Jazz@ Episode 1: Get The Blessing and Ayanna Witter-Johnson

With the crew of the Live from Abbey Road Sessions, the Jazz@ series creates a space where musicians can really shine. The room is simple, the audience is small, the sound is great and the camera is 4K. Here, international artists from a mix of genres and cultures are able to get away from the noise and let their art breathe. 

Episode 1 centers around two acts. First up is Get the Blessing, the stellar jazz-rock quartet from Bristol, England. Members Jim Barr (bass), Clive Deamer (drums), Jack McMurchie (saxophone) and Pete Judge (trumpet) initially combined over an appreciation for the great Ornette Coleman and, in creating the group, pooled sessions experiences with the likes of Radiohead, Peter Gabriel, Jeff Beck, Robert Plant and many more. 

Sharing the stage in turns with Get the Blessing is Ayanna Whitter-Johnson, Britain's answer to Esperanza Spalding, though she swaps the double bass for the cello, deploying her haunting voice over percussive bow and finger plucking that conjures a staggering and memorable effect. Blending classical and contemporary with soul and R&B, she is a magnetic performer that lights up the room.