Jenna Witts has started her career with a list of impressive milestones – performing as one third of the ‘Western Approaches’ album with Seth Lakeman and Steve Knightley, a co-write on Show of Hand’s ‘Country Life’, a UK tour with Knightley, and appearing with Show of Hands at the Royal Albert Hall show – not bad for a 19 year old singer/songwriter just starting out!
The work with Show of Hands has served her well as both Knightley and Phil Beer feature prominently on the disc, both as musicians and as producer and engineer respectively.
Not surprisingly, given the links with Show of Hands and Lakeman, Jenna is based in Devon and the sights, sounds and feel of her home county looms large over her self written songs. Of the 10 tracks on ‘Barefoot & Eager’ she has written 7 of them, the remaining three come from 3 varied sources, the tradition, Pink Floyd and one song from Knightley.
The disc is an intimate acoustic affair, she provides guitar, piano and harmonium, whilst Steve and Phil provide a wide range of guitars, bass, fiddle and mandolin – it’s certainly a well crafted album with some beautiful instrumental backing.
While a very young singer/songwriter, her lyrics sound more mature than you’d expect and she shows a good degree of skill at times with her observant lyrics.
It’s testement to her writing that the stongest track on the disc ‘Katie’ is from her own pen, and other highlights include ‘Flora’ and the unexpected success of her reading of Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’.
She’s certainly on her way to being a successful singer/songwriter and this debut solo album put down a marker for the years to come.

Track listing
1 Barefoot & Eager
2 Katie
3 You're Mine
4 21st Century Cowgirl
5 I Was a Dreamer
6 Flora
7 Endless Summer
8 Hangin' Around
9 Wish You Were Here
10 Surfer's Storm

£13.49