Welcome

About

Janice Jo Lee (she/they) is a multi-disciplinary queer folk artist born and based in Toronto, Canada. She is a second-generation Canadian settler, and 27th generation Korean. She built her early career living in Kitchener-Waterloo and regularly tours across Canada solo and with her band. As a professional educator, she has facilitated arts and anti-oppression workshops for 14 years.

Currently she is producing a weekly theatre workshop series called Play Play at Sweet Action Theatre, and teaching theatre through the Mikw Chiyâm program in the Eeyou Istchee (Cree Nation) community of Chisasibi.

Contact Janice for in-person or virtual performance/workshop inquiries. She loves to collaborate and design projects together.

MUSIC: Singer, songwriter, band leader, composer, sound designer
POETRY: Poet and spoken word artist
THEATRE: Sound Designer, Composer, Physical Theatre Actor, Writer, Clown, Bouffon
EDUCATOR: Arts and Anti-Oppression

coming up

seatbelts everyone tour 2023

janice jo lee trio goes to the prairies and bc

OCT 6 - SWEET ACTION THEATRE, TORONTO, ON 

NOV 4 - WITH ERIC JACKSON, WILLOW RIVER CENTRE, KITCHENER, ON

NOV 6 - U OF REGINA, FACULTY OF MUSIC, SK

NOV 7 - U OF REGINA, WOMEN AND GENDER STUDIES, SK

NOV 8 - REGINA WORD UP, SK

NOV 9 - FOUND BOOKS, COCHRANE, AB 

NOV 10 - OPENING FOR MATTHEW BYRNE, CALGARY FOLK CLUB, AB

NOV 12 - WITH KAI CHENG THOM, JOHNNY TRINH, VIVACE, VANCOUVER, BC

NOV 13 - COWICHAN FOLK GUILD, DUNCAN, BC

NOV 14 - NANAIMO, BC

NOV 16 - WITH RICHARD GARVEY, SALT SPRING ISLAND, BC

NOV 17 - HOPE BAY STUDIO, PENDER ISLAND, BC

NOV 18 - SOOKE FOLK NIGHT, BC

NOV 19 - WITH ZOUBI AND SARA ROSE, VICTORIA, BC 

NOV 21 - CLOWN WORKSHOP, VICTORIA, BC


 

buy ancestor song directly from the artist here

Ancestor Song

Janice Jo Lee

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Ancestor Song

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Ancestor Song (2023) Worldwide Release Date Nov 1, 2023. 13 Song CD hard copy in a cardboard foldover sleeve. Contains pull out poster. Music and Lyrics composed by Janice Jo Lee. Produced and arranged by JoJo Worthington and Janice Jo Lee. Recorded, Edited and Mixed by JoJo Worthington. Recorded at Union Sound, Hotel2Tango, and Studio Sing Hey.

Ancestor Song (2023) Worldwide Release Date Nov 1, 2023. 13 Song CD hard copy in a cardboard foldover sleeve. Contains pull out poster. Music and Lyrics composed by Janice Jo Lee. Produced and arranged by JoJo Worthington and Janice Jo Lee. Recorded, Edited and Mixed by JoJo Worthington. Recorded at Union Sound, Hotel2Tango, and Studio Sing Hey. Mastered by Sage Kim. Cover Photography by Bangishimo. Inside Photography by Frankie La Fay. Insert Photography by Bangishimo and Hannah Love Yoon. Album Art Design by Eric Chengyang. Copyright Sing Hey Arts Publishing SOCAN 2023.

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Street Release: May 1, 2023
Folk Radio and Worldwide Release: Nov 3, 2023
Janice Jo Lee powerfully demonstrates her distinct folk-jazz sound: rousing melodies, poetically-rich lyrics wrapped in layered harmony.

“The music blooms and is deeply captivating in every way.” -Heather Majaury, Playwright


“Janice is a confident performer who wears her politics on her sleeve, often coupled with humour. We could really use more overt politics in folk music these days given the times we live in, so Janice is a breath of fresh air.” -Heather Kitching, Roots Music Canada


Drawing inspiration from her island-dwelling family roots in South Korea, Janice Jo Lee explains the
inspiration for ANCESTOR SONG. “The melodies on this album access a musical spirit deep in my blood
memory, which I feel have been passed down to me by my ancestors, who gave me the voice in my chest
and my body as an instrument.” Lee’s songs are "folk in tradition, concerned with contemporary issues of the people and land, and supported by expansive jazz harmonies, with many songs depicting water as a force of healing, power, drowning and destruction."


In the studio, Lee says for the first time she felt safe and supported by her producer, avant-folk-rock artist from Kitchener-Waterloo, JoJo Worthington. “JoJo is an incredible sound engineer and musician with an ear for sonics that’s beyond my frequency. With JoJo in the control room, we were able to actualize my musical dreams without compromise and I couldn’t be more proud of this record. We captured the Janice Jo Lee sound and I’ve been telling everyone it’s the best thing I’ve ever made.”

Sing Hey

Janice Jo Lee

These are survival songs. Affirmations of sadness, celebrations of love, songs to sing to get free.
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