Joanne Rand

Another CD I'm a little late coming to. Nevertheless, some interesting and worthy material to consider. This is the 16th release by singer-songwriter-activist Joanne Rand who has an excellent folk voice in an older tradition. Going into her fourth decade as a performer Joanne maintains her high-quality mark. On her first track off her new 11-track collection “Roses in the Snow & Drought” – she excels in an early Cris Williamson tone (“Last Sweet Hour”), and in an edgy Ferron posture. Which is all good – because those two ladies are legendary in their circles and are respected as well, and have always released consistently good material.

Rand has many worthy influences and her lyrical subject matter fuses a variety of musical styles within their confines: contemporary, dreams, betrayal even a little psychedelic. In regards to other artists -- she only touches upon their approaches because Joanne basically possesses a signature virtuosity of her own. Buffed and sanded from years of performing experience.
With “Little People’s War,” Joanne has some beautiful Piet Dalmolen lead guitar and offers some intense lyrics (based in response to the 2015 Paris attack) in this song. The only drawback? Lyrics like this should be in a lyric book so listeners can follow along. It is deserving. You can hear some interesting words being sung that should be heard. Rand has a unique singing style too. She pronounces words in a manner that renders her voice an equivalent of a musical instrument. I may have even said this before. No matter. Some jazzy overtones in the folk structure make this even more interesting.
As the song continues and when the lead guitar sweeps across the excellent piano (Tim Randles) the conclusion lends a nice dramatic conclusion. But then, it is a Joanne Rand song, right? Track two “Where the Waters Flow,” -- is based on folk traditions and Rand accentuates it with a deep sophisticated tone. This is a personal lyric with chiming acoustic guitars and what is pleasant is Rand’s ability to skim the edge of a Procol Harum-type progressive ballad formula. The song has drama, frayed edges and all the instruments construct the melody in a gripping way. Rand’s voice is beautiful…from the deep sophistication of her high silky notes, the piano that maintains the Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) intensity. I like the way Joanna Rand sings at times with this hesitant pronunciation style -- somewhat in an early Buffy Saint-Marie mode because it instinctively adds sincerity, originality to the delicacy of her style and just shapes the song into a decisive Rand presentation.
Rand spins her melodies with interesting forays. It goes into the violin, has tricky lyrical phrasing, and her survival of the spirit type vocal and emotional phrasing has wonderful inertia. What exactly do I mean? Well, instead of focusing on the musical instruments all the time a listener can be drawn into the manner in which the singer actually sings. That is, after all, part of the musical showcase and the easiest part for a listener to understand. I sometimes get carried away with focusing on guitars and pianos and if the listener knows nothing about those instruments it can be a minefield or gibberish. This is different and it has validity. It all comes together like a tasty fine cake from a reliable recipe. Rand's voice is interesting enough but it’s the way she uses her instrument. The words, their potency, lyrical stutter, flow, the energy in the phrases and how Rand uses high notes and low notes. Then, suddenly encapsulated with the comfort of Piet’s lead guitar and Rob Diggins violin. Quite good.
It’s not enough that Joanne just sings her songs – she has created a gripping sound with the very way she structures her lyrics. Joni Mitchell had this talent. Ferron as well and she could be wordy. Few do. This is why it is important to include a lyric booklet. Track 4 “When You’re Gone,” is a vibrant violin-driven ballad. Joanne’s voice works well here as well and with the sound of violin strings and the way Piet’s lead guitar drifts ghostly with its deep fluid 1950’s style runs -- it too has a little Procol Harum tendency to it. If Piet’s lead guitar were just a little more aggressive it would qualify. But the playing here is excellent nonetheless. It may not even be difficult guitar playing it just fits the mood of the song’s structure.
Old fashion, good fiddle work throughout with retro guitar work follows on “Bees in His Walls,” – but it only has its vintage approach to recommend it. The song does suggest that Joanne could do a Broadway musical show – she has the showmanship in her strong vocal delivery.
“Circle at the Heart,” is mature with its engaging melody that builds. Joanne Rand’s vocal radiates in and around the deep bass line, acoustic guitar, and lead. Jonathan Kipp’s brushes across the drums and it all breezes freely with bits and pieces of violin and lead guitar. Actually, the entire little production is jazz with country decorations. Piet’s guitar has solid rhythm and is clean and fanciful. As to be expected. Sometimes the secret to a great performance is just how all the musicians just jell together on the performance. Every musician makes a viable contribution. Ms. Rand has at the heart of her new album a great little band. With this song, it has resonance and soul. Quite a pleasant experience.
Track 8 was written by Joanne with Peter Peteet – “Johnny Cash Came Back.” Reminds me a little of the mid-west folk singer Carrie Newcomer. She, as well as Joanne, is an expert with using her voice like a musical instrument. I also hear similarities here again with Buffy Saint Marie who is quite evocative. This is just a simple folk-oriented song but in its simplicity, Joanne proves that in 2017 – when the song was recorded – folk songs still have lots of meat on the bones. She sings it with just enough drama, just enough subtlety, and no novelty.
Need a song with good lyrics. I offer the traditional “The Parting Glass.” It leans joyously on the tradition of Buffy Saint-Marie and Melanie Safka (“Lay Down Candles in the Rain”). This has a little brilliance. The violin is jaunty, the piano with its deep notes -- engaging, and of course, Joanne Rand’s vocals are impeccable. Very well-written story song.
Nice guitar and violin feature in “Rock Therapy.” Especially toward the conclusion. I found the tune wonderful and Joanne Rand’s voice has just the right amount of emotion. At the beginning, she starts with a whispery vocal as if she doesn’t want many to hear her. This is a long track at 9:18 – and you must listen with a little humor. Rand touches upon subject matter that flirts with 60’s sentimentality, hippie-oriented virtuosity. Melanie Safka styles, a little of the late Judee Sill ("Jesus Was a Cross Maker"), Judy Henske, some psychedelic special effects, meandering (which is good) instrumentation reminiscent of Seatrain, Pure Prairie League, Quicksilver Messenger Service and the like. It’s almost as if she was following up on Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” with a clear 2017 vision. Rand’s voice never fails her. Her style is on full display. This is actually ponderous to those who don’t relate – but, for some, this is an ambitious and likable piece. - No Depression, 2018

