Joan As Police Woman, Kendall, Camryn and Me…
Music always seemed magical. You cannot touch it. You cannot feel it or hear it the same way twice. It is pure emotion through sound. It is an intangible, unbreakable alternate world; a language shared by all human beings irrespective of language, culture, race, money, etc. Otherwise it is pure.
Joan Wasser aka Joan As Police Woman
Lemons, Limes and Orchids (2024) signed by Joan
I did a lot of listening to Ray Charles and Mahailia Jackson. Effortless singing is what I was attracted to because it felt anything but easy for me. “Night Time is the Right Time” I listened to on repeat. When I would prepare to sing myself, I’d do a lot of breathing and clearing my mind. I still do that now. I try to quiet the thoughts and trust myself and let the music guide me. If I’m not thinking about how to sing and just doing it, I’ll be closer to being in my true voice.
Joan Wasser
The Classic (2014) signed by Joan
I remember learning “Lost and Lookin’” by Sam Cooke. His voice was the most remarkable sound I’d ever heard. I wanted to be him. I yearned to sing without embellishment; I felt that any melisma I found myself doing was merely a way to cover up some deficiency in my voice.
Joan Wasser
To Survive (2008) signed by Joan
I never felt like there were necessarily challenges in composing or production. It’s always felt like being at a theme park and picking the rides I want to experience that day. Over the years and many albums, I have learned a lot about recording and production from watching and listening to producers and engineers who possess skills they’ve been honing for decades. My home studio is my haven. But I go into my favorite pro studio all the time as well, because they’ve got the power to transform sound into the mystical.
Joan Wasser
The Deep Field (2011) signed by Joan
I tend to think that, for example, the bass does nothing until someone picks it up and plays. But before that ever happens the potential of that instrument lives inside of it ready to be explored at any moment. I am technically awful at most of the instruments I regularly play but this also allows me freedom I might not have if I’d studied them more formally. With the instruments and all the technology, I’m often looking for unique/wrong ways to make sounds with them like using an extreme EQ or fuzzing out instruments until they’re unidentifiable. I use my voice to make a lot of sounds. It’s the easiest tool, it exists inside my body. Nothing is more organic than the voice.
Joan Wasser
Humans are good at emotion.
Technology is good at remembering and playing back that emotion.
Joan Wasser
Let It Be You (2016) signed by Joan
I love creating. I am not always in a state of mind to do it and that’s fine. If it’s not happening, I don’t push it. Pushing never works, only invites frustration and provides more room for the bully in my mind to reveal itself and start getting into it with me, which I don’t need help with. I have to silence my phone and shut down all the distractions on my devices or else I’ll be ruined.
I record everything when I’m working on a song. I need a document of what happened because I must wrestle myself into a space where I’m not thinking at all; not thinking about technical stuff like recording and also not being self-critical. I’ve made the mistake in the past of believing that I’ll remember what I’ve done “if it’s good enough”. WRONG. I will not remember. The key is getting free. I need only to be free. Freedom is messy, freedom is wild and unwieldy. I must be comfortable being terrible. I must be fine creating trash. It’s only when I return and listen with the critical part of my brain that I’ll know if I have created something worth keeping. Most of the time, I honestly have no idea what’s happening while I’m doing it.
Joan Wasser and the art of her creativity
A lioness in repose…
I saw the amazing Joan as Police Woman nearly two years ago at National Sawdust, a cool venue in Brooklyn. The performance space derives its name from its former tenant, the National Sawdust Co, which operated from the late 19th century until its closing in the mid 20th century where it then sat dormant and in decay for decades. It was resurrected in October 2015 as a non-profit in an inaugural show with Phillip Glass, Nico Muhly, Chris Thile and Glenn Kotche from Wilco among others. According to their mission statement: "National Sawdust provides artists across musical genres and artistic disciplines with comprehensive support including commissions. workshops, residencies, public performances, recording, mentorship and professional development." It certainly achieves that goal with more than a soupcon of hipster vibe.