Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newson at the Sasquatch Music Festival, Washington. May 2005. Photo Shawn Anderson. 2005. Photo Stig Nygaard.
Background information
Born	January 18, 1982 (1982-01-18) (age 26) in Nevada City, California
Genre(s)	Folk, experimental, Naturalismo
Instrument(s)	harp, piano, harpsichord
Label(s)	Drag City

Joanna Newsom (born January 18, 1982) is an American harpist, pianist, harpsichordist, singer and songwriter from Nevada City, California. is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Nevada City is the county seat of Nevada County, California, USA, 166 miles (267 km) northeast of San Francisco. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Folk song redirects here. ... For experimental rock music, see experimental rock. ... Naturalismo is the more favored term for the 2000s folk movement that has also been referred to as New Weird America and Freak Folk Historical roots of the term from two separate 2006 interviews: [1] “My hero, my favorite musician, is Caetano Veloso. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making music. ... For other uses, see Harp (disambiguation). ... A short grand piano, with the lid up. ... Harpsichord in the Flemish style A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Drag City is a Chicago based independent record label. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Nevada City is the county seat of Nevada County, California, USA, 166 miles (267 km) northeast of San Francisco. ...

Career

Newsom was first taught to play the Celtic harp by a local teacher in Nevada City. Later on she moved on to the pedal harp and started composing. The harp is a stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicular to the soundboard. ... The pedal harp (also known as the concert harp) is large and technically modern harp, designed for classical music and played solo, as part of chamber ensembles, and in symphony orchestras. ...

Newsom studied composition and creative writing at Mills College, Oakland, California. Founded in 1852 and established in Oakland, California, in 1871, Mills College is an independent liberal arts womans college, with graduate programs for women and men. ... Oakland is the name of several places in the United States of America: Oakland, Alabama Oakland, California (The best-known city with this name) Oakland, Florida Oakland, Maine Oakland, Maryland Oakland, Michigan Oakland, Missouri Oakland, Nebraska Oakland, New Jersey Oakland, Oklahoma Oakland, Oregon Oakland, Pennsylvania Oakland, Rhode Island Oakland, Tennessee...

After touring with Will Oldham, she was quickly signed to Drag City and released her debut album The Milk-Eyed Mender in 2004. One song from the album, Bridges and Balloons, was covered by The Decemberists on their EP Picaresqueties. Another song from the album, Sprout and the Bean, has been covered by The Moscow Coup Attempt and Sholi. "Peach Plum Pear" has been covered in concert by Owen Pallett who performs as Final Fantasy. Shortly thereafter, Newsom toured with Devendra Banhart and Vetiver. Will Oldham, a. ... Drag City is a Chicago based independent record label. ... The Milk-Eyed Mender is the debut album by American singer-songwriter and self-described harper Joanna Newsom, released on March 23, 2004 on the Drag City label (see 2004 in music). ... The Decemberists are a five-piece indie pop band from Portland, Oregon, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy . ... EP can stand for: EP is the IATA code for Iran Aseman Airlines Extended play, a music recording (usually consisting of several tracks, but shorter than a typical album) European Parliament, the parliamentary body of the European Union Evolutionary psychology, a belief that psychology can be better understood in light... Picaresqueties is a five-track EP released by the band The Decemberists as a companion disc to the double-vinyl edition of their LP Picaresque. ... This article is considered orphaned, since there are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Final Fantasy (band) redirects here. ... Devendra Banhart (born May 30, 1981, in Houston, Texas, U.S.) is a folk rock singer-songwriter and musician. ... Vetiver is an American folk band headed by songwriter Andy Cabic and often joined by Devendra Banhart, cellist Alissa Anderson, drummer Otto Hauser, violin Carmen Biggers, guitarists Kevin Barker and Sanders Trippe, bassist Brent Dunn. ...

Newsom's work has become prominent on the indie rock scene, and her profile has risen, in part due to a number of live shows and appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC. Jimmy Kimmel Live is a late-night talk show in the United States created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast from the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American television network. ...

