JoFoKe

It is rare to find a vocal artist who can maneuver between genres while maintaining a genuine authenticity of each and the integrity of her own voice. Spanning from classical to gospel to jazz through to rock, blues, pop, funk and soul, JoFoKe (bka Joslyn Ford-Keel) is such a vocalist who does this with ease. Fabled to have been born with microphone in-hand on a snowy Denver evening, she was raised engrossed in performing and worship artistry by her classically trained, jazz pianist father, choir director mother and all around artsy blended family. This eclectic artist grew up active in music, theater and dance but, perhaps the greatest impressions were left when she was given a chance to “sit-in” with her family and friends’ bands, vocal groups and orchestras. JoFoKe (pronounced: Joh-Foh-Kee) emerged on the professional Colorado music scene as a teen and, because of her sophisticated musical ear, attention to detail, and ability to effectively adapt her sound to most styles of music, she was quickly dubbed a “chameleon”. Having spent nearly 20 years as a session vocalist, artists consultant, clinician and in other support capacities within the music industry, JoFoKe is currently a highly sought after singer, songwriter, arranger and vocal producer. Not your average pop girl, JoFoKe earned her Bachelors of Arts degree in Music from Historically Black Ivy League college, Fisk University. Fisk, the “Harvard of the South”, is in Nashville, TN; Music City, USA. JoFoKe’s diverse musical upbringing and education afforded her the chance observe, study and perform a large range of artistic techniques including the priceless treasures of Negro spirituals. A former member of the legendary Fisk Jubilee Singers™, JoFoKe renders a unique, youthful artistry infused with spoken word, elements of her “old soul” and the many genres of music to which she has been privileged. As a songwriter, JoFoKe draws from her faith, experiences, observations and her education. As a result, her compositions and arrangements are an eclectic art form of their own. She calls her musical blend of storytelling “Life Music”, a term that has become popular among style-resistant music makers. “I just sing and write about what I do, see, feel or what I want to do, see and feel…” This realness is a strong part of JoFoKe’s appeal and is why she has materialized into an artist to watch. JoFoKe’s passionate delivery, personal testimonies, poetic styling and magnetic energy produce a distinct and refreshing experience for all “within reach”. Transcending music genre lines with a style all her own, it is JoFoKe’s time to step up from the background to emerge as the front woman she was born to be. We’ll close with her words, “Now, watch me work…!”