Jo Bartlett - Interview

  by Owen Peters

published: 9 / 2 / 2015

intro

In the first of our new series 'Is This Your Year?', in which we will be following the fortunes of five different acts over the course of a year,we speak to Reading-based singer-songwriter Jo Bartlett,who has just released a new solo album '9 by 7'

We begin ‘Is This Your Year?’ with singer-songwriter Jo Bartlett. She released her new album ‘9 by 7’ on January 12th of this year. We caught up with her asking of her musical plans and concerns for 2015: “The year has only just started and I’m nervous and excited. Although the new album was officially released early January, some of the reviews came in over the holiday period. Reaction and comments to the album have been positive. The reviews at least indicate I may well be on the right track with my music. To some degree it’s all set up, I just need to get out and play. If only it was that simply or easy” Objectives: To get the point where myself and the band can regularly play live, covering our costs and playing to people who have actually come to see us. To keep songwriting, get really deeply into rehearsing and exploring the new songs and then start to record them. Ideas: I'm going to be releasing my instrumental album in the Summer - try really hard to keep the momentum going. '9 by 7' is out on Monday January 12th and has started to get a great reaction from the press. I really want to keep my foot on the gas this time. Concerns: No budget. All band members have full time jobs and family. This makes things pretty difficult! Hopes: I would love to turn my musical career around and actually start playing, recording and releasing consistently. I've had to make so many twists and turns to get this far (starting a festival!). It's kept me in the game, but it's also taken me off the route of my own music too often. ] Fears: That the above won't happen! Plans: With '9 by 7' I didn't rehearse (or play live) with any of the musicians involved prior to recording. I would just send them my guitar parts/vocals already recorded and ask them to come up with stuff to play on top. It's an ok way of working but for the next album I have a band. I love rehearsing music with other musicians - it gives the songs a chance to breathe, change and develop. Playing new songs live takes them even further. I'd like these new songs (five already written!) to be more like the Yellow Moon Band meets my previous singing solo music. The Yellow Moon Band were an instrumental psychedelic band I released an album with in 2009. Basically I want the new band to really push ourselves.” Next month we will be asking Partisan Waves 'Is this Your Year?' Photos by Alexia Arrizabalaga www.troubleshooteur.com

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