Her second album Ys was released in November 2006. The album features orchestrations and arrangements by Van Dyke Parks, engineering from Steve Albini, and mixing by Drag City label-mate Jim O'Rourke. On a road trip, Bill Callahan recommended she listen to the album Song Cycle by Parks, which led to his being chosen to arrange her work on Ys. Ys (IPA pronunciation: ) is the second album by Joanna Newsom. ... Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, and actor. ... Steve Albini (born July 22, 1962, Pasadena, California) is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. ... ORourke in Stockholm 2005 Jim ORourke (born 1969) is an American musician and producer. ... Bill Callahan (born approximately 1968 or 1969), also known as Smog and (Smog), is an American singer-songwriter born in Silver Spring, Maryland. ... Song Cycle is an 1968 album by Van Dyke Parks, known for its high ambition, gigantic budget (it is still reputedly the most expensive album ever made allowing for inflation), and subsequent low sales. ...

The album Ys went on to rank 3rd in Pitchfork's Top Albums of 2006, and "Emily" the first track on the album was listed 9th on the website's Top Tracks of 2006. As well as this, the album scored 'perfect' reviews with The Guardian, The Observer, The Times, Uncut magazine and PopMatters.com, all of whom gave the album either a 5/5 or 10/10 review. Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. ...

During her 2007 fall tour, Newsom began performing a new as yet untitled 7-and-a-half-minute song. In January 2008, Newsom debuted another new composition in Sydney, Australia. Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

Collaborations

Alongside her solo material she has played on records by Smog, Vetiver, Nervous Cop, The Year Zero, Vashti Bunyan, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Golden Shoulders and played keyboards for The Pleased. Smog, at one point briefly renamed (Smog), is the musical alias of Bill Callahan, born in Silver Spring, Maryland. ... Vetiver is an American folk band headed by songwriter Andy Cabic and often joined by Devendra Banhart, cellist Alissa Anderson, drummer Otto Hauser, violin Carmen Biggers, guitarists Kevin Barker and Sanders Trippe, bassist Brent Dunn. ... Vashti Bunyan (born 1945) is an English singer-songwriter. ... Sydney Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Sydney Symphony, is a symphony orchestra based in Sydney, Australia. ... The information in this article comes from the last. ...

Style

Although her harp playing is not completely divorced from conventional harp techniques, she considers her style distinct from that of classically focused harpists. She has been strongly influenced by the polymetric style of playing used by West African kora players.^[1] Her harp teacher, Diana Stork, taught her the basic pattern of four beats against three, which creates an interlocking, shifting pattern that can be heard on Ys, particularly in the middle section of "Sawdust & Diamonds". Polyrhythm is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms. ... The kora is a 21-string harp-lute used extensively by peoples in West Africa. ... Ys (IPA pronunciation: ) is the second album by Joanna Newsom. ...

The media have labeled her as one of the most prominent members of the modern psych folk movement, although she does not acknowledge ties to any particular musical scene.^[2] Her songwriting incorporates elements of Appalachian music, avant-garde modernism, and African kora rhythms. Psychedelic folk or Psych folk is a music genre that originated in the 1960s through the blending of folk music, Indie folk and psychedelic rock or pop. ... West Virginia fiddler Edden Hammons, accompanied by his son James on the banjo Old-time music is a form of North American folk music, with roots in the folk musics of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and Africa. ...

Newsom's vocal style is unconventional (in the November 2006 issue of The Wire she described her voice as "untrainable"), with shadings of folk and Appalachian shaped-note timbres. Newsom has, however, expressed disappointment at comments that her singing is "child-like".^[3] The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine. ...

Personal life

Newsom's family includes her brother Pete, a fellow musician, and sister Emily, an astrophysicist who inspired her song "Emily" (and contributed backing vocals).^[4] She is also the 2nd cousin (once removed) of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.^[5] She has been linked romantically to Andy Samberg of SNL fame ^[6]. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, California and a member of the Democratic Party. ... Andy Samberg (born August 18, 1978) is an Emmy-winning American stand-up comic, songwriter, and member of comedy group The Lonely Island. ... SNL redirects here. ...

