Marc Riley - 07/07/2009

Live in session tonight is the amazing Jesca Hoop and there are archive sessions from The Great Leap Forward and New Model Army. Jesca Hoop was raised a Mormon in a musical family of five children in California, who sang traditional folk songs. When she left home, Jesca travelled throughout the states and became involved with diverse fields of work such as extreme wilderness rehabilitation programmes for troubled youths, construction, farming and finally, working for five years as nanny to the children of Tom Waits and his wife, Kathleen Brennan. By then, Hoop had already been writing and performing with a band, and Waits and Brennan took an interest in her songs. Through them, an early version of Seed Of Wonder made its way to music publisher Lionel Conway, who in turn gave it to Nic Harcourt, the musically adventurous and influential host of Morning Becomes Eclectic on radio KCRW in Santa Monica. Harcourt began playing the song, and it reached the top five for eight weeks straight and holds the station record for most requested track. Record company interest ensued, and the album, Kismet, was recorded in 2007. Championed last summer by Guy Garvey, he subsequently invited Jesca to support Elbow on tour last year, and duet on new song, Murder Of Birds. Jesca performs with any combination of musicians ranging from solo to seven pieces including backup vocalists. Championed last summer by Guy Garvey, he subsequently invited Jesca to support Elbow on tour last year, and duet on new song, Murder Of Birds. Jesca performs with any combination of musicians ranging from solo to seven pieces including backup vocalists.