Uncommon Ground ^ JoAnna James

JoAnna James
"An old soul trapped in a young lady's body, JoAnna James was born with the kind of voice guaranteed to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up."
--Rob van Alstyne, Pulse of the Twin Cities

Made up of equal parts soul, folk and blues, JoAnna James is a gifted singer/songwriter from St. Paul, Minnesota whose live performances leave her audiences longing for more. The way she wails would make Motown proud. Her delicate phrasings would have made Nina Simone grin. Her heartfelt performances would elicit a knowing wink from Bonnie Raitt. JoAnna’s songs come alive through her soulful voice and dynamic guitar playing. While commanding an array of instruments, including acoustic and electric guitars, harmonica, piano, and violin, JoAnna effortlessly blends musical styles to create a complete experience for her listeners. Though only in her early 20’s, her live performances and recordings reveal a woman who is at once wise beyond her years and filled with the passion of youth. On her latest release, JoAnna explores the complex shades of desire: the raw and unshakable reds that possess the soul; the warm and honest greens of watching a friend awaken to realize her unique and powerful beauty; and finally, the deep and timeless blues that lead back to one’s maker. The powerful recordings are soulful expressions of honest emotions, brought to life with the help of co-producer Chris Koza and recording mastermind Tom Herbers. Working at Herbers’ Third Ear Recording Studio, and with the help of some of the best musicians in the Twin Cities today (including Charlie Parr, Jessy Greene, Peter J. Sands, Alicia Wiley and bandmates Zac Selissen and Ben Foote), JoAnna James has captured the sound of a raw talent blossoming into surefooted maturity.

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