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Johanna Burnheart: Burnheart

By Chris May
October 16, 2020
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The violin has an eventful history in jazz. But it is still a niche instrument, despite a line of singular players stretching back to

Stephane Grappelli

violin
1908 - 1997

" data-original-title="" title="">Stephane Grappelli and

" data-original-title="" title="">Stuff Smith (who deserves some bonus points for composing the immortal "If You're A Viper"). There are no schools of jazz violinists, simply a succession of one-off stylists, with Grappelli, Smith,

John Blake

violin
1947 - 2014

" data-original-title="" title="">John Blake,

Michael White

b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael White,

Leroy Jenkins

bass, electric
1932 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Leroy Jenkins,

Regina Carter

violin
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Regina Carter and

Billy Bang

violin
1947 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Bang prominent among them. There is also

Ornette Coleman

saxophone, alto
1930 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Ornette Coleman, but let's not go there.

It is good to welcome another original talent to this lineage.

Johanna Burnheart

violin

" data-original-title="" title="">Johanna Burnheart is a rising star on the London scene through her work on spiritual-jazz band

Maisha

" data-original-title="" title="">Maisha's There Is A Place (Brownswood, 2018), trombonist

Rosie Turton

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Rosie Turton's 5ive (Jazz Re:freshed, 2019), trumpeter

Yazz Ahmed

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Yazz Ahmed's Polyhymnia (Ropeadope, 2019) and Floating Circles Quartet's Humble Travelers (self produced, 2020).

Burnheart's own-name debut, Burnheart, is an electro-acoustic affair which is sonically in line with Ahmed's Polyhymnia and was co-produced by Ahmed's producer,

Noel Langley

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Noel Langley. The music is characterised by deep grooves, spacey Wurlizter and synthesizer lines and Burnheart's sinewy violin.

Burnheart's quartet, like Floating Circles Quartet, with whom she shares her bassist,

Jonny Wickham

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Jonny Wickham, is composed of fellow alumni of London's Guildhall School of Music & Drama (which also counts Ahmed and Langley among its graduates). It is a well-balanced lineup, with Wikham, keyboard player

David Swan

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">David Swan and drummer

Boz Martin-Jones

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Boz Martin-Jones providing hard-wired sympatico support. A striking and assured debut.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Box Office; Forever Dance; Mensch; Mythos; Never Let Me Go; Plastik; Silence Is Golden; Sysiphos.

Personnel

Johanna Burnheart

violin

David Swan

piano

Jonny Wickham

bass, acoustic

Boz Martin-Jones

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Johanna Burnheart: violin, voice, synthesizer, dustbin lid (5); David Swan: Wurlitzer, synthesizer; Jonny Wickham: double bass; Boz Martin-Jones: drums, shaker; Noel Langley: Hermeto's frog and bottle tops (5).

Album information

Title: Burnheart | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Ropeadope

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