"Rand’s absorbing voice which alone is an instrument, is absolutely captivating. ... It’s startling and beautiful. The balance between the instruments and their clarity: refreshing."

"Joanne is not Joni Mitchell. She is in a different realm. ... There is a mystical magic that has strength that average singers, even good singers, don’t have and that's what makes Joanne impressive here."

"The songs primarily are inspired by Appalachia but the flourishes and musical paint are all brilliant. ... Joanne is magical and luxuriant as she shapes her high notes. It's like the best brandy in the world and usually not always found on these types of songs."
About Joanne's remarkable rendition of the Joni Mitchell classic, "Woodstock": "[O]ne of only three exceptional versions of this old chestnut. ... This is how you sing a cover and leave behind all comparisons. ... It’s fabulous again – right here. This will probably make Joni Mitchell misty eyed all these years later."

FULL REVIEW:
Upon first listening, I was immediately captivated by the octaves, tone and approach that West Coast singer-songwriter Joanne Rand displayed on her 15th CD release “Southern Girl.”
On her opening track “Mud in Your Eye,” -- with a strong piano, a swish of drums, blistering violin passages and Ms. Rand’s absorbing voice which alone is an instrument, is absolutely captivating. Joanne appears, in a good natured way, like a latter-day hippie in the Joni Mitchell-Melanie Safka tradition wearing what appears to be a white muslin dress. It's adorned with beautiful Native American necklaces and pendants which I think is quite cool. A good look for her and the music she represents.
But, the voice, the voice – it starts out like any other folkish voice and then Ms. Rand goes into a deep low register on the line: “I’ve been addicted to change all my life…” and the game changes. It’s startling and beautiful. The balance between the instruments and their clarity: refreshing.

