bass). We were working together a lot at the time playing a lot of swing jazz, and had a last minute opportunity to get into Studio A at The Premesis in East London one Sunday afternoon in early January. I had had a well-paying New Years Eve gig, which just about covered the recording and so it was done as a ‘live gig’ in a day. It turned out to be quite a swinging little album because they are all such terrific players!
"This album, we wanted to take our time with. Life meant we had to take our time with it too as we both are busy musicians, with young families now, but Jamie poured over the mixes to get them just right - not that the recordings themselves were over produced, but to get the sound right, and to master them properly. We wanted to have beautiful cover to match the music so we could make a work of art. We could have quite easily had a double album, because we loved the recording process and had a long long list of potential songs, but we had to draw the line at some point and get it out there."
Interestingly, Jo also sings the standard 'More Than You know' on both albums, so I asked the singer why she chose to re-visit the tune in an entirely new way on Weathering The Storm? "I just love the song." comes her reply "The lyrics and melody are simply beautiful.. and it was something I had recorded for Songs For The Late Hours, but we were playing it a lot live - so Jamie talked me into recording it again late one night in the same session we recorded 'Guilty' - at 2a.m. after a gig. I have read that was how Julie London liked to record too - the early hours in her home. Anyway - it almost didn't make the cut because of the repetition, but I think its one of Jamie’s favourites so it stayed". Jamie chips in quickly, "It is! And I insisted it stayed" he says laughing.
Both Jo and Jamie come from very different musicial backgrounds, so I ask how they becam interested in music, and jazz in particular? Firstly, from Jo "From a very young age I was listening to jazz as both parents played vocal jazz on vinyl at home. My Dad got me deeper into jazz as he was a real jazz connoisseur and would buy me albums by Billie Holiday, Anita O’Day and also their biographies. I always wanted to sing - I sang a lot - learning songs off by heart from the radio and CDs. I think lyrics and melodies are the only thing my mind retains sometimes!
"I was in musicals as a kid, and then went on to be in bands, but always wanted to write my own songs. That is where my ‘career’ started. I was signed when I first moved to London & co-wrote albums of original music & played that scene. I also sang back up to some pop stars and did some sessions, but it wasn't until I was working with Enrique Iglesias, that I met a pianist on that gig, who shared a love of jazz standards, so he asked if I would like to come and sing some at his local pub, The Bedford in Balham, London. It went on from there. Just more gigs and events singing jazz standards and some soul covers, meeting more and more amazing jazz musicians. And I got paid to do it! Something that rarely happens when you write your own music. I got the jazz bug. But it wasn't until after I had my two children, and had about a 3-year break, that I really got in on the jazz scene after stepping in for someone's singer when she got sick, about 4 years ago."
"This album, we wanted to take our time with. Life meant we had to take our time with it too as we both are busy musicians, with young families now, but Jamie poured over the mixes to get them just right - not that the recordings themselves were over produced, but to get the sound right, and to master them properly. We wanted to have beautiful cover to match the music so we could make a work of art. We could have quite easily had a double album, because we loved the recording process and had a long long list of potential songs, but we had to draw the line at some point and get it out there."
Interestingly, Jo also sings the standard 'More Than You know' on both albums, so I asked the singer why she chose to re-visit the tune in an entirely new way on Weathering The Storm? "I just love the song." comes her reply "The lyrics and melody are simply beautiful.. and it was something I had recorded for Songs For The Late Hours, but we were playing it a lot live - so Jamie talked me into recording it again late one night in the same session we recorded 'Guilty' - at 2a.m. after a gig. I have read that was how Julie London liked to record too - the early hours in her home. Anyway - it almost didn't make the cut because of the repetition, but I think its one of Jamie’s favourites so it stayed". Jamie chips in quickly, "It is! And I insisted it stayed" he says laughing.
Both Jo and Jamie come from very different musicial backgrounds, so I ask how they becam interested in music, and jazz in particular? Firstly, from Jo "From a very young age I was listening to jazz as both parents played vocal jazz on vinyl at home. My Dad got me deeper into jazz as he was a real jazz connoisseur and would buy me albums by Billie Holiday, Anita O’Day and also their biographies. I always wanted to sing - I sang a lot - learning songs off by heart from the radio and CDs. I think lyrics and melodies are the only thing my mind retains sometimes!
"I was in musicals as a kid, and then went on to be in bands, but always wanted to write my own songs. That is where my ‘career’ started. I was signed when I first moved to London & co-wrote albums of original music & played that scene. I also sang back up to some pop stars and did some sessions, but it wasn't until I was working with Enrique Iglesias, that I met a pianist on that gig, who shared a love of jazz standards, so he asked if I would like to come and sing some at his local pub, The Bedford in Balham, London. It went on from there. Just more gigs and events singing jazz standards and some soul covers, meeting more and more amazing jazz musicians. And I got paid to do it! Something that rarely happens when you write your own music. I got the jazz bug. But it wasn't until after I had my two children, and had about a 3-year break, that I really got in on the jazz scene after stepping in for someone's singer when she got sick, about 4 years ago."
