Biography

Joni Thompson grew up in southern California. At a young age she studied Hawaiian music and dance, while performing in Ventura, CA with the \"Happy Haole Dancers\". She attended Bakersfield College, where she studied guitar, piano, voice and African Drumming with Dr. Ron Kean.

She traveled north to earn a BA of music at Humboldt State University in 2000. She studied piano, guitar, voice and percussion. She performed with Mariachi de Humboldt, Pan Techtonics (steel drum band), Humboldt State Percussion Ensemble, Cordao de Ouro (Capoeira group), Humboldt State Samba Band, and Mad River Transit Singers. She also performed original music locally.

Joni studied Capoeira (Brazilian martial art/dance) in California and Brazil. While living in Brazil she also formed the band, \"Hobo Soul\" (Soul Fusion), and participated in a Carnaval parade.

New Orleans was the next stop. She began studying with N.O.madic Tribal Belly Dance group. She also began drumming with Zabumba! (Samba & dance group). She performed world folk music regularly at the Neutral Ground Coffee House. She also attended Loyola University where she recorded her solo album, \"Leaps & Bounds\", and graduated with a MA in music therapy (post-Katrina).

Joni currently lives in Northampton, MA where she is collaborating on a second album with Moussa Sembene. She is also a board-certified music therapist and music educator.