Joanne is not Joni Mitchell. She is in a different realm. Not jazzy, not really folk (in my opinion). Her voice reaches pitches that remind me of Buffy Sainte-Marie and with that spirit -- she possesses a voice hard to ignore. Some have described her music as psychedelic-roots-folk-rock but it’s more than that.
There is a mystical magic that has strength that average singers, even good singers, don’t have and that's what makes Joanne -- impressive here. The tracks features a soaring Rob Diggins violin, machine-gun Jonathan Kipp brushes on the drums and a splendid piano -- and I will let the song speak for itself. Yes, it can speak for itself.
With a slight melodic reminder toward Melanie Safka (“Lay Down Candles in the Rain”), and with the richness still of Buffy Sainte-Marie, Joanne tackles an old traditional song “Cripple Creek.” Her performance on this is modern, jaunty, happy and very today. This song is a survivor and this woman has effectively injected a double shot of B-12 vitamins into it. Bradley Dee provides the drums-percussion on this song and all the musicians on this track are exceptional.
By the time you reach this foot-stomping tune Joanne has already taken possession of your hip musical soul.
The songs primarily are inspired by Appalachia but the flourishes and musical paint are all brilliant. “Monkey Puzzle Tree,” – written by Joanne’s late brother Jordan Rand displays the brush-strokes of Joanne’s fine voice. It’s a little quirky, it features Rand's deep clarinet and it's terrific. It maintains a rare attractiveness -- it's difference from other standard fare and approach to just singing. This is different. Joanne makes every song memorable when she sings…and she has a style on this song. As she sings the lyrics it reminds me of the great jazz singer Anita O’Day who was quite the song stylist -- Rand allows her voice to roller coast from one octave to another, she hits every note accurate as Annie Oakley hits her target. This song is quite special and it too, in its lyric is in the tradition of Buffy Sainte-Marie and it's solid. The acoustic performances and the band overall maintain their tight, precise and wonderful stature.
Then, Joanne segues into a vintage traditional folk song: “Maid of Constant Sorrow,” and while you may be inclined to yawn…you’d be wrong. Joanne’s vocals are energetic, renewed, reinvented, and it’s all entertaining! It works. Rob Diggins continues to use his violin like a wizard’s wand. Exceptional playing by all and Joanne plays acoustic guitar, keyboards, clarinet and shaker. Piet Dalmolen plays electric and slide guitars, Tim Rhodes is on bass, and Jonathan Kipp provides the steady drums on this track -- with an expressive performance.
Things slow down a little as Joanne sings “Thicker Than Water,” – a ballsy instantly memorable ballad with body, thickness, smoothness and it’s stirring – all at the same time. Excellent full backup vocals and Joanne is magical and luxuriant as she shapes her high notes. It's like the best brandy in the world and usually not always found on these types of songs. The song throbs, clings to your ears and sends a tempo synthesis down your leg so your feet tap even when you’re not aware of it. Bradley Dee’s metronome beat steers steadily as Joanne layers her high notes over the beat’s surface. I am loving this one. It has an eccentric scent to it, but it has traction and it holds you. When Joanne’s voice goes deep – it telegraphs shivers down your lower back if you are an aficionado of this type of music. A little tinkle of piano concludes the tune and I just smile every time I listen to this. You want accomplished musicians? I offer Joanne Rand and her band.
“Ginseng Sullivan” is more traditional folk and holds fast to a more vintage manner with Jonathan Kipp driving brushes. This is Carter Family good. The vocals are charged, the venerable guitar sound punctuates nice and Joanne’s voice in that style of Appalachian singers with snips of the legends of folk: Rosalie Sorrells, Kate Wolf, Cris Williamson, Judee Sill, Ferron and Eva Cassidy -- women of that treasure trove begin to gently tug at your ears. Joanne’s voice isn’t shrill like the young Joan Baez, or as harsh as the wonderful Karen Dalton. But, she has this uniqueness in her timbre that is all her own.
The Robert Burns’ poem “Red Rose,” is rendered here as a beautiful mountain folk song with Joanne’s vocals soaring again and Rob Diggins equally thirsty bowing. The song has heft; its power is in its delicacy. Joanne’s voice sounds like a high flying bird with its wide wings outstretched in a long ballet in the sky. Adrift through the blue -- seamlessly, alone and perfect with nature. Yes…perfect with nature. Hokey, but true. The back-up singers are McGarrigle Sisters’ / The Roches in their execution. Ideal harmonies. Delightful stuff.
Ms. Rand needs a little humor and whimsy in this collection…so “L.A. Squirrel,” is her vocal acrobatic contribution with her fine bellowing clarinet. That’s different for a folk song too. Clarinet. I like these types of surprises. I can appreciate them. It's what makes listening to a Joanne Rand album interesting and challenging. Some bawdy lyrics adorn with enough playful innuendo performances to make this song a fun listen. Sounds like one of those songs that originally was recorded on a 78 rpm shellac disc in a 1920’s hotel -- a collection banned from radio: “…the peacocks strut and they spread their tails…. watch out for this queen of bees…” Oh yeah…
When I read the PR and CD art I discovered the classic 60’s song “Woodstock,” written by Joni Mitchell was included here by Joanne. I decided to skip it. Yeah…skip it. How many times can I listen to that song? I’ve heard it ad nauseam for decades. But fate stepped in. So on the day I listened, I was distracted as the CD played and without notice the song began to segue from track eight to nine: “Woodstock.”
It didn’t take long for me to realize this may be perhaps one of only three exceptional versions of this old chestnut. Nothing hippie dippy about it. Joanne Rand sings this one with imagination, with poignant guitar, dynamic backup, and all toll – a stirring rendition. I guess there are many more ways to sing an old song. This is how you sing a cover and leave behind all comparisons. Even the opening guitars are expressive, and Joanne’s vocals – dramatic at times, and respectfully reminiscent of Joni Mitchell’s original was not entirely the same Joni's. Joanne’s voice, with no auto tune that I could detect, has a firm control on her natural resonance and vibrato. The Piet Dalmolen lead guitar shines with so many colorful notes it makes the song moving again like the first time you heard it. But after that, Joanne’s voice is Joanne. It shifts from one tone to another with clarity. She almost sounds as if there are two vocalists. As she pronounces the lyrics you can hear how into it she is. It’s not just a cover of some old song. If you’re going to tackle a classic song, cover it, and this is a fine example of how to do it right. This one virtually took on a spiritual identity. Her vocal technique is the entire show and worth the price of admission. “Woodstock?” It’s fabulous again – right here. This will probably make Joni Mitchell misty eyed all these years later.

