Joanna Eden

British singer and pianist Joanna Eden is known for her expressive, lyrically poetic blend of jazz, folk, bossa nova, and pop, as well as her heartfelt approach to standards. As with her contemporaries Diana Krall, Norah Jones, and Jamie Cullum, she draws inspiration from both traditional jazz and pop artists alike, especially the work of Joni Mitchell, who remains a major influence. Eden debuted to critical acclaim with 2000's standards album A Little Bird Told Me. While Broadway and popular song remain a hallmark of her work, she expanded her style, focusing on her own intimately rendered songs, as on 2004's My Open Eye, 2013's Falling out of Grace, and 2018's Truth Tree. In 2022, she delivered a romantic blend of originals and cover songs on Love Quiet. Born in Lincolnshire, England, Eden grew up in a musical family with a father who played bass in the Royal Air Force and a mother who worked as a drama teacher. She started on the piano around age seven and was writing her own songs while still in elementary school. Eden developed a love of jazz and big band music, drawing early inspiration from the work of vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald and June Christy. After high school, she earned her B.A. in Creative Arts, with a focus on music and drama, from Manchester Metropolitan University. While in college, she also performed locally as both a solo act and with the indie pop band Strip. Following graduation, she moved to London and formed a trio with bassist Dan Boutwood and drummer Charlie Price, the latter of whom she also married. Together, they worked the bar and restaurant circuit and spent time as entertainers on the Cunard and Royal Caribbean International cruise lines. In 2000, Eden released her debut album, A Little Bird Told Me, showcasing her love of jazz standards. The album garnered radio attention on the BBC and won her critical praise, including favorable comparisons to Diana Krall. In 2005, Eden returned with My Open Eye, a more fleshed-out production that also featured her own compositions, inspired by artists like Joni Mitchell and Carole King. More critical acclaim followed, as did open slots for artists like Jamie Cullum and the Buena Vista Social Club. Two years later, she delivered Moving Shadows, a jazz trio album of cover tunes recorded with bassist Julie Walkington and her husband, drummer Price. She returned to her original work with 2013's Falling out of Grace and again with 2018's Truth Tree. Over the years, Eden moved into teaching, mentoring singers and songwriters, among them a young future Grammy winner, Sam Smith. Following tour slots with Van Morrison and Tom Jones, she released her fifth full-length, Love Quiet, which featured her own original songs as well as covers of tunes by the Isley Brothers and Bonnie Raitt.
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