W.T.R.
A great talent with their own style and musical language. I don't know of anyone else that is a Jazz Rn'B, Blues fusion artist & cellist! This artist & album are something that can only come about when all the planets align with the artist's love of music & their instrument of choice. This is obviously an album that is going to stand up to repeated plays. I look forward to seeing where Ayanna & Reuben go next on their artistic journey. I'm sure more great things are yet to come.
Philip Graham
Silky, funky, jazzy, bluesy, just for starters. A singer whose voice rivals the grace and power of her cello playing, just for further starters. Music of many depths, for ears that like to swim.
Favorite track: These Four Walls.
DJ V From CHICAGO
This album is just plain BEAUTIFUL, with her angelic voice, thoughtful and at times inspiring lyrical content and awesome musicianship. HIGHLY recommended. 👏👏💓💓💯💯👑👑
Favorite track: Wooden Woman.
fitzfam
I saw Ayanna on Later, with Jools Holland and thought, what a voice. A quick search and her album was on my turntable and is unlikely to be off it for very long. With styles of jazz, soul and spiritual and her expressive cello playing. A great talent.
Favorite track: Chariot.
‘Road Runner', my debut album is my hustle as an artist. An expression of my road, my journey - physically, emotionally and historically. Each song is a memory of what has given me strength to become who I am today, and I hope that the music will ignite something in your soul and encourage you to rise up within yourself and live the life you want to live.
Guitar - Eric Appapoulay (1)
Electric Bass - Eric Appapoulay (1,4) | Ed Riches (2,6,10,11)
Drums - Richard Cassell (1,4) | Samson Jatto (2,5,10,11)
Drum Programming & Programming - James Yarde (1,3,8,10) | Jason Julian (8)
Additional Keys - James Yarde (1, 3, 4,8,10) | Ayanna Witter-Johnson (4)
Chain Gang – Jimi Lyons (3) | Ayanna Witter-Johnson (3) | James Yarde (3)
Percussion – Adriano Adewale (6)
Body Percussion and Hand Claps – Ayanna Witter-Johnson (10)
Cowbell – Ayanna Witter-Johnson (11)
Additional Percussion – Phillip Harper (11)
Flute – Rowland Sutherland (5,6,9,10) | Julian Siegel (11)
Bb Clarinet – Julian Siegel (9,10,11)
Soprano and Alto Sax – Jason Yarde (11)
Trumpet – Byron Wallen (11)
Flugelhorn – Byron Wallen (5)
Trombone – Harry Brown (9,11)
Violin I - Miles Brett (1,4,5,6,9,10) | Gill Morley (2,8) | Noura Sanatian (3)
Violin II - Gemma Sharples (1,4,5,6,9,10) | Ellen Blair (2,8)
Viola - Lauren Facey (1,4,5,6,9,10) | Amanda Drummond (2,8)
Cello - Georgina Lloyd-Owen (1,4,5,6,9,10) | Jenny Adejayan (2,8)
Double Bass – Neil Charles (9)
String Arrangement - Ayanna Witter-Johnson (1,2,3,4,5,8,10) | James Yarde (2)
Woodwind Arrangement – Ayanna Witter-Johnson (6) | Jason Yarde (11)
Brass Arrangement – Jason Yarde (11)
Arrangement – Jason Yarde (9) | Molly Lawes (9)
Recorded by James Yarde and Eric Appapoulay at The Haven (1,4) | Lavar Bullard at Fifth Element Studios (1,2,3,4,6,8,9,10,11) | Drew Horley at The Lab Studios (6,8,10,11) | Byron Hosking at The Lab Studios (2) | Pete Lyons at Zed One Studios (3) | James Yarde at Vibes Corner Studios (7)
Produced by James Yarde
Executive produced by Victor Redwood-Sawyerr, Ayanna Witter-Johnson & James Yarde
Mixed and mastered by DL
All songs written by Ayanna Witter-Johnson apart from
Road Runner (Ayanna Witter-Johnson & James Yarde)
Rise Up ft. Akala (Ayanna Witter-Johnson, James Yarde & Akala)
Chariot (Ayanna Witter-Johnson & Ofei Sakyi)
Falling (Ayanna Witter-Johnson & Alex Webb)
Roxanne (Gordon Sumner)
Like so many others, this came like a bolt out of the blue and, even though it's well before payday, I had to have this astonishing album on vinyl to prove it exists. The feel of the tunes makes me feel like the Impressions do, Curtis Mayfield, the big spaces and instinctive horns and stuff drifting in and out. Great grooves and I can see lots of ghosts nodding along to this with big smiles on their faces. At last! Anthony Cottrell
German-British artist Cosma Joy weaves indie pop, UK jazz, and Neo soul into an ambitious, airy debut EP that’s perfect for springtime. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 30, 2022