Jo Elms
Full Bio
Jo was born in the U.K and raised in New Zealand where she graduated with an A-grade Diploma in Jazz Performance from the Christchurch Polytechnic School of Jazz and in the same year was presented with the Jazz Soloist of the South Island Award. Her first single Closest Thing to Heaven, was released through Warner Bros Music New Zealand, and went to number 5 on the NZ pop charts but now Australia is very excited to claim her.
She's won awards for her original compositions in the 25th Australian National Songwriting Contest and twice in the Musicoz awards and has given electric performances at The Manly International Jazz Festival, The Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival, The Norfolk Island Jazz Festival, The New Zealand International Jazz and Blues Festival and the Java Jazz Festival held in Jakarta Indonesia alongside Chaka Khan, Jamie Cullum and Level 42.
In addition to touring with the Elvis to the Max Show, starring Max Pellicano, Jo was also part of the Taronga Zoo Twilight Series Concerts for 3 years as part of The Doobies, Eagles & West Coast Rock Show featuring Barry Leef, Rick Price & Glenn Shorrick. More recently she’s guested with the hit shows ‘Hotel California’- a tribute to The Eagles, ‘Rumours’ - A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac and ‘The First Ladies of Soul show’.
Other credits include a lead role in The Official Tribute to the Blues Brothers, a featured role in the hit TV series Hercules, and singing backing vocals for high calibre artists such as Rick Price, Glenn Shorrock, Tina Arena, Mark Williams, Margaret Urlich, Julie Anthony, Steve Clisby, Amanda Easton and triple Blues artist award winner Liza Ohlback.
Jo has hosted her own shows at Sydney's top live music venues such as The Basement, Lizottes, The Vanguard, Blue Beat and Notes Live and some of her corporate Clients have included Telstra Corporation, P&O, IMG, St George Bank and NSW Government to name but a few.
Her performances have seen her grace international stages; The Claridges Hotel in London with Dame Edna Everage, London's legendary live music venue The Bedford, The Regal Room-London, with London power-show ‘The Battle of the Divas’, and as part of the London show case for Australian talent based in the U.K 'Sunday At The Apartment' along side Australian star Tim Minchin. In New York, she performed at the city’s famous venue 'Arlene’s Grocery' with a star-studded band featuring Ben Butler on guitar (George Michael) and Matt Beck on Piano (Matchbox Twenty).