Judith Owen returns with Suit Yourself, her 14th studio album, a New Orleans recorded project that places the Welsh singer-songwriter and pianist deeper into jazz, blues and big band traditions while adding a guest appearance from Joe Bonamassa.
by Paul Cashmere
Judith Owen has released Suit Yourself, her 14th studio album and a record that marks another step in the evolution of a career that has moved from singer-songwriter roots into jazz and blues territory. Released on 24 April 2026 through her independent label Twanky Records, the 13 track album was recorded in Owen’s adopted home city of New Orleans and arrives with contributions from a core group of jazz musicians as well as guest appearances including guitarist Joe Bonamassa.
For Judith Owen, Suit Yourself arrives as more than a new studio release. Across nearly three decades of recording, she has gradually shifted from the confessional pop and singer-songwriter style of her early catalogue into broader musical territory. The new album continues a direction established in recent years, bringing together jazz arrangements, blues structures and big band orchestration while retaining Owen’s focus on storytelling and performance.
The album title itself reflects a dual meaning. It references Judith Owen’s 1970s-inspired tailored pantsuit aesthetic while also representing a broader personal philosophy centred on artistic independence and self-expression. Themes throughout the record draw on resilience and finding optimism in difficult circumstances.
Musically, Suit Yourself builds on ideas introduced on 2022’s Come On & Get It and expands elements heard on projects including Judith Owen Swings Christmas and the live release Comes Alive. The production shifts between sparse arrangements featuring only Owen on piano and vocals through to larger ensemble performances featuring her jazz sextet and the J.O. Big Band.
Joe Bonamassa appears on the album’s interpretation of the Mind Is On Vacation, contributing guitar work to Judith Owen’s version of the song originally written and recorded by Mose Allison. Bonamassa’s appearance provides one of several guest moments on the album and adds another stylistic layer to a project already crossing multiple musical traditions.
Other collaborators include Davell Crawford, who joins Owen on the New Orleans blues duet Today I Sing The Blues, while vocalist Tonya Boyd-Cannon contributes gospel elements to the closing track Inside Out.
Owen’s core backing musicians on the album include David Torkanowsky on piano, Jamison Ross on drums, Kevin Louis on cornet and trumpet, Ken Warshawsky on double bass, David Blenkhorn on guitar and Ricardo Pascal on saxophone.
The release continues a career that began with Owen’s 1996 debut album Emotions On A Postcard. Born in London and raised with Welsh family roots in Llanelli, Owen grew up around music through her father Handel Owen, who spent decades singing with the Covent Garden chorus. Across the years she built a catalogue that stretched from independent singer-songwriter releases to increasingly ambitious collaborative projects.
Her recording career has also crossed into other worlds. Owen toured and recorded with Richard Thompson on projects including 1000 Years Of Popular Music and appeared in The Simpsons. Alongside husband Harry Shearer, she co-founded Twanky Records and developed an independent model that gave her control over releases and creative direction.
For artists working outside major label structures, projects such as Suit Yourself also reflect broader changes in the music business. Independent musicians increasingly build specialised audiences through direct relationships with listeners and by developing distinct artistic identities rather than pursuing mainstream radio formats.
Judith Owen’s movement into jazz and blues recording represents part of that wider shift, where artists with established audiences have greater freedom to redefine their work later in their careers.
Suit Yourself appears positioned as another chapter in Owen’s ongoing reinvention. Rather than revisiting earlier approaches, the album further establishes the musical identity she has been shaping in recent years, combining classic jazz influences with contemporary performance and production sensibilities.
Tracklisting:
That’s Why I Love My Baby
Blue Skies
To Your Door
If I Were A Bell
Today I Sing The Blues
Moanin’
Shall We Dance?
Spooky
Have A Good Life
Mind Is On Vacation
Evil Gal Blues
Since I Fell For You
Inside Out
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