July 15, 2012 
JO-JO’s BLUES / Cover Art by Joanna Ballard / Photography by Karen Rozewicz
Recording Artist Joanna Ballard wears many hats. A storyteller first and foremost, the Baton Rouge recording artist also performs her unique blend of melodically crooning poetry for live audiences. Between crafting earth-friendly jewelry, assembling press kits for artists, and staging performance poetry workshops that is, as this Renaissance woman is much in demand. You have only to watch the first few seconds of any of her spun tales to hear and see why. The mixture of Creole folklore and metaphysical poetry compels you. Click below!
Purple Peace Pipe was an instant favorite for this blogger. But is it really possible to learn her one-of-a-kind, narrative style? Or emulate the mellifluous tones she delivers on her new collection of stories titled: Jo-Jo’s Blues?
Jo-Jo’s Blues will be the #2nd collection of performance poetry released by Ms. Ballard. Registered to BMI, and recorded by Hit City Records, the CD and MP3’s are a featured prize for the impending: Art4TheHomeless fundraiser that’s staging August 20th at the Masquerade venue in Atlanta, Georgia. Thereafter, a portion of ALL sales from Jo-Jo’s Blues will be donated to Art4TheHomeless, while the work itself will be available for purchase on Reverbnation and Amazon.
The sales are sure to be strong! It was a treat for both the music and story lover in me to listen to the compilation of a dozen blues-themed poems accompanied by Henry Turner Jr’s blues beat and plucky, acoustic guitar in standard blues progression. (with a skosh of jazz tossed in for good measure) Ms. Ballard’s and Mr. Turner’s ten+ years of experience working together has certainly fine-tuned their combined talents, and after listening to the poetry a few times, the musical accompaniment seemed not just a welcome addition, but the only way to properly convey the sentiment of Ms. Ballard’s stories.
The muse is a mysterious force…
They abduct you! And while I can’t speak for anyone but myself, I love to have a story read aloud. Maybe it’s the stilted child inside that was happy to settle in and let Ms. Ballard weave her magical, phonic tapestry, or maybe it was her sweet-toned inflection that ranged from spoken, to crooning, to almost full-bore singing at times, at least during the first attention-grabbing story-tune titled: The Blues Ain’t Enough.
They were certainly enough for me. As the subsequent stories unfolded, I was swept away with the pleasing combination of music and imaginative wording, each linked one to the other like so many daisies in a chain–or camellias in a chain, I guess I should say. The finger-snapping selections titled: Soul Job & Soul Blues encouraged the plumbing of one’s motivation and impetus in life, and I confess to becoming somewhat introspective myself before Ms. Ballard’s poetic suggestion turned a trifle more extroverted.
The next 2 titles: This is a Moment & Storyteller’s Blues moved me through a gentle caution of carpe diem to a more personal peek inside Ms. Ballard’s mind. The manner in which her dulcet tones amplified the word: moment spoke of a private connection to me, though the commonplace of the noun allowed me to imagine my own “moment” at well…that moment!
A moment that blended seamlessly into the next several stories. Blues, Blues Fix & Blues Song are so well linked it’s near impossible to tell where one ends, and the other begins, and wholly unnecessary to do so. When Ms. Ballard reveals her red dress is coming on–and then off!–during the course of Blues Fix, Blues Song goes on to add symbolic garters to the mix, and all 3 selections made me want to know where the Lady in the Red Dress was going.
I didn’t have to wonder long. Track #9 titled: Have You Ever Been to Louisiana?–expounded on just that, painting the Bayou the way we all imagine it: lush with flamboyant flowers and mysterious, muddy swamps, and while she sketches “Main Street Louisiana” (my term) in this story, too, the reference to her region’s one-of-a-kind topography and dialect hooked this catfish.
Tis brillig..and slithy!
Despite the title of track #10: They Don’t (come to Louisiana for storytellers). I know I certainly would. The title of subsequent jam: Word Movement substantiates my newfound inclination, as did the final and title track on Jo-Jo’s Blues–a treat just aching to spun by her eager audience of fans.
An audience that includes this blogger, for sure!
http://ballardsbytes.wix.com/home
http://www.reverbnation.com/jbstoryteller
Note: Art4TheHomeless will also be featuring Ms. Ballard in an upcoming edition of their EZine. Click the link for easy surfin’!
Charron's Chatter 
I have fallen in love with another, I’m sorry but you should not have introduced us and because you did I believe in your heart our love was but a fleeting moment. Oh I shall visit you and we shall still be friends but my heart of hearts now belongs to Joanna Ballard. I will always love you but…….. LOL
Thank you Karen for bringing her to my attention she is wonderful!
Right? Really awesome. You just want to sit right down and talk…Thanks for coming by, LW’s…:)
I so love the artist, thank you, Karen!
Reblogged this on Charron's Chatter and commented:
Good mornin’, Blog-O-peeps. As many know, I am wrestling with some demons right now–not always successfully–but a soul-restoring exchange this morning with this lady: Joanna Ballard has helped me regain perspective. Through a series of shared videos, and heartfelt conversation, I (re) realize that helping others is really the most important thing to concentrate on at any given time–and that by so doing, you find peace for yourself.
And spread it. Thank you, Joanna, for your heart that’s oceans big–and your understanding of human foible–that is just as deep.
Karen,
You have such a flair for supporting others. You know that I wish you absolute good fortune in your own endeavours.
Thank you!!!!!
Victor
😯
that is super nice to say, Victor, and I do try to walk the walk…talk the talk…I know I am THRILLED when a person says or does something nice for me, soo….first karmic step…:)
I have also heard it said that humiliation is the first step to liberation.
hmm…in what context exactly?
Just something I heard once, and liked it as close to one possible truth.
d’ya mean humility? because i have heard that…and learned it pretty good. Whereas humiliation as a freeing factor…that’s interesting–but again, I question context. Certainly there was some synaptic connection…
I dunno…I feel pretty humble, mostly, but also proud and certain of my talents…even if the literati is slow to catch on…;) I know without a doubt I have bled on the page–and written millions of words. Why, my first draft of REMIX was an astounding 333K words…or so…Had fun re-doing that from the ground up, and all in all, an invaluable teaching tool. So hands on, you know…
Kay. Must away to the hills for a run…ski…a runski…