July 11, 2015. ~ Tickets: $20/$30/VIP $45 ~ Box Office: 732-263.6889 ~ Doors open at 6:30 ~ Showtime: 7p.m.
Singer/songwriter Jody Joseph is an established musical artist and teacher on the Jersey Shore music scene. She’s a dynamo—a singer/songwriter who has produced, written and starred in several one woman shows; perhaps most notably, the one in which she acted as, and sang as Janice Joplin. Jody’s upcoming show at the Pollack pays homage to four singers whose voices and performance charisma have impacted Jody’s life and career. Here, she talks about her deep, musical connection to Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, Bette Midler and Janice Joplin.
Of these four favorite singers, which has influenced you the most? Joni Mitchell has been a strong influence on my life. Especially her “Miles of Aisles” album. As a kid, I listened to it over and over and tried to sing like her, but I couldn’t match her three- gazillion- octave range. I couldn’t believe the voice...to be able to hit all those notes. She was the first artist I related to. I liked her technique and her story. Listening to her records was like when you buy those CDs to learn another language. I consider her my first teacher.
As a young singer and up to today, what about each of these four distinctive singers has appealed to you? I’m a lyricist. Relating to these singers and their lyrics draws me in. Joni, is the voice and the story. Bette...she’s the theatrical side I like. Her singing is totally different from the others. In 9th and 10th grade I would do skits with my friend...like we were on the “Divine Miss M” record. She has that ballsyness about her. In the film “The Rose,” her voice is similar to Joni’s. I can be theatrical like Bette, and sing like Joni.
In 1977, "Dreams" from Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” album was my introduction to Stevie Nicks. At first I thought it was the voice of a guy singing. People said I sounded like her and looked like her. I liked her poetry. She’s graceful on stage…and those costumes…the capes! I like flowy things; the twirling…it’s so cool. It’s like playing dress up when doing Stevie’s stuff.
Janice – for a moment in time it’s Woodstock. Singing her songs, I’m completely absorbed…on a high in the music. When I acted as Janice, I was acting drunk and high on stage when I was stone-cold sober! Janice has been a part of my ego…like she’s my musical DNA...that I don’t care about anything other than what I’m doin’ attitude. I’ll just give it all and not care. Doing her songs, singing like her gives me an emotional release.
Tell me about “4 Common Threads, One Heart String.” Well, I did a Janice show, “Diva: One Legend, One Woman” very successfully in New York and New Jersey for a few years. It felt like a great achievement. So, I’ve played Janice. In my new show I’m not singing full songs. I’m singing medleys. I won’t be in full costume for Janice or any of the singers. It will be more celebrating their style of clothes…wearing and changing some items that suggest each singer. Also, in this show, I’ll be showing some vintage footage of my earlier shows.
I’ll incorporate performances by my students. A handful of them will be my backup singers. Four young students will come out before I am to sing as each artist and portray a younger version of me as that artist. If I can pull this off it will be my best fete ever!
Nick Piescor, is my musical director on this, and lead guitar player. He’s 18, and has been with me since he was five-and-a-half. He’s a pro performer now, and is amazing.
You say this is a healing experience. What is healing about paying homage to these particular singers? Each of these singers shared their stories. They all used music to help them release their demons and found their music a sanctuary. I can see there was a lot of pain. I’ve always used music for healing. Any time I’m upset I go and grab a guitar and a piece of paper, and begin writing a song.
Joni, Bette, Stevie and Janice are the four common threads that make up The Heart Strings program I started and that is funded by the local mental health association. It’s for at-risk-children. They’re given private music lessons to enhance their lives and their learning. It’s a form of healing. The program started in December 2014.
Do you sing the songs in the keys in which these four singers recorded them? Yes…every one except Janice’s “Cry Baby.” I do that one a full step lower to make it more comfortable to sing.
How long is your new show and how do you handle costume changes? My students share the stage by starting the show for me. In the first half, they perform some originals and some covers. Some students will be doing songs I’ve written. Then I take the stage at 8pm. The show runs an hour-and-a-half. I’ll have a screen and dressing room on stage where I’ll change accessories.
Are your backing musicians the band with which you play clubs? My current band is backing me in the show.
You’ve done several one woman shows. Have you considered releasing one as a live recording? I hadn’t thought about that. Thanks for the suggestion. This show will be video recorded. I’ll use the video to sell the show to future venues and promoters. This is a one-woman production. And a hard problem is to sell the show. Promoters I might approach want to see the show, and ask when I’ll be doing it again. I can show them the video.
What is the most satisfying aspect of your work? It’s when I see how much it changes someone’s life… like a student that has autism, and I see how my teaching and mentoring has helped him have a better sense of everything in his life, and confidence around music and performance. There’s no way you can deny what music does to people…the benefits. Performing and singing, getting in front of people, sharing that, and playing and writing songs. It changes their lives for the better. It’s my biggest accomplishment.
What is the best question an interviewer could ask you? It would be, “How does music heal?” Then, I’d talk about the concept of healing through music. I believe it happens. I’ve seen it happen in my own life. There’s no denying that music helps people heal in many areas of their lives.
How would you like to be remembered? I would want someone to remember me to be that person in their lives who changed it for the better. That I was a spoke in that wheel of their lives that made their lives all it could be.
