Joan Cartwright has performed on five continents, in 16 countries and has tried to quit singing three times to no avail.  In 1995, she was featured at the fundraiser for the new Music School at Oxford University, where she performed for guests of the Duke of Marlborough and the Duchess of Kent at Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, England.  She said, “This was my most memorable concert because the Duke actually sang I Get A Kick Out of You with me!” 

She sang for one of the seven presidents of Switzerland and toured the Spaghetti Factories.  She performed at the off-Montreux Festival with Daniel Thentz, Montreux Palace in Harry’s New York Bar, Lausanne Festival du Cité, Select Festival in Freiburg, Marian’s Jazz Room and the Solothurn Festival.  In Florida, Joan performed at O’Hara’s for three years, Ellington’s in Hollywood, Sushi Blues, Ellington’s Jazz Bar & Restaurant on Sanibel Island and Jazzid on Miami Beach.  In New York, she was booked at the Blue Note and at the “Jazz Church” - St. Peter’s Lutheran Church for the International Women in Jazz Festival.

Joan began singing at the tender age of four, in Jamaica, New York, at Bernice Johnson Dancing Studio.  She performed songs from the American Song Book, while dancing in numerous routines for hundreds of people.  She became addicted to the footlights and has been on stage ever since.

Her debut recording was co-produced by Sicilian pianist Giovanni Mazzarino, in 1995.  The quintet with Cartwright, Mazzarino, Nello Toscano on bass, Mimmo Cafiero on drums and Oracio Maugeri on saxophone, was recorded in Catania, Sicily, and the CD was released on Torino Records, in Milan, Italy.  The group toured all of Italy, promoting the CD.  When Torino Records went out of business, Joan reproduced the CD in Florida, on her own label I AM Records, owned by her publishing company FYI Communications, Inc. (ASCAP).  This project features her originals: No Love, Loneliblue, Dreamin’ and (I Don’t Want) Nobody’s Husband.

Joan’s sophomore release, in 2005, includes three songs recorded with famed organist Dr. Lonnie Smith on keyboards, the late Bill Peeples on drums, Phil McArthur on bass and Bobby Tynes on tenor sax.  This CD has eight originals.  It’s entitled In Pursuit of a Melody, also the title of her memoir published in 2006, by Trafford Publishing in Victoria, Canada.  The book contains 35 poems, 40 songs and 350 photos of Joan’s family and musical friends, including Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter.

More than a singer, Joan is a musical entrepreneur, whose original music has been recorded by jazz legends Freddie Hubbard (Sweet Return