The closing song is “I Love It,” -- a pensive, slow and tightly played jewel. Bradley Dee returns with his steady, reliable beat. Very well recorded. Joanne Rand trades off vocals with her back up female vocalists and it takes on an air of Kate Bush and Sarah Brightman. The richness in Joanne’s voice especially when she dives from high perches into her deep and low potent vocal is riveting. She is quite the vocalist – she almost distracts from the sophisticated musicians who support her because her vocal transitions are so fascinating. I played in a band at one time, and backing up a vocalist like this -- is a thrill.
Why an artist of this caliber is not more widely known already infuriates me. I am going to look forward to more from Ms. Rand and I have a lot of catching up to do already. Obviously, she has proven she can sing just about anything, consistently good and inject new life into it. She is an artist you can buy with certainty -- without hearing the CD first. You will indeed get your money’s worth.
If ever there was an independent female vocalist who could teach the so-called commercial divas a thing or two about the proper use of powerful, distinctive vocals – Joanne Rand may just be the one. She is not a showboating police car siren – she has the right inflection, the phrasing, the style -- it's what makes a singer -- an artist.
This 10-song collection was produced by Joanne Rand, Stephen Hart & Piet Dalmolen & recorded in CA. The Band: Joanne Rand – Acoustic Guitars, vocals, keyboards, clarinet, shaker // Bradley Dee – Drums, percussion (Cripple Creek, Thicker Than Water, LA Squirrel, I Love It) // Jonathan Kipp – Drums (Mud in Your Eye, Monkey Puzzle Tree, Maid of Constant Sorrow, Ginseng Sullivan, Red Rose) // Tim Randies (Electric Bass, keyboard (Woodstock) // Piet Dalmolen (Electric & Slide Guitars) // Rob Diggins (Violin).
For now, I am going back to listen to this entire album again.
John Apice / No Depression / April 2016 - No Depression, 2016

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joanne Rand has zigzagged across the country for the last 30 years, living in places like Atlanta (her hometown), Chicago, New Mexico, the North Bay, the Pacific Northwest and Arcata, where she lives today. Throughout it all, she still calls Sonoma County her "crucible."

"It was the place where I was held by the community," Rand says. "They supported me, they got me, and they understood what I wrote more than any place I ever lived. I still feel like that."

Rand first moved to Sonoma County in 1990 after meeting guitarist Steve Kimock and relocating to play music with him. By then, she was already an accomplished performer, whose brand of psychedelic folk is a mixture of childhood favorites like Joni Mitchell and Pink Floyd. "I quit piano lessons because my piano teacher wouldn't teach me

Dark Side of the Moon," laughs Rand.

