World Premiere Video: R3 Collective and Jo Harman brings AWB classic back to life

r3collective

(June 5, 2019) We’ve written about talented UK singer Jo Harman a few times over past several years. We first heard her when she was providing a powerful duet with Motown legend Lamont Dozier, and then later on a great pairing with Michael McDonald. But Jo has proven that she is also a solo artist to be reckoned with. And her hit single earlier this year, a powerful cover of the classic AWB ballad, “Cloudy,” won over new fans on this side of the pond.

For years in her concerts, Jo has introduced “Cloudy” as a song that she wishes she’d written, and on the single, she really made it her own. Now, the trio R3 Collective (Orphy Robinson (vibes), Tony Remy (guitar) and Stefan Redtenbacher (bass)) have asked Jo to team with them on a terrific live video of the song. It has the same affect as the recorded version, but with a great immediacy that is quite compelling.

We’re proud to present the World Premiere of this incredible live performance. Check out “Cloudy” below and tell us what you think!

World Premiere Video
R3 Collective  featuring Jo Harman – “Cloudy”

Video

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Here is the band on Jo’s video performance:

ORPHY ROBINSON (Vibes)

Orphy Robinson is a British jazz multi-instrumentalist who plays vibraphone, keyboards, saxophone, trumpet, piano, marimba, steelpans, and drums (no one likes a show off!). He has written music for television, film, and theatre and his many credits include musicians as diverse as Nigel Kennedy, Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masekela through to the likes of Robert Plant, Joss Stone, Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason and hundreds of other named artists, to boot. He represented GB at Atlanta Olympics and was awarded the MBE for something or other! Most impressive fact of the lot is Orphy supports West Ham United!  

MIKE STURGIS (Drums)

Mike Sturgis is an American drummer, being a member for the (major label) band 21 Guns and later drumming with Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith in Psycho Motel, as well as undertaking major international touring with Wishbone Ash and Asia, Mike also toured and recorded with Norwegian band A-ha at the height of their commercial success, and lived to tell the tale (if not to his wife*- jokes!!!). Mike has also performed live or recorded with such major pop, rock and jazz names as David Bowie, Elton John, Jack Bruce, Steve Winwood, Tom Jones, Bob James, Randy Brecker and Bob Mintzer. On the downside Mike supports Spurs and is an American who mistakenly believes he understands Premiership Football. 

TONY REMY (Guitar)
Widely regarded as one of the most convincing, and most versatile, British guitarists on the scene, Tony Remy‘s playing covers soul. funk, rock, jazz and fusion with a jaw droppingly authenticity and authority in equal measure.  As an originals artist, Tony was the first European to be signed to GRP Records, and as a hired hand his playing has graced many a live performance and studio recording for artists such as Annie Lennox, Craig David, Pee Wee Ellis, Steps Ahead, Courtney Pine, Lonnie Liston-Smith, Fred Wesley, The Crusaders, John Toussaint, Jack Bruce, Incognito, Sarah Jane Morris and many, many more. Before playing guitar professionally, Tony was already proficient on recorder (his Irish reels are the stuff of legend!), flute, saxophone and piano but, wisely, he doesn’t like to talk about it. 

STEFAN REDTENBACHER (Bass)

The name probably gives it away but, surprise, surprise, Stefan Redenbacher is Austrian. That’s like being German but with an added sense of humour. A graduate of the Vienna Conservatory and Berklee College of Music, bassist/bandleader/composer Stefan has recorded and performed with such artists as Steve Winwood, Jack Bruce (two basses?), Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, Lulu, Mica Paris, Herb Alpert, Paul Carrack, Kiki Dee, Tony Hatch, Gerry Beckley, Sandie Shaw, Beverley Knight, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Limahl, Alexandra Burke, Russell Watson, Joe (and Sam!) Brown, Adam Ant, and (cough!) Ollie Murs, amongst others. Stefan’s an in-demand educator, teaching and presenting at too many educational facilities to list here without fear of boredom and he is/was also a columnist  of some repute (primarily on matters, bass). His own records with his band ‘Funkastra’ feature an array of international talent and his horn sections alone list the likes of Prince’s NPG horn section, Tower of Power and JB horns. Recently, Stefan has donned another hat (if not the lederhosen): entrepreneur, patenting learning aid in digital file format, AudioSheetMusic™ (look it up!). Stefan is currently working on his book ‘a beginners guide to Bavarian humour’ which comes out never. 

MIKE GORMAN (Hammond)

Since moving to London in 1995 to attend the Guildhall School of Music, Mike Gorman has been an integral part of the London and UK jazz scene performing with virtually every UK horn player and vocalist of note. These include Peter King, Don Weller, Guy Barker, Alan Skidmore, Bobby Wellins, Art Themen, Stan Sulztmann and Alan Barnes and Clare Teal, to name but a few. Mike has also performed with leading international Jazz artists including Jimmy Witherspoon, Scott Hamilton, Bill Watrous, Stacey Kent, Georgie Fame, David Binney and Michael Urbaniak. Mike is also in great demand as a session player touring and recording extensively with a wide variety of artists in the field of popular and commercial music, including Boy George, Mica Paris, Incognito, Us3, Van Morrison, Hamish Stuart, Marty Pellow, Marlena Shaw, Gwen McCrae, Andrea Bocelli and Tom Robinson.  I don’t know any other interesting facts about Mike, which is worrying, what is he possibly trying to hide?

 

NAT MARTIN (Guitar)

Being a man of much more honourable values than the other bunch of bandits mentioned here, ‘guitarists guitarist’ Nat Martin has largely focused his talents on a steady home life so much so that building up a rock and roll lifestyle and a big name CV has, to date at least, given way to the relative calm of functions, sessions and educating and mentoring the next generation of uber guitar players.  Also there is the small matter of Nat holding down the (rather demanding) guitar position in Jo Harman’s touring band (see below) for the last 5 years and counting, following in the footsteps of some big shoe players such as Mike Davies (currently Emeli Sande’s guitarist), Dave Ital (Beyonce, Chake Khan etc) and Scott McKeon (Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Derek Trucks etc ). Despite this commitment to Jo, Nat has also found a little time to moonlight fronting his own ‘blues’ band, doing the odd pop related project for Grammy Winning producers, working with Thomas Dolby and, more recently, 80’s soul/pop outfit ‘Living In a Box’ with Kenny Thomas. But just don’t tell Jo!

 

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