Joan Enguita

Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Secondary Genre: Folk Lancaster, California USA Contact

"Influenced by Joni Mitchell and with a voice often compared to Joan Baez, Joan delivers beautiful original songs."--GoGirlsMusic.com. Joan continues to break new ground, writing a full length musical. She has toured in Europe and the Western U.S. A folk country songstress in the modern tradition.

Artist Information

Biography

by Dan Kimpel of Music Connection Magazine

It begins with a magical voice, warm enough to melt a glacier. The voice is connected to the soul of Joan Enguita, an accomplished singer/songwriter who distills her life's experiences into melodies and lyrics in the modern folk tradition. "I think of songs as tea bags," she explains. "They have to be in the water a certain length of time before they're ready."

Judging by her outpouring of material, it's tea time. The Lancaster, California-based artist has two CDs. The first, Kiss Me Awake, is a suite of songs recorded acoustically as an expressive tableaux of guitar and vocals. Her second outing, Two Suitcases, released in 2005, features a studio of respected Nashville musicians tastefully accompanying Joan with dobro, accordian and traditional instruments.

Joan's mother was a classically trained singer. Her father played clarinet in the Air Force band for 27 years. As a child of a military family, relocation was a key component of life. Her immersion in music began during her early teen years in Spain as she and her friends gathered around songbooks with guitars. She taught herself to play on her brother's instrument, albeit without his permission. "As soon as I'd hear him go down the stairs, I'd go in his room and grab his guitar and his Joan Baez songbook that had chord charts," she reveals. Her intricate finger-picking style was learned in classical studies during her college years in Minnesota.

Time spent behind bars--not as an inmate but as a visiting prison performer--has had a profound impact on Joan. "You walk through many slamming doors," she notes. "But the inmates who choose to come to those concerts are so grateful because they have very little outside contact. It's a slap of reality." Other less fettered performances include a showcase at The Folk Alliance, coffeehouses and listening rooms throughout Southern California, Desert Song Music Festival, a Borders Books and Music tour, Kulak's Woodshed and an appearance on the 2004 Emmy Award-winning series, Street Music L.A.

With the release of her two CDs, Joan tours the west coast regularly and has performed in Denmark, Ireland and Germany. Meanwhile, in addition to concert and festival appearances, Joan donates her performances to community, prison and charity groups, while she expands her burgeoning catalog of songs. "Songwriters are the eyes and ears of the world," she notes.

Joan Enguita's music, like her life, has followed a path illuminated by faith, compassion and honesty. "Growing up, I had a lot of time to think," Joan says. "I have so many memories, because I moved so much. Much of my life is memory, not in the here and now, because many of those people aren't around me anymore." But the songs remember. And as they tell stories of the roads taken, her exquisite voice is a silver thread connecting all of the destinations right back to her heart.

"Hearing you sing was lovely. Your voice is one of those rare ones...clean, crisp, clear notes. The best kind of voices are those. And then having your guitar added, well, you just do not need anything else with it. It brings me to my old hippie stomping days, or Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez...and Joan Enguita now too. Time to run off into the woods...singing a lovely melody...barefooted...hair blowing. So thanks for the good feeling of better times, innocent, loving days and gentle souls. Thanks for the goose bumps." -- Poet Reta Taylor (read her tribute poem here in Press Reviews)

“It’s not often we find an exquisite folk singer who can really write songs about life, her life, that truly move us. Joan Enguita is one of those." --Harriet Schock. songwriting teacher and Platinum Songwriter.

---------------------------------------------------------------
--Joan is working on her original musical, KITCHEN CHRONICLES, about mothers and daughters

--Full length reading of her musical adaptation of PETER IBBETSON at The Academy for New Musical Theatre, North Hollywood, CA Joan was bookwriter and co-lyricist. June 2011

--Joan's trio took First Place in Vocal Competition: Topanga Banjo & Fiddle Contest and FOLK FESTIVAL: Women on the Move Trio won with Joan's song, WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES. May 2011

--Recently performed for sold out Blue Rose Theatre in Prescott, AZ. July 2011

--Featured in a one hour performance/interview with Roz Larmann of KCRW's syndicated FolkScene show.

--One hour performance/interview with Tom May on River City Folk, nationally syndicated radio program.

--$2500 awarded as runner up in MUSIC FROM HOME singer songwriter contest sponsored by SunCal.

--SPOTLIGHT ARTIST OF THE WEEK, SONICBIDS

--SPOTLIGHT ARTIST OF THE MONTH for Los Angeles Women in Music

--BEST OF THE YEAR SHOW -2006--Radio Host Larry Wines, "Tied to the Tracks" KCSN Los Angeles, Joan appeared regularly on Tied to the Tracks while Larry Wines hosted.

--XM SATELLITE RADIO Channel 15--ONE HOUR INTERVIEW/LIVE PERFORMANCE with Tom May on River City Folk

--Honorable Mention in Billboard Songwriting Contest for ONE GOOD MAN

--Honorable Mention in Unisong Songwriting Contest for HANDS OFF THE PHONE, co-write with Tracy Newman and Mike Belloti.

--COVER GIRL! Joan appeared on the cover of the January/February 2005 FOLKWORKS MAGAZINE, available in their archive online at www.folkworks.org. She is mentioned in the "Folk Renaissance" issue of this same magazine, in the May/June 2005 issue.