While living in Sonoma County in the '90s, she formed Joanne Rand & the Little Big Band to wide acclaim. Today, Rand still works with North Bay producer Stephen Hart, with whom she's released seven full-length albums in the last seven years.

"The songs just keep coming through," Rand says. "I thought I was self-indulgent to keep making these albums, but I couldn't stop myself. I got depressed if I couldn't do it."

For Rand, writing songs is her way of staying mentally and spiritually connected with the world around her. "I'm connected to whatever's feeding me the songs, I'm connected to [the audience] who's listening and giving back that energy," Rand says. "It's unifying."

Rand's latest album, Roses in the Snow & Drought, is filled with songs that reflect her diverse approach to songwriting. Some tracks are personal, written in response to current events or family matters; others are universally relatable stories of humanity and morality. Some are written in the style of long-held folk traditions, and others are extended dance jams that let the guitars wander.

This week, Rand makes her way back to Sonoma County for a show at the Redwood Cafe in Cotati that she's dedicating to her longtime drummer Bradley D. Cox, who's undergoing treatment for cancer. Joined by violinist Rob Diggins and guitarist Piet Dalmolen, Rand will play music from her latest album and revive older material.

"I want [the show] to be a journey." - North Bay Bohemian, Marin County

With soulful vocals ranging from plaintive to joyful to wry, and a catalog of original songs that deal with peace, love, life, death and practically every other worthwhile topic, Joanne Rand has built a reputation and a loyal following over the past few decades.

Rand and her band will be back in Sonoma County this weekend, playing a gig Saturday at the Redwood Cafe, and whether you’ve seen her many times, or never before, you’d be wise to drop by. Onstage, she combines a dignified presence with an intensity you won’t soon forget.

Among her many charming quirks is the fact that Rand remains unrepentantly rooted in the folk sensibilities of the ’60s, including a passion for all sorts of worthy causes, lost or otherwise. She describes her style as “Psychedelic-Folk-Revival.”

Celebrating Arcata, her current hometown — part of a long history in Northern California, including a couple of stints living in Sonoma County — Rand, 57, wrote these lines for “Humboldt to the Bone,” off her most recent album, “Roses in the Snow & Drought”:

“Our little Arcata-ville, where the hippies are over the hill ... There’s no other place that we’d rather grace with seeds of rebellion that we’ve sewn.”

But she has never severed her bond with the Sonoma County music scene. “I’ve always felt that it was my support and my creative crucible, because I’ve always maintained connections to musicians there and that’s where my CD producer Stephen Hart lives,” Rand said in a recent phone interview.

Rand remains current and topical in her songwriting. Her newest single, “California’s Burning,” which she recorded and released on her own, deals with last fall’s wildfires in haunting images: “Blood red sunk through the redwood trunks, the sky is ash and smoke. We couldn’t slow the world down though we tried.”

To listen to the song, visit https://soundcloud.com/joannerand/californias-burning-2-mix-master-101217

Saturday’s show in Cotati will be the first opportunity for Rand’s Sonoma County fans to hear her perform the song live.


“I haven’t been down there for a while,” she said. “I wrote that song, actually, when the smoke was all the way up here. We never get smoke in Arcata. I was out walking my dog in the dunes, and feeling the concept that this world is changing, and we can’t really get away from it.”

The song goes well beyond the fires as a topic to deal with the environment and sustainability in a broader sense, with one lyric declaring, “We knew this was coming 40 years ago.”

“I was going back to when I was 16 or so, as a teenager in Florida. I knew then that the way were living in this country couldn’t sustain itself. That’s where that line came from,” Rand explained.

Far from being disillusioned, Rand remains committed to her ideals, hoping for a peaceful society and a healthy planet, and counting on future generations to carry on the cause.

“Now I have a daughter who’s 18. She’s turning into an eloquent speaker and writer.” Rand said. “She’s got some radical ideas.” - Santa Rosa, CA, Press Democrat, a NY Times Publication

Joanne Rand was 23 years old when she first visited the Smith River. Two years later, she and her first husband bought land there to build a home.

“You had to canoe and hike a mile-and-a-half to get in,” she said. “We carried in all the building materials for the 12-foot-by-16-foot house we built by hand … It was up on 8-foot poles and you got in up a ladder through a trap door in the floor. This was to keep out the many bears.”

She added: “We were totally off the grid and it was a fabulous time in life.”

