Melinda Joy
Melinda Joy, singer-songwriter, and bass player, residing in Austin, TX, interweaves poetic lyrics drawn from a variety of musical styles that emit a soulful, jazzy, lush, groove-driven rock & roll sound, that has also been described as “southern gothic.” Born in Washington, D.C. she grew up in the Midwest and has lived in New York City, San Francisco, North Carolina, Philadelphia, and New Orleans before migrating to Austin, and building her life from scratch; after living through Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Beautiful Illusions is Melinda's first CD release in 15 years and reflects on the joy and sorrow she's navigated through the years. Some of the songs have been percolating since she lived in New Orleans and the aftermath of Katrina, while others are fresh, with themes touching on love, loss, spirituality, pilgrimage, political observation/commentary and the often-painful path to awakening.
In creating Beautiful Illusions, she draws upon her classical musical training as well as her love of jazz, a cappella harmonies, rock, swing, and roots music in her songwriting. Melinda’s music is largely melody and groove-driven, and most of her songs start out as poems that she pairs with funky/rhythmic bass lines. From there she develops the melodies, and the musicians she plays with bring their own flavor and sensibilities to the songs and this influence runs through the album. She considers New Orleans home, and the music is heavily influenced by her love for New Orleans and Austin. The musicians featured on Beautiful Illusions include: Mich Schreiber (drums/percussion formerly of The Bluebonnets and many other local bands), Michael Walker (guitar and backing vocals, formerly with Ghostbunny), Wiley Koepp (drums/percussion, formerly of Chasca), JT Martin (flute, EWI & keyboard formerly the frontman of Chasca) and Jason Mabry (guitar-owner/engineer of Tomorrow Studio.) The album was produced by Melinda and engineered at Tomorrow Studios by Jason Mabry.
Music is entrenched in Melinda’s family lineage. Her grandmother played piano and organ; her grandmother’s sister was a concert pianist and their brother was a professional jazz musician. She was a shy and introverted child and overcame her shyness by performing in elementary school, studied classical voice and opera, performed in Measure4Measure, an a cappella group at Vassar College and began writing and performing her music and playing bass in her early 20s. She released her debut album, Unbound in 2004, in New Orleans, with her former band, M.J. Baby & The Last Word.
Melinda was a founding member of the Austin-based bands Green Eyed Cat and Girl at the Window. Green-Eyed Cat was a collaborative venture with songstress Kim Llewellyn, the inimitable J.T. Martin, and drummer Johnny Gasyna. The Girl at the Window featured the lush vocal stylings and songwriting chops of MJ, Kim Llewellyn, and Kaia Tingley. Melinda draws inspiration from many musicians including Ani Difranco, Nina Simone, Sinead O’Connor, Ella Fitzgerald, Heart, Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, The White Stripes, and more. “All the hard-working musicians out there, known and unknown, who came before and paved the way, as well as all the music lovers out there and of course my collaborators, serve as my inspiration.”
In addition to her musical endeavors, Melinda holds a Ph.D. in psychology with a specialization in creativity studies. She is a leadership coach and leads workshops and retreats on mindfulness and creativity in the U.S. and internationally. Her upcoming book, A Mindful Approach to Team Creativity and Collaboration: Creating a Culture of Innovation will be released in the Fall of 2020. “I think the world and our society are currently at a turning point/breaking point where the current system and cultural values are no longer sustainable and I have hope that a juster, environmentally safe, and equitable way of being is possible. I want to be a force for good in that regard.”
“As my life has unfolded, both the joys and the sorrows have left an imprint on my heart and spirit, from Hurricane Katrina to this current epidemic, and I am moved to create music to experience what I observe and experience. I’m a big believer in post-traumatic growth and the healing power of creativity. This is what motivates the work I do professionally as well as my music.”
Melinda Joy Links:
https://www.facebook.com/melindajoymusic/
http://www.melindarothouse.com
