For those of you not in the know, Allen Austin-Bishop is an appealing singer with a powerful voice whose music crosses boundaries between jazz, pop and groove.

His distinctive style and confident authority let listeners know that, like Gil Scott-Heron and Billie Holiday, he means every word that he sings

One certainly never doubts his sincerity or his determination to interpret music in his own unique way. Allen Austin-Bishop, who displayed his individuality on his earlier standards album Sorry Grateful, mostly performs, with a few exceptions, modern material on his follow-up album, Why Go?

He is joined by the inventive pianist / keyboardist Dorian Ford, bassist Mao Yamada, Rob Hervais-Adleman on drums and percussion, ad occasionally, Katie Edwards on saxophone and cellist Fifi Homan.

1. Do I Wanna Know? (4:10)
2. Buffalo Ghosts (5:52)
3. Why Go? (4:01)
4. Came Here For Love (3:00)
5. You Get My Love (4:48)
6. Memories (4:14)
7. Ring of Keys (3:15)
8. Both Sides Now (4:16)
9. Good Morning Heartache (4:47)
10. Wait (3:02)
11. So Near the Stars (2:54)
12. Evergreen (4:22)
13. Pass Me Not (2:43)
14. Laugh? I Thought I’d Die (4:14)

The album opens with the lush tones within Do I Wanna Know? and the heavenly sax appeal of Buffalo Ghosts and continues sweetly onward with the ’70s cinematic styling within the title track Why Go?, the sweet R&B soul of Came Here For Love, the gentle foot-tapping rhythms of You Get My Love, and then we get both the forthright soul of Memories and the funky Ring of Keys.

Up next is the beautiful balladry within Both Sides Now and the heartfelt, Nat King Cole-esque piano ballad Good Morning Heartache and they are in turn followed by the smooth gossamer of Wait, the summer’s day drive, top down-imbibed So Near the Stars, the sax-evoked hipsway of Evergreen, with the album rounding out with the finger-snapping, Gospel-embedded Pass Me Not, coming to a close on the shimmering, reverberating, organ-fed storytelling within Laugh? I Thought I’d Die.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Allen Austin-Bishop is now based in London. He made a strong impression with his 2017 debut Sorry Grateful which featured him mostly singing standards for which he gave a new spin.

He has also recorded 2018’s No One Is Alone and the EP Summertime. Now with the release of Why Go?, the talented singer is fulfilling his potential, introducing listeners to a variety of superior contemporary material, and carving out his own musical path in the jazz and pop music worlds.

Players & Instruments
Allen Austin-Bishop - vocals
Dorian Ford - Piano / Keys
Mao Yamada - Bass
Rob Hervais-Adleman - Drums / Percussion
Katie Edwards - Saxophone
Fifi Homan - Cello

Official Website