Johanna Borchert - FM Biography (2014)

This pianist and singer/songwriter from Germany, although not yet well-known beyond her home borders, has enlisted A-league help on this brooding and darkly elegant mix-up of jazz and Americana. Fred Frith needs no introduction, a veteran of innumerable avant-rock, avant-everything projects. Shahzad Ismaily is a multi-instrumentalist and sideman for Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Will Oldham, Marianne Faithfull, Patti Smith and many more. He plys guitar, bass and synths here and produced the album. Johanna Borchert is mostly known through her bands Schneeweiss & Rosenrot and Little Red Suitcase, with whom she toured a lot through many European countries, but also Asia, the USA and Canada. In October 2012 she released her debut as a piano soloist, named 'Orchestre Ideal'. Borchert sings entirely in English on these ten self-composed tracks, whose titles - Wide Land, Desert Road, Long Lane Frame etc - foretell the spatial vista of the music. With musical capabilities in abundance, Johanna Borchert will not remain unknown for long.

Tracklist:

1. Desert Road (2:36)
2. FM Biography (6:01)
3. Lightyears (3:30)
4. Lullaby (3:53)
5. It's Been A While (3:56)
6. Soulmates (8:39)
7. Freewheelin' (3:22)
8. In A Grain Of Sand (3:09)
9. Long Lane Frame (3:04)
10. Wide Land (6:00)

Personntl:

Johanna Borchert - vocals, piano, synths
Fred Frith - guitar
Shazhad Ismaily - bass, guitar, synths
Julian Sartorius - drums