Biography
Scottish singer/songwriter Jo Hamilton characterizes her own sound as "Björk and Sarah McLachlan singing Robbie Burns backed by Sigur Rós," placing her among the chamber folk scene’s most intriguing and eclectic performers. Born to a Jamaican mother and Kenyan father, she passed her early years in the remote Scottish Highlands two miles from the nearest neighbor, interspersed with family travels through Turkey, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. After completing viola studies at Edinburgh’s Napier University, she earned a scholarship to the Birmingham Conservatoire, where her vocal abilities first emerged. In 2000 she recorded and produced her debut album, Palace Place, and received an invitation from Fairport Convention founder Ashley Hutchings to join his Albion Band and subsequently the Rainbow Chasers for European tours. Following support slots for Damien Rice, Michelle Shocked, and Black’s Colin Vearncombe, she collaborated with producer Jon Cotton on fresh material that became the 2009 release Gown, an ambitious collection of electronic-based folk songs awarded four stars throughout the broadsheet music press. Hamilton also produced a series of accompanying films for the album, which was reissued in 2011 with three bonus tracks.
Albums
