Phoenix J
About Phoenix J
Phoenix J is the professional, performing name of artist/performer Joan Martin. Born and raised in Singapore, she is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist (primarily keys and strings, but also wind & percussion instruments) plus an experienced, tech-savvy audio, video and online producer. With her voice remaining her lead and most defining feature. Having graduated from college in Mass Communications, she first started producing jingles and video themes with husband-to-be Peter, using their production studio founded for this purpose, Firebird Music, named in homage of her Chinese name, Phoenix. At the same time she started working on her first album under her label Firebird.com, ‘Binary Star’, so named to celebrate the birth of her twin sons, but also to capture the style of the album, which saw the term ‘Eurasian Fusion’ coined, to describe its melding of traditional Asian and contemporary Western musical instruments and styles. One still used today. Clearly it had a significant appeal, going top 40 in the charts. She also appeared in concerts in support at major venues around the region. There were also some critically-lauded collaborations, with bands such as Gwailo on their album Gecko Sushi. For personal reasons the family then moved back to the UK, and this saw her release her next album, ‘Junkk – Music for the Soul’, which also introduced her now professional performance name of ‘Phoenix J’. A more pop-oriented offering, this involved several production collaborations in a variety of styles, including three tracks with Andy Whitmore. Again this was supported by some significant performances around the country at festivals and even the Coventry Arena. This was followed by a few years’ hiatus as she devoted herself to her boys during their formative years. However she was never idle on the creative and composing front, writing all the time but also honing an enviable level of experience with the evolving social media opportunities that have and still do blossom today. Even though through choice more home-based during this period, such as ‘Second Life’ (and, latterly, ‘numubu’) enable her to perform live to new fans spanning the entire globe. They have also represented great opportunities for her to hone her abilities on all instruments, forge partnerships (she has guested as writer and vocalist for London-based bands such as Greenhaus and Eden House) and expand her repertoire of songs and styles considerably. This has taken in unique reinterpretations of covers, but also brand new songs too. These latter were amalgamated into her 2013 third, self-produced album, ‘Let the Phoenix Fly’. This was titled to herald her return to full time performing again, not just online but live, starting more with intimate gigs locally, exploring a leaner, more bluesy, jazzy sound as her vocal and compositional styles again evolve. She is currently involved in several projects, including two new concept albums, and also of course taking to the stage again.
Taken from Last.fm
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