artists
Jo-Anne Cox
Musician, composer and writer
Bio
I play and write for electric cello. My inspirations are anything from people suggesting a theme, processing my own life experiences through cello and responding to other artists, story telling, poetry, spoken word, art and mark making.
I like to write and record my own compositions and respond creatively with cello to live art poems, spoken word and stories. I enjoy opening up Electric Cello to a wider audience by working with vibrotactile technology, interactive creative technology, sensory engagement, creative use of BSL and captioning.
Artist Statement
My work is for anyone who loves moody, atmospheric trippy electric cello and anyone who likes responding to this creatively. I try to make my work as accessible as possible, subject to my own access issues and how much professional and financial support is available.
Why MW is important
Magical Women’s Communication cards project are very important to me because most of the time I cannot describe my communications needs or make the space to do so.
Jo-anne Cox is a creative contemporary cellist. As well as performing solo, she collaborates with musicians, singer songwriters, spoken word artists, visual artists and film makers. She is a composer of seriously sensuous work, who loves cross-artform collaboration and audience interactive performance.
The Dragon Cello and I write and perform our own unique compositions, or “cello songs” wild, passionate, rebellious, dark, haunting, deeply moving, hopeful, joyous, the Dragon cello sings soars, whines, cries out, dances, utters, splutters, roars, across looped textures, bass and rhythms.
Cox performed Journey to the Stars (2020) with Elinor Rowlands, on the MW platform, an online concert to worldwide audiences where they both created live music, song and text alongside painting and artmaking. Cox has also participated and contributed to the designing of Communication Cards in the Magical Women’s Communication Cards (2021) workshop.
Collaborating with Elinor on other projects, notably Arts Council funded Biodivergent Sites and Sounds, Cox says:
“Representing the darkest depths of the canal through creative exploration with my cello and FX unit. Improvising and journeying with Elinor and Dee and experiencing moments in the flow where it all came together as one, without those moments being planned. Being part of a music and digital experience that all stems from a real living canal. Seeing the stunning digital work by Elinor in collaboration with Charles. Experiencing the power of an autistic led project that was not controlled by a “helping” organisation and seeing how this removed barriers.”