Melinda Joy / M.J. Baby & The Last Word

Sensual. Intuitive. Intellectual. Spiritual. Melinda Joy Rothouse is a singer-songwriter/bass player whose songs interweave poetic lyrics (many originally written as stand-alone poems) with bass and melody lines that draw from a variety of genres. Born in D.C., she grew up in the Midwest and has lived in New York City, San Francisco, North Carolina, Philadelphia, and New Orleans before migrating to Austin after Katrina. Currently performing as a solo artist, she also collaborates with Hannah Williams and Tanya Winch in Austin.Discography: "Unbound" (2004) with her band, M.J. Baby & The Last Word. GoGirlsMusic.com calls the CD "a must-have for every blues/rock fan," saying "M.J. Baby & The Last Word pour their heart and soul into every song," while music journalist Kristi Singer observes "M.J. Baby & The Last Word brings soulful roots-rock with more jazz appeal than most 'rock' bands today can truthfully dish out." Fans at CD Baby describe M.J.'s voice as "haunting" and give the album high praise for "great work done with the highest production values.""Unbound" features Melinda Joy on vocals/bass guitar, Matthew DeOrazio on guitar/drums/harmonium, Eddie Ecker on drums/piano, and David Loayza on percussion. The CD traverses a wide emotional range, from the uncanny “Insomnia,” slow blues “Cold Town,” and introspective “The Grand Scheme” to hard-edged grooves like “Shades of Brown” and “Never Go Back.” Many of the songs describe a kind of wanderlust: being on the road, observing the terrain that’s passing by. It’s also about breaking out, cutting loose from the past and beginning anew. Unbound was recorded and mixed in New Orleans at Word of Mouth studio with renowned engineer/producer Tim Stambaugh. Unbound is widely available online and at New Orleans and Austin-area record stores.Performance Highlights: 2007 Hyperactive Music Festival, Albuquerque, NM / 2007 Folk Alliance Conference (GoGirls Showcase), Memphis, TN / 2007 GoGirls @ SXSW, Austin, TX / 2006 Cutting Edge Music Conference Showcase, New Orleans, LA /I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)