Heirloom’s Debut Album Familiar Beginnings Showcases the Collaborative Vision of Ben Dameron and Hannah Johnson
The Milwaukee-based quartet Heirloom today released their debut album, Familiar Beginnings, via Shifting Paradigm Records. Co-led by guitarist and composer Ben Dameron and drummer and composer Hannah Johnson, the group also features DownBeat Award-winning saxophonist Sam Taylor and acclaimed bassist Tim Ipsen. Marked by its emotional depth, melodic storytelling, and exploratory spirit, Familiar Beginnings introduces a bold new voice in modern jazz.
The album’s title reflects a central theme: how the excitement of discovery is often laced with a sense of déjà vu. “We wanted this record to feel like stepping into something new that somehow already feels like home,” says Dameron. “It’s about beginnings, but also about cycles—familiar moments reimagined.”
Dameron’s compositions are at the heart of the project, shaped by his classical training at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and guided by a deep sensitivity to form and narrative. He writes with intention and intuition, drawing from jazz, classical, folk, and cinematic traditions. “In an increasingly competitive guitar world, it is difficult to predict who will be among the leaders of tomorrow,” wrote legendary Brazilian guitarist Sérgio Assad. “Ben Dameron has all the elements to become a shining star and one of these leaders. Give him some time and his natural talent shall flourish immensely.”
Equally integral to Heirloom’s sound is Hannah Johnson, whose drumming is at once adventurous, joyful, and deeply musical. Her awe of rhythm and love of emotive harmonic structures give her playing a distinct personality—sometimes grounded, sometimes chaotic, always expressive. A versatile multi-genre artist and a sought-after side musician, Johnson recently toured with soul/R&B artist Durand Jones as part of Orville Peck’s “Stampede Tour.” She is also a singer-songwriter and a core member of the folk/indie band Finding Frances, whose 2023 album For Flowers Yet to Bloom featured her composition “Scotland.”
Johnson’s compositional voice shines on Familiar Beginnings, especially in her harmonically elusive and intimate reimagining of Ellington and Strayhorn’s “Isfahan.” Paired with her meditative original “Interlude,” these two tracks function as a reflective suite—subtle yet emotionally charged, offering a pause in the album’s narrative arc.
The album opens with its title track, “Familiar Beginnings,” which immediately sets the tone: anthemic and lyrical, yet full of space and interplay. It seamlessly gives way to “Eucalyptus Breeze,” a nostalgic homage to the Bay Area, where Dameron spent formative years. The tune captures a specific kind of California air—dry, fragrant, and filled with memory. “Spice Trance,” a groove-forward standout inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune, builds momentum through hypnotic rhythms and layered tension, eventually breaking into a cathartic, improvisatory release. Later in the album, “Chased Out of a Dream” presents a more cinematic mood, composed in the emotional afterglow of an actual dream and shaped by the band’s ability to channel urgency without sacrificing clarity.
“Messages from the Deep” poses one of the album’s central questions—what lies beneath our conscious expression? The band responds not with answers but with resonance, using breath, space, and texture to suggest more than they declare. The mood lifts with “Fake Block,” a playful yet tightly constructed tune named after a running joke in the cult comedy Arrested Development. The humor is subtle, but the musicianship is razor-sharp. Finally, “Indigo Tears” brings the album to a haunting close. Another reference to the Dune universe, it blends Americana and free jazz in a solemn reflection on beauty, conflict, and the longing for peace.
Throughout Familiar Beginnings, saxophonist Sam Taylor brings a graceful phrasing and warm tone that lift the melodies into something transcendent, while Tim Ipsen anchors the group with an agile, grounding presence—always in motion, yet deeply connected to the ensemble’s emotional pulse.
Though rooted in jazz, Heirloom’s sound resists easy categorization. It is music of exploration, reflection, and subtle defiance. Familiar Beginnings is not just an introduction to a new band—it’s a fully realized statement from two visionary artists and the ensemble they’ve built around them.
The album is available now on CD and digital platforms.
TRACK LISTING
1. Familiar Beginnings 3:55
2. Eucalyptus Breeze 9:45
3. Spice Trance 8:11
4. Chased Out of a Dream 6:01
5. Interlude 3:05
6. Isfahan 5:45
7. Messages From the Deep 7:29
8. Fake Block 7:16
9. Indigo Tears 7:49
Tour Dates:
September 26 – Jazz Estate, Milwaukee, WI
September 27 – North Street Cabaret, Madison, WI
October 3 – Merriman’s Playhouse, South Bend, IN
October 4 – Blockhouse, Bloomington, IN
October 10 – Lemon, Chicago, IL
November 14 – Berlin, Minneapolis, MN