Unique jazz vocalist Jo Harrop to Harrogate's Spiegeltent

Jo Harrop, and her band, will be performing a selection of numbers from her critically acclaimed debut solo album, The Heart Wants, alongside a handful of favourites from the Great American Songbook, in the Spiegeltent on Sunday July 3.

Written and recorded over the past year when the world came to a sudden standstill in the wake of the pandemic, The Heart Wants is an album about love and life, about losing and then finding oneself in the silence after the applause has faded.

With no shows in her diary, she started working on what would eventually turn out to be her first album of original material with an illustrious list of world-class jazz musicians.

“We wrote and recorded the songs for The Heart Wants before we had a chance for people to hear them live, which is the ultimate litmus test,” said Jo.

“Songs don’t really come alive until you play them to an audience, so I’m incredibly excited to finally be able to bring them to life on stage as part of the Harrogate International Festival.”

Jo was born in Durham and raised on a musical diet of Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin.

After moving to London, she established herself as one of the most unmistakable voices in British jazz, performing everywhere from Ronnie Scott’s to the Royal Albert Hall.

Having signed to London-based jazz label, Lateralize Records, she received rapturous reviews for Weathering The Storm, her debut with guitarist, Jamie McCredie.

The answer to Harrogate’s own jazz club, Spiegeltent will host a number of world, jazz, and cabaret events from Thursday June 30 to Saturday July 9 in association with Ogden of Harrogate.

Tickets for Jo’s gig are £16.

The Spiegeltent is part of Harrogate international Festivals season.

Further information and tickets are available by calling the Harrogate International Festivals box office on 01423 562 303 or by visiting https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/whats-on/joharrop/