Jo Hamilton is a Scottish vocalist, composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Birmingham, England. Her official debut album Gown was released in September 2009 by independent production company and label Poseidon to four star reviews in the UK from Mojo magazine, The Independent, and The Independent on Sunday. In December 2009, she released an EP of Christmas songs which BBC Radio 2's Janice Long put on her Album of the Week list for the week of 14 December. Nic Harcourt at KCRW Radio in Los Angeles chose Gown as one of his four picks for KCRW's 2010 Winter subscription drive. In 2010 Hamilton became the first musician in the world to work with an Airpiano.
Biography
Hamilton is the daughter of a Jamaican mother and Kenyan father, although both families trace their roots back to Scotland. The first decade of her life was spent in the Scottish Highlands, Between stints abroad, Hamilton attended Gordonstoun School, near Elgin in Morayshire, Scotland, to which she was awarded a music scholarship aged 12. She went on to study viola at Napier University in Edinburgh, and then won another scholarship to read viola performance at the Birmingham Conservatoire, in the city where she is based.
Music career
Hamilton has supported Damien Rice, Michelle Shocked, and Colin Vearncombe (Black). She also contributed viola to Kirsty McGee's first album, and was invited by Fairport Convention founder (and discoverer of Nick Drake) Ashley Hutchings to sing lead vocals and play guitar and viola with first the Albion Band and then his new bands the Rainbow Chasers and The Lark Rise Band on several European tours.
Gown
Her first released album, Gown, got UK distribution in September 2009. In July 2009, in the lead-up to this release, she was featured artist twice on BBC Radio 2 in the same week, performing a session on Janice Long's show and featuring on Aled Jones' Sunday morning show. Upon its release Gown received 4 star reviews in the UK from Mojo, Rock n Reel, The Independent and The Independent on Sunday. Simmy Richman from the Independent on Sunday wrote of Gown: "In a world of La Roux and Lady Gaga, this is an unashamedly grown-up record that dares to step out of the boxes we have reserved for our female singer-songwriters". In January 2011 a Special Edition version of Gown was released featuring additional tracks, an expanded booklet and revised artwork.
In early 2013 Prince and his new band 3rdEyeGirl performed an instrumental cover version of Liathach from Gown as part of their world tour set, opening several shows with it - with Prince playing piano.[13]
Fractals
In 2014, Hamilton announced work was under way on her 2nd album, to be called 'Fractals'. Some of the new material was previewed at Fractal Sparks at Durham Cathedral.
Live work
The first launch concert for Gown was held on 20 April 2009 at the Glee Club, Birmingham, to mark the early fulfilment of pre-orders of Gown to her fanbase. A London launch was held in September 2009 at The Tabernacle in Notting Hill. In December 2009 Hamilton appeared at the Union Chapel, London, and then supported Scott Matthews at Birmingham Town Hall. In January 2010 she performed an internet-only concert for fans followed in April 2010 by an intimate concert at the Slaughtered Lamb, London, which received a 4 star review from the Guardian's Caroline Sullivan, who called her 'a find'.
In 2011 Hamilton played on the main stage at TEDGlobal as well as several festivals and smaller solo shows.
In 2012 following a significant uplift in her social media following, Hamilton launched a headlining tour entitled 'Always Heading West' with her band. The tour took in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, London and Falmouth in the UK and Milan and Rome in Italy.
In 2014 Hamilton took over Durham Cathedral to create "Fractal Sparks", a one-off son et lumiere previewing some new work to appear on forthcoming 2nd album 'Fractals'. The show featured brass from The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals and 28 metre high projections of fire, waves and other natural phenomena. This was followed by theatre shows in London, Lincoln and a small tour of Canada.