Joy. Anger. Solidarity. Ida Jo's second album, Singer In the Band, finds the singer with her heart on her sleeve. She has plenty to say regarding finding happiness, life's daily battles, and her own stumbles on the path to success. Ida Jo's musical style builds on a long history of blending rock, folk and gospel music. (Think of artists like Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin and The Band.) Energetic and rhythmic, but also heartfelt and soulful. Add to that Ida Jo's lifelong background in classical violin and you can start to see the roots of her expressive and graceful style. "Singing is very emotional for me," Ida says. "It is the best way I know to be myself and let my feelings out." Drawing inspiration from singers like Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples, Ida Jo's voice is "powerful and soulful." (Emmie) On violin, Ida Jo employs a seldom heard technique that is the combination of a folk fiddle style called "chopping" and her extensive classical training. She plays the rhythm, the harmony and sometimes even the melody at the same time. What it ends up sounding like is beyond explanation and without comparison, somewhere between an acoustic guitar and an orchestra. She is one of only a handful of violinists in the world to play in the style. It has been praised as "masterful and unexpected" (Emmie Music Magazine), "inventive yet accessible," (AV Club - Madison) and "avoiding rootsy fiddle or orchestral indie clichés" (The Isthmus). Already making the rounds as a theme of the current political struggles in Madison (where Ida Jo lives) is the song No (We Won't Take It). Ida Jo dresses up the feisty and soulful tune with street-protest inspired bucket-drums and cowbells. (The song is currently available in a limited "Protest Edition" from which proceeds go to the Community Empowerment Movement, an organization that works to bring political education to small communities.) A student of violin from the age of 7, Ida Jo's life has been full of honors including the prestigious Emerson Scholarship to Interlochen Arts Center at the age of 14, and the first of several performances at the Winnipeg Folk Festival at 15. She was awarded a scholarship to study with the legendary Vartan Manoogian. In 2010 she recorded her debut album Providence. Ida Jo plays on a Jonathon Cooper violin. For more information visit www.jcooperviolinmaker.com.