"For me it was kind of by accident" says Jamie. "I was a teenage rocker, heavily into metal and progressive rock but I knew that all the best musicians were into this thing called jazz - in one way or another. So I got hooked on Bill Evans and Jim Hall’s Undercurrent album when I was at University - transcribing the whole album’s guitar parts while my Greek flatmate and piano player, transcribed the whole album on piano too. So we were kind of Jamie Hall and Karolos Evans for a while." , he laughs. "Then you try to figure out how it all works for yourself and follow the musical breadcrumb trail from there.
"Other influences have been everyone! Scott Henderson, Bill Evans, Wayne Krantz, Martin Taylor, Joe Pass (obviously) Oscar P, Bill E, Jimmy Page, Steve Vai… I could ramble on for hours. And all the blinding musicians on the UK scene who kick my ass comprehensively. Nick Costly White, Ant Law, Purdy, Mike Gorman, Gwylim Simcock, and Jo.. who is incredible!"
Considering her influences, Jo echoes Jamie's sentiments. "Everyone! I take influence from artists of all genres and instruments. You can take something from all of the great singers, the great instrumentalists, but also from working alongside musicians who push you and support you. It's an incredibly supportive scene most of the time. Jamie has inspired me so much to perform the way I want to perform. He gives me so much confidence and has helped me get the direction that I want to go in. I call him the north star!" she chuckles. "Other contemporaries like saxophonist, Tony Kofi and trumpet player Andy Davies who are so phenomenal, and have this immense energy - when they stand beside you on stage and support you it takes things to another level."
As well as the new album, both musicians are busy with other projects, and in Jamie's case often quite different too. "Well I’m quite lucky in that I get to dip my feet into a few different worlds these days. I work as a session guitarist on a lot of studio stuff for T.V. and film (A thoroughly English Scandal, Swimming with Men, That Good Night, Yesterday, Shazam etc) and I get to do a lot of the international touring thing with the fabulous Roisin Murphy, of Moloko fame, and playing on pop records. (Will Young, Emeli Sandé, Joss Stone, Beverly Knight etc)
In fact the last gig I did before lockdown was the Camden Roundhouse for BBC6 Music with her; that was a great show. Two days later it was instruments down! I watched it on the iPlayer a couple of days ago.. feels like a lifetime ago now. I’m also about halfway through my own instrumental album too, where I try to pull together all of my influences into some kind of coherence. So let's see how that one turns out." he says with a grin.
"I have a long-standing project, Fever, the music of Peggy Lee, that was my first ‘jazz project’ with pianist, Alex Webb", enthuses Jo. "A wonderful songwriter. It's a shame as it would be her centenary this year so we were planning to play that show a lot. Alex and I then went on to develop a show called British Standard Time that celebrates British Songwriters and artists from across the decades, but in Jazz format -it's pretty interesting and a different perspective on playing the ever-popular jazz standards.
"Time & Place is a stunning show that pianist Paul Edis created and is a blend of original music and jazz standards, all with the theme of time & place. We played it at The Sage last summer with a string quartet and& Vasilis Xenopolis on tenor saxophone. Paul is an incredible talent, also from the North East. I also sing in his popular jazzy Christmas show and we recorded a festive CD last August during the heatwave!
The main project at the moment is to get this CD out there to the world & from there, to write some more songs for the next album … "
With the current pandemic and all gigs cancelled for the forseeable future getting the music out there can be somewhat challenging, so I ask Jo and Jamie how they are coping with the Lockdown, and how do you see the way forward for live music? "Lockdown at first was very scary. All the gigs just dissapeared overnight" says Jo. "It isn't just financially that this became a nightmare, but the amount of planning that goes into these shows is huge, so it was a real blow. BUT we are healthy, and people are adapting by going online and figuring out how to get the music out there to people. So many online shows are available now that it's hard to choose which ones to watch. I did see this ‘calmer time’ as a good way to create, write, learn new songs and read more, but when they closed the schools, this became very tricky! I am envious of people who can just write, practise and create all day long, while I am battling the home schooling and queing to buy endless amounts of food because the boys don't stop eating all day … all part of the process!! I have penned two songs so far with Paul Edis & plan on doing many more, especially with Jamie, alongside this album release. By the time we get out of lockdown maybe there will be a whole new album!!"
