Jessica Lee Morgan (daughter of Mary Hopkin and Tony Visconti) will release her second studio album Around The Block on her birthday, 16 June 2017 on Space Records. All Jessica’s own work, Around The Block is a return to her acoustic roots. Jessica sings, plays guitar, saxophone, ukelele and kazoo. She is supported by Christian Thomas on bass and Simon Adams on drums and percussion, with guest appearances from her brother Morgan Visconti, Paul Cuddeford (Holy Holy, Bob Geldof, Ian Hunter) and Jules Hay. The first single from Around The Block will be ‘Waiting To Leave’, released 9 June. Jessica will be touring with Bowie supergroup Holy Holy in March and April 2017.
On this imminent tour, Jessica will again be working alongside her father Tony Visconti (Bowie, T.Rex), Woody Woodmansey (Spiders from Mars) and Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), as well as Paul Cuddeford, James Stevenson and Berenice Scott. Jessica sings and plays saxophone, 12-string guitar and percussion in the band. She will also open all of the shows along with Christian Thomas on bass. On four of the dates she will share the set with brother Morgan Visconti, and alternate their songs. (As brother and sister they were taught to share!).
Around The Block is a completely acoustic album. This is in contrast to her previous album release I Am Not, which was an eclectic mix of acoustic and electronic music. Jessica co-produced the album with partner Christian Thomas, who recorded and mixed it.
Jessica said “I wanted to have a more organic feel to this album. I felt that I wanted to break away from the rigid formality of a studio album, so wherever possible, we recorded in different places. Most of the guitars were tracked in our mobile recording studio in an orchard in Ross on Wye, and the saxophones were recorded on the A470 to Brecon!”
Around The Block ends with ‘This Is My Love Song’. Originally an electronic track on her debut album I Am Not, this live version was recorded on tour in the USA and features Christian, Morgan, and Tony Visconti on backing vocals.
She may come from celebrated stock but with her two albums, and particularly with Around The Block, she has proved to be a force to be reckoned with in her own right.
“jessica lee morgan”
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