Gifted singer-songwriter Jo Harman offers another night of world-class music

Rising blues star Jo Harman returns to Coolham Live Music Club on Saturday, November 8.
Jo HarmanJo Harman
Jo Harman

The acclaimed singer-songwriter amazed audiences at the venue in April this year and is coming back with Southern Soul Connection.

Southern Soul Connection are a disparate, yet like-minded, band of musician friends (indeed ‘Friends’ was the name they originally performed under) whose skills as side-men have enhanced the recordings and live work of artists such as Joe Cocker, BB King, Beyoncé, Steve Winwood and Lionel Richie.

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These professionals have played with literally hundreds of household names, but this is no over-muscular, ego driven super group – quite the opposite, in fact.

The band are a team of masterful, less is more, musicians, collectively hooked on the art of playing timeless music, which, stylistically, owes as much to the traditions of Memphis soul and Nashville-fuelled country blues as it does to anything you might hear in the charts.

Each of the players has cleared their frighteningly busy schedules for the sole purpose of making music they love.

The Connection are currently recording their debut album, which will feature some of the very best singers from both sides of the Atlantic, including, among others, Jo Harman and Brent Carter.

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On guitar is Neil Hubbard (Joe Cocker, BB King, Buddy Guy, and currently Bryan Ferry), on keyboard is Steve Watts (Mica Paris, Lulu, Steve Winwood ), on bass is Phil Mulford (Lionel Richie, Mick Hucknall) and on drums is Jack Pollitt (Beyoncé, Pharrell).

The band will be supported by Danny Kyle, who was voted second best guitarist in the UK by the writers of Blues Matters magazine.

Danny is a talented young guitarist, singer and songwriter from Chatham in Kent. He is arguably the Medway Delta’s best kept finger-picking secret with a thumb-driven guitar style often compared to the incredible Tommy Emmanuel.

Tipping his hat to the likes of Mississippi John Hurt, Ry Cooder and Chet Atkins, Danny’s songwriting combines the old and the new – guitar tradition meets inspiration.

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He offers swinging ragtime, ’20s and ’30s jazz, bouncing country blues, melodic ‘Piedmont’ style blues, travelling songs, spiritual songs, instrumentals and ballads.

There are also touches of latin, calypso and gypsy jazz.

With a penchant for a well-crafted tune and a way with a poetic lyric, Danny’s style is highly melodic, rhythmic and engaging. Danny has studied American roots and blues guitar with guitar maestro Mike Dowling in Wyoming, USA.

Doors open at 7.30pm and the gig starts at 8pm.

Tickets cost £20 with a fish and chip supper or £15 without.

There’s no bar so audience members are allowed to bring their own drinks and refreshments.

For tickets to the show, or to find out more about Coolham Live Music Club, contact Graeme Tame on 07889 775173.