Many years later, she and her second husband, Greg King, bought land there across the river from a timber company to prevent it from being developed.

“We found good buyers who put a conservation easement on it. We still go there and have been taking my daughter there since she was born,” said Rand, noting that they no longer own the land.

Still, she and King remain invested in what happens in the region.

“I spent six formative years homesteading on the Smith River in Del Norte County,” Rand said. “It is the last major undammed river in California and the place that is closest to my heart.”

Rand, who is a singer-songwriter, is headlining a local springtime celebration and concert later this month to benefit the Siskiyou Land Conservancy. She’ll perform with her band — made up of pianist Tim Randles, violinist Rob Diggins and electric guitarist Piet Dalmolen — March 31 at the Arcata Playhouse, 1251 Ninth St. The event begins with a visual presentation of North Coast wildlands starting at 7:30 p.m. followed by the music at 8 p.m. The cost is $10 to $20 on a sliding scale, with tickets available at Wildberries Marketplace in Arcata or at brownpapertickets.com.

The Siskiyou Land Conservancy, which was created by King, is dedicated to preserving North Coast wildlands.

“I founded the Smith River Project in 1999, and that organization merged with Siskiyou Land Conservancy when I created SLC in 2004,” King said. “As the name implies, the Smith River Project focused just on this particular river. Siskiyou Land Conservancy was designed to have a broader reach. The organization now protects six properties totaling 807 acres in three counties —Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte. Two of those properties are on the Smith River: 80 acres of rare plant habitat owned by SLC on the North Fork Smith River and 143 acres on the South Fork Smith that are protected with a conservation easement.”

Rand — who grew up in rural Georgia and now lives in Arcata — has toured nationally for more than 30 years, playing original “psychedelic-folk-revival” music.

“My producer, Stephen Hart … coined this term when someone asked him what our band sounded like. He called it ‘psychedelic-folk-revival’ and the name stuck,” Rand said. “I grew up in the South on gospel music and on British psychedelic-rock (Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin) as well as the inflammatory folk of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, CSNY, Joni Mitchell.”

Rand first began performing bluegrass in Alaskan bars in her early 20s. She also played at coffeehouses in New Mexico.

“I started touring from (Smith River),” she said. “I wheel-barrowed my keyboard over the ridge and canoed it across the waist deep creek to do shows.”

Within five years, she’d written a body of work and released two albums.

“The work, fed by those years on the Smith River, had a ‘deep ecology’ theme and coincided with a wave of activism sweeping the nation at that time (late 1980s),” Rand said. “Thus, I was able to stage extensive, annual, multi-media ecologically themed tours from the Canadian border to the Mexican border and was well received. I came along at a time when a singer-songwriter could make it on a grassroots level.”

Other albums followed, including “Choosing Sides,” “Grant Me Eyes,” “Into the River,” “Rise” and more. Her 2015 and 2016 CDs — “Southern Girls” and “Roses in the Snow & Drought”— both made the folk DJ most-played-list nationwide and are receiving worldwide airplay. Both CDs were recorded with her current band.

“My last four CDs were recorded with pianist Tim Randles, who is amazing and can go absolutely anywhere in his playing: jazz, wild psychedelia, classical, tribal, African highlife,” Rand said.

“Three years ago,” she said, “I began working in the studio with noted Humboldt County electric guitarist Piet Dalmolen. Piet has the ear of a producer and knows just what a song needs musically. He’s always able to step in with the perfect solo, be it pure and simple or hard edged. I met violinist Rob Diggins in Piet’s studio, while recording my next to last CD, ‘Southern Girl.’ He came in and played such incredible music that I have been hooked on his performing ever since. He comes from a classical and Baroque background, but also plays East Indian Kirtan, jazz, rock, anything.”

Over the past three decades, Rand has played in Manhattan, Los Angeles, Toronto, Atlanta, Seattle, Hawaii, Alaska and the Amazon and has performed alongside such greats as Bonnie Raitt, Mickey Hart, John Hartford, John Trudell and Dougie MacLean.

“Connecting with talented musicians and sharing inspiration, sparking off of one another, is one of my greatest joys,” Rand said. “To me, the most important quality is authenticity. When a musician is truly channeling, it is powerful to witness. I love the feeling of doing so myself. The privilege of joining forces with others in this is a real blessing.

“Meeting and playing with Steve Kimock in 1990 inspired me to leave the Smith River and move to Sonoma County to start a band,” she said. “A drumming lesson I got from Mickey Hart in the greenroom before a gig has served me all my life … Meeting and studying extensively with the late Steve Young (‘Seven Bridges Road’) added incredible depth to my musical journey. Seeing artists such as Bonnie Raitt or Dougie MacLean inspire the masses is seeing the blue flame, the creative fire that exists at the core of us all. As my 92-year-old mother says, ‘You have to step out of the way for the thing to take place.’”

Throughout, Rand has stayed connected to the natural world.

“My parents … took us backpacking and to the Rockies, etc.,” she said. “I went on to be a homesteader for six years in the outback of Northern California on the very same river my husband’s land trust protects. My connection to nature has always fed my muse and been my salvation. I see nature as our larger body — an extension of our bodies, perhaps — and it connects us all. And with every passing day, protecting the natural world becomes ever more critical.” - Times Standard

Using considerable vocal range in both the literal and emotional sense, Joanne Rand stretches her folk roots beyond likely destinations, creating consistently fascinating fare in the process. The West Coast singer/guitarist’s skills with multi-tracked vocals, in particular, exploit her emotional clout in haunting- (“Mud In Your Eye”) and warmhearted (“Cripple Creek”) manners. Smart arrangements are the order of the day, exemplified by an unexpectedly up-tempo “Maid of Constant Sorrow”. By the time one gets to the Joni Mitchell classic “Woodstock”, Ms. Rand’s individualistic take fits ideally into one of the year’s freshest and most distinctive offerings. - Joanne Rand "Southern Girl" by Duane Vehr

North Bay Bohemian , 2009 - "Longtime local hero", 2009 - "Legendary"

Voted "Best Acoustic band of 1995" in Bohemian's Sonoma County, CA Reader's Poll

Sonoma County, Ca "Women's Voices", 2006
"Joanne's songs span the human condition...Joanne has a gift for capturing ancient, universal principles that she offers up to our troubled world, offering long term optimism."

Santa Rosa Press Democrat (NY Times Publication),
1998 - "exemplary...richly talented"
1995 - "Astonishing in its musical breadth, virtuosity and the overall care taken to bring it to fruition, this CD is nothing short of brilliant" - Santa Rosa Press Democrat (NY Times Publication), North Bay Bohemian (serving Sonoma, Nappa & Marin

There’s a certainty about ‘Southern Girl’ from Joanne Rand - once you hear it there’s only one voice that could deliver the album. To my ears, Rand’s distinctive and highly recognizable vocals are as readily identifiable as her brand of Americana folk-rock. From albums like ‘Family History’ through ‘Snake Oil and Hummingbirds’ to ‘Still a Real World’, there’s the definite edge of Southern roots plus wider explorations. There’s also an evoked memory of a dairy farm in the Catskills near White Lake in August ’69 - a memory of mine that’s now defined by time, distance and certain substances.
These songs take you to encounters with the places and people she describes, move you into the experiences and involvements she recounts, expressed through lyrics that ensure their messages stay with you. The musical mix that pours through ‘Southern Girl’ fuses its folk-rock base with elements of bluegrass and jazz to create a blend with a natural organic feel that reaches out to the listener in close and intimate way. Listen to her as she sings ‘Mud In Your Eye’, Cripple Creek’ or ‘Maid of Constant Sorrow’ and you’ll find just how easy it is to let Joanne’s songs live within you, then take in the profound message of ‘Thicker Than Water’ or ‘I Love It’ and there’s a spirituality waiting to be discovered.
Finally, to find the true magic, you should hear Rand’s take on ‘Woodstock’ - delivered as it always should have been delivered. - Joanne Rand, "Southern Girl"

Santa Cruz Weekly, Cat Johnson, March 2010 - “Through her songs, Rand traverses love, politics, conservation, spirituality and life with a seasoned-to-perfection voice, that, according to Terry Tempest Williams, ‘Opens the doors of creation’.”

Santa Cruz Good Times, 2003 - "Her singing inspires praise usually reserved for healers and saints"

Santa Cruz Good Times 1999 - "she plays [with] a homespun strength that makes it all her own...passion and grace that is quite disticntive...at times she brings an Appalachian trill to her ballads; at other times she'll take her voice down to a throaty, gritty moan." - Santa Cruz Weekly, Santa Cruz Good Times

Santa Cruz Weekly - “Through her songs, Rand traverses love, politics, conservation, spirituality and life with a seasoned-to-perfection voice, that, according to Terry Tempest Williams, ‘Opens the doors of creation’.”

Santa Cruz Good Times - "Her singing inspires praise usually reserved for healers and saints"

Santa Cruz Good Times - "she plays [with] a homespun strength that makes it all her own...passion and grace that is quite disticntive...at times she brings an Appalachian trill to her ballads; at other times she'll take her voice down to a throaty, gritty moan." - Santa Cruz Weekly, Santa Cruz Good Times

Eugene Weekly October, 2010 - Whatever muse has inspired Joanne Rand has only seemed to have grown stronger with time. Rand just released her 10th CD, Snake Oil and Hummingbirds, last year, and now she’s back in Eugene celebrating the release of a new CD, Live with Claudia Paige. Paige, who in 2007 was voted one of the 25 best female drummers worldwide, has performed and recorded with some of the top stars of the past 20 years, including Jerry Garcia and Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Frank Zappa and more. The CD was recorded at the Caspar Community Center in Caspar, CA. No matter who or what inspires Rand’s musical output, at its core is a loving fierceness and sense of oneness with nature that Rand doesn’t hold back on. Not quite folk, not quite rock, whether she wrote the song or not, Rand’s outlook is all her own — Vanessa Salvia

Portland, OR Southeast Examiner, October 2010 - “Joanne Rand is a powerful, inspiring chronicler of the times we live in. Her voice is like no other and her elliptical storytelling consistently advocates for the spirit of nature and the planet. Joanne Rand has been a Northwest favorite for many years. Her music is uncompromising, powerful and evocative and she has been a voice of reason in these changing times. Her albums are spirit touchstones as well as milestones for many who are moved by her insight and vision. Rand has been an Oregon Country Fair favorite for two decades and instead of slowing down, she continues to push the art pedal to the floor and has two new recording projects for this tour. Her music is fierce, visionary, incantatory and filled with advocacy for the natural world and sanity in this 21st century. Her voice is a powerful, remarkable, exceptional and unforgettable force of nature.”
-Register Guard, Serena Markstrom, Nov. 2009
“A work so layered and complex it’s hard to call it folk music with a straight face. But at the core…Rand’s substantial, grounded songs remain.”

Eugene Weekly, Molly Templeton, Nov. 2009
“Still fierce, still insightful,…still inspired…wild and free for a long time to come.” -

Eugene, OR Register Guard, Randy Prince, Dec. 2009
“A sense of place…”

Portland, OR, SE Examiner 1998
"...the sweetly tremulous, hauntingly husky sound of this popular songbird has fans flocking throughout the west and southwest." - Register Guard, Eugene Weekly, Portland Southeast Examiner

"Angels walk among us" - personal quote

"Acoustic ritual...her voice opens the doors of creation." - personal quote

"Grace and responsiveness flow from her keyboard and intimate voice like fountains,...Rand radiates rejuvenation"
-2000

" Rand's singing is soulful...the songs are intellingently crafted...[her] delivery is engaging and passionate...a rewarding listen."
-1998

"...Rand succeeds in entertaining as well as teaching...[he] powerful voice conveys a passion that can't be denied"
-1995

- Dirty Linen Magazine

"Joanne Rand's singing raises your hair, elegance and fierceness in the same deep breath." - personal quote

"Another great recording by Joanne, Wonderful reditions, also of the Old Time songs"
-2009
"Great stories, deep feelings"
-1996 - personal quote

"Thank you for being so good." - personal quote

"Joanne Rand is using her experiences of life and death to take her music to new levels...deeply personal...spirited" -Seattle, WA, West Seattle Herald

"...Beautifully woven, life affirming lyrics, diversity of musical styles, and elegant sound quality...uplifting, brimming with hope and joy, and of course there's her amazing voice, a winning combination" -Ladyslipper Music, 1999

"ever enjoyable lyric and note...emotional vocals...incredible guitar and keyboard playing...fun and catchy. Rand's distinct voice with its throaty warbling, whispering qualities, and her dedicated, sensitive and insightful lyrics are the key ingredients to the superb quality of this recording." -Tacoma, WA, Victory Music, 1999 - West Seattle Herald/ Victory Review