Discography

Albums

• The Milk-Eyed Mender (Drag City, 2004)
• Ys (Drag City, 2006)

Early unofficial recordings

• Walnut Whales (self-released, 2002)
• Yarn and Glue (self-released, 2003)

EPs

• Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band (Drag City, 2007)

Singles

• "Sprout and the Bean" (Drag City, 2004)

Contributions on compilations

• The Golden Apples of the Sun (Bastet, 2004) With the song "Bridges and Balloons" (Originally released on The Milk-Eyed Mender)

Bands, Collaborations and Guest Appearances

• Golden Shoulders - Let My Burden Be (Doppler, 2002)
• The Pleased - One Piece From The Middle (self-released, 2002)
• The Pleased - Don't Make Things (Big Wheel Recreation, 2003)
• Nervous Cop - Nervous Cop (5 Rue Christine, 2003)
• Vetiver - Vetiver (Dicristina Stair, 2004)
• Smog - A River Ain't Too Much To Love (Drag City, 2005)
• Vashti Bunyan - Lookaftering (Fat Cat Records, 2005)
• RF & Lili De La Mora - 'Eleven Continents' (Rowing At Sea / Time Release Records, 2007)

The Milk-Eyed Mender is the debut album by American singer-songwriter and self-described harper Joanna Newsom, released on March 23, 2004 on the Drag City label (see 2004 in music). ... Drag City is a Chicago based independent record label. ... Ys (IPA pronunciation: ) is the second album by Joanna Newsom. ... Drag City is a Chicago based independent record label. ... Walnut Whales is the self-distributed debut EP by Joanna Newsom. ... Yarn and Glue is the self-distributed second EP by Joanna Newsom. ... Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band is an EP by Joanna Newsom, first released on April 9, 2007 by the Drag City. ... Drag City is a Chicago based independent record label. ... Sprout and the Bean is a single by Joanna Newsom. ... Drag City is a Chicago based independent record label. ... The Golden Apples of the Sun was a limited edition compilation of contemporary folk music curated by freak-folk musician Devendra Banhart for the art magazine Arthur Magazine. ... In Egyptian mythology, Bastet was a solar deity and a goddess of fertility and protector of pregnant women. ... The Milk-Eyed Mender is the debut album by American singer-songwriter and self-described harper Joanna Newsom, released on March 23, 2004 on the Drag City label (see 2004 in music). ... The information in this article comes from the last. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Boston Based Record Label started by Rama Mayo in the early 90s. ... 5 Rue Christine (also known as 5RC) is an Olympia, Washington based independent record label, formed as a spin off from the Kill Rock Stars label in 1997. ... Vetiver is an American folk band headed by songwriter Andy Cabic and often joined by Devendra Banhart, cellist Alissa Anderson, drummer Otto Hauser, violin Carmen Biggers, guitarists Kevin Barker and Sanders Trippe, bassist Brent Dunn. ... Vetiver is an album by Vetiver, released in 2004 on DiCristina. ... Smog, at one point briefly renamed (Smog), is the musical alias of Bill Callahan, born in Silver Spring, Maryland. ... A River Aint Too Much to Love is Smogs eleventh album, released in 2005. ... Drag City is a Chicago based independent record label. ... Vashti Bunyan (born 1945) is an English singer-songwriter. ... Lookaftering is the second album by Vashti Bunyan, the much delayed follow-up to 1970s Just Another Diamond Day, released in 2005. ... Fat Cat Records is a record label. ...

Licensing of songs

• In 2004, her song "This Side of the Blue" was used on a British television commercial for Orange SA.
• In 2006, Newsom's song "Sprout and the Bean" was featured in a Melbourne tourism commercial.
• In 2007, "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie" was sung by an aspiring musician in the film Great World of Sound.
• In 2008, "Sprout and the Bean" will be in the upcoming film The Strangers.

Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Milk-Eyed Mender is the debut album by American singer-songwriter and self-described harper Joanna Newsom, released on March 23, 2004 on the Drag City label (see 2004 in music). ... Orange SA IPA: is a mobile network operator and an internet service provider that is a subsidiary of France Télécom. ... Sprout and the Bean is a single by Joanna Newsom. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... Sprout and the Bean is a single by Joanna Newsom. ... The Strangers is a 2007 horror thriller from Rogue Pictures. ...

References

Interviews

• SFburning (May 2003)
• Tiny Mix Tapes (September 2004)
• The Wire (January 2005)
• KCRW (February 2005)
• Under The Radar (October 2006)
• The Guardian (October 15, 2006)
• The Wire (November 2006)
• Pitchfork (November 20, 2006)
• Arthur Magazine (Winter 2006)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Joanna Newsom

• Official page - Discography, music video and tour dates.
• Drag City Records
• Press information from Drag City