The above is something many of us will identify, as does Jamie. ""I second everything Jo just said! Round at my house at the moment it’s all nappies and mushed food in hair, so I sneak moments to practice or record very late at night while it's all quiet. Musicians always find a way; you just have to be ok with being permanently tired! The Lockdown situation has its challenges for us all, so first and foremost I’m just very glad my family and friends are safe and solvent. Anything tough is really a minor inconvenience when you consider the bigger picture worldwide. But taking the positives; I’m grateful for the extra time at home, a rest from touring, and a change to read and listen to stuff I didn’t have time for before."
"Other influences have been everyone! Scott Henderson, Bill Evans, Wayne Krantz, Martin Taylor, Joe Pass (obviously) Oscar P, Bill E, Jimmy Page, Steve Vai… I could ramble on for hours. And all the blinding musicians on the UK scene who kick my ass comprehensively. Nick Costly White, Ant Law, Purdy, Mike Gorman, Gwylim Simcock, and Jo.. who is incredible!"
Considering her influences, Jo echoes Jamie's sentiments. "Everyone! I take influence from artists of all genres and instruments. You can take something from all of the great singers, the great instrumentalists, but also from working alongside musicians who push you and support you. It's an incredibly supportive scene most of the time. Jamie has inspired me so much to perform the way I want to perform. He gives me so much confidence and has helped me get the direction that I want to go in. I call him the north star!" she chuckles. "Other contemporaries like saxophonist, Tony Kofi and trumpet player Andy Davies who are so phenomenal, and have this immense energy - when they stand beside you on stage and support you it takes things to another level."
As well as the new album, both musicians are busy with other projects, and in Jamie's case often quite different too. "Well I’m quite lucky in that I get to dip my feet into a few different worlds these days. I work as a session guitarist on a lot of studio stuff for T.V. and film (A thoroughly English Scandal, Swimming with Men, That Good Night, Yesterday, Shazam etc) and I get to do a lot of the international touring thing with the fabulous Roisin Murphy, of Moloko fame, and playing on pop records. (Will Young, Emeli Sandé, Joss Stone, Beverly Knight etc)
In fact the last gig I did before lockdown was the Camden Roundhouse for BBC6 Music with her; that was a great show. Two days later it was instruments down! I watched it on the iPlayer a couple of days ago.. feels like a lifetime ago now. I’m also about halfway through my own instrumental album too, where I try to pull together all of my influences into some kind of coherence. So let's see how that one turns out." he says with a grin.
"I have a long-standing project, Fever, the music of Peggy Lee, that was my first ‘jazz project’ with pianist, Alex Webb", enthuses Jo. "A wonderful songwriter. It's a shame as it would be her centenary this year so we were planning to play that show a lot. Alex and I then went on to develop a show called British Standard Time that celebrates British Songwriters and artists from across the decades, but in Jazz format -it's pretty interesting and a different perspective on playing the ever-popular jazz standards.
"Time & Place is a stunning show that pianist Paul Edis created and is a blend of original music and jazz standards, all with the theme of time & place. We played it at The Sage last summer with a string quartet and& Vasilis Xenopolis on tenor saxophone. Paul is an incredible talent, also from the North East. I also sing in his popular jazzy Christmas show and we recorded a festive CD last August during the heatwave!
The main project at the moment is to get this CD out there to the world & from there, to write some more songs for the next album … "
With the current pandemic and all gigs cancelled for the forseeable future getting the music out there can be somewhat challenging, so I ask Jo and Jamie how they are coping with the Lockdown, and how do you see the way forward for live music? "Lockdown at first was very scary. All the gigs just dissapeared overnight" says Jo. "It isn't just financially that this became a nightmare, but the amount of planning that goes into these shows is huge, so it was a real blow. BUT we are healthy, and people are adapting by going online and figuring out how to get the music out there to people. So many online shows are available now that it's hard to choose which ones to watch. I did see this ‘calmer time’ as a good way to create, write, learn new songs and read more, but when they closed the schools, this became very tricky! I am envious of people who can just write, practise and create all day long, while I am battling the home schooling and queing to buy endless amounts of food because the boys don't stop eating all day … all part of the process!! I have penned two songs so far with Paul Edis & plan on doing many more, especially with Jamie, alongside this album release. By the time we get out of lockdown maybe there will be a whole new album!!"
The above is something many of us will identify, as does Jamie. ""I second everything Jo just said! Round at my house at the moment it’s all nappies and mushed food in hair, so I sneak moments to practice or record very late at night while it's all quiet. Musicians always find a way; you just have to be ok with being permanently tired! The Lockdown situation has its challenges for us all, so first and foremost I’m just very glad my family and friends are safe and solvent. Anything tough is really a minor inconvenience when you consider the bigger picture worldwide. But taking the positives; I’m grateful for the extra time at home, a rest from touring, and a change to read and listen to stuff I didn’t have time for before."
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Click on the album cover to read our review
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For more information visit joharrop.com and jamiemccredie.com.
Weathering The Storm is available from Jo's Bandcamp page.
Weathering The Storm is available from Jo's Bandcamp page.