--Songwriter Affiliation, BMI

Instrumentation

Joan Enguita, and acoustic electric Martin guitar.
Acoustic electric twelve string used on a few songs.
Occasionally has a back up singer.
BOOKING--661-618-0964, toll free 866-960-0600

WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE: songwriting, songwriting with children, singing performance workshop, making rain sticks, making tambourines, the flamenco strum I use...everyone wants to learn it! Hear it on "Before It's Begun", here on sonicbids!

PANELIST TOPICS: Women in music, starting your own label, songwriting, touring (U.S. and Europe experience), networking, releasing an independent CD

Discography

CD's AVAILABLE AT www.cdbaby.com/cd/joanenguita
www.cdbaby.com/cd/womenonthemove

BEAUTIFUL--Joan's latest release was recorded Nashville Tracks in L.A. It includes songs recorded by 14 indie southern California artists. CD baby is so taken with the CD that they featured it on their home page soon after its release. Read their review at the site above. They have continued to list it as Editor's Pick in Adult Contemporary/Easy Listening.

TWO SUITCASES--Joan's fully produced 2005 CD released on her independent label, RED COYOTE RECORDS. Songs may be heard here on sonicbids...just click on audio.

KISS ME AWAKE Joan's self-produced vocal/guitar album. Released in 2004.

Oasis Acoustic, Vol VI, Double CD includes Joan's song, "I Need to Hear it From You" on the first CD, Track 7. Distributed by Oasis CD manufacturing.

Her song, "Where's the Time Gone?" is featured on the True Talent Management March 2006 compilation CD. www.truetalentmgmt.com

SCHOCK FUTURES--Hollywood songwriting legend Harrriet Schock chose Joan's song TWO SUITCASES for her 2004 CD compilation of tomorrows' top songwriters.

FEMALES ON FIRE--Joan's song, HEADING FOR SHORE is included on this compilation CD released in August, 2005 by Warrior Girl Music.

--2013 will see the Red Coyote Records release of an acoustic trio album by the Women on the Move Trio.

Links

Audio

Lyrics

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

  • Tribute Poem by poet Reta Lorraine Bowen Taylor [+ Show ]

    A NEW KIND OF SONGBIRD For Joan Enguita, songbird extraordinaire Her voice is crisp and cle...

  • Coffeehousetour.com CD review [+ Show ]

    With her bags packed and ready for the next journey, Joan Enguita opens "Two Suitcases" with sudden ...

  • Western Mail, the German music magazine,CD Review [+ Show ]

    CD Review: When first listening to Joan Enguita's CD, I was already taken away by Joan's voice. T...

  • GoGirls CD Review by Annette Warner [+ Show ]

    JOAN ENGUITA "Two Suitcases" Genre: folk Reviewed by Annette Warner Songbird Joan Enguita quit...

  • Move over, Judy, Joni and...Amazon.com [+ Show ]

    Clean, soulful, lilting soprano backed by deft guitar work, engaging lyrics and artful melodies--was...

  • Joan Enguita delivers with TWO SUITCASES [+ Show ]

    Joan Enguita has put together a solid recording with TWO SUITCASES. Her beautiful falsetto voice is...

  • PRESS RELEASE [+ Show ]

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Rhonda Kelley, Rainmaker Publicity Phone: 617-889-4122 E...

  • Shoes Fit for a King or Queen--Magazine Article: Publicity--a day in the life The INSIDE CONNECTION Magazine March 2006 [+ Show ]

    In this article Joan Enguita discusses her publicity practices, her women's CD project to raise awar...

  • Smother.net [+ Show ]

    Joan Enguita's country-twang vocals can't be denied a presence regardless of the level of volume of ...

  • Just Another Independent Artist?--Amazon.com [+ Show ]

    I had no idea of the surprise that awaited me after buying this CD at one of her shows. I recall he...

Setlist

Festival Update:
Please contact her for details about panels and workshops.

Regular stage set:
Originals--Sets 45 minutes to 1 hour, ten - twelve songs, plus some fun banter with the audience. A few cover tunes...depends on the venue....folk or country Can do two 45 minutes sets also.

AMERICA: A rousing good time song!
HEADING FOR SHORE: A fast flamenco beat.
WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES: A traditional/roots/Americana song if ever there was one. Hope for better understanding between all of us.
TIME TO CRY: Taking care of the children, despite loss. Coping. A beautiful 3/4 time.
YOU FLEW: The ultimate breakup...at the airport! A celtic style, haunting ballad.
TWO SUITCASES: A proud, homeless man...what IS in those suitcases? Ballad.
BEFORE IT'S BEGUN: The romance never got started...a driving flamenco lament.
WHERE'S THE TIME GONE? Looking back over the years...fond memories. Roots/traditional style ballad.
CALIFORNIA COUNTRY TIME: A fun time, where the sun always shines!
TWENTY FEET AWAY--The man lives next door but I don't know him at all. Ballad
KISS ME AWAKE: A 3/4 beat movie soundtrack with full strings on the CD...and love found! Beautiful live even without the string section!
I NEED TO HEAR IT FROM YOU: Fast paced. Just say you love me, and here are ideas on how to say it!


New songs:
COMING HOME--One of three finalists in the Music From Home singer songwriter contest 2007
THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS--- a love song
CALIFORNIA COUNTRY TIME
ONE GOOD MAN--a country ballad
BOOTS AND PEARLS--a rousing country song co-written with Darla Cooper and Karen Hatch of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Basic Requirements


Calendar

There are no upcoming dates at this time.