Album Notes

JOAN WASSER is a superfoxxx. She also writes songs, sings and plays a lot of instruments. She changed the profile of the violin in rock music and has now extended this innovative voice to singing and song-writing through her solo project, JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN. Joan leads her trio on guitar and wurlitzer accompanied by bass and drums.

Joan's songs, voice and stage presence have garnered comparisons to Nina Simone, Dusty Springfield, Prince, and Chrissie Hynde--but comparisons will never do justice to her unique voice and brazen attitude. Known for her untamed and intimate live shows, Wasser's spare and dynamic arrangements (composed on guitar and Wurlitzer) are complimented by emotional lyrics sung at one moment in a deep throaty swoon and the next in a high wail. Add to this the way she puts her spell on an audience, and you have some of the elements that make Joan Wasser a unique artist.

Joan studied violin classically and as soon as she could pronounce the word "punk", began to shatter the instrument's tradition with her bands The Dambuilders, Those Bastard Souls and Mind Science of the Mind. She began breaking hearts with her voice in Black Beetle and now takes center stage and plays for packed houses in NYC with JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN--a musical project that delivers rock, soul and love songs for the lonely.

She has recorded with Sheryl Crow, Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright (who she recently accompanied on Letterman), played live with Nick Cave, Soul Asylum, Sebadoh, Helium, Laurie Anderson, played for the Dali Lama, did Lollapolooza, Montreal Jazz Fest and Conan O'Brien with her own projects.

Joan Wasser is a groundbreaking artist who defies easy classification. She's a rock-jazz-punk-folk-r&b singer, songwriter, keyboardist, guitarist, and violinist. She's all of these --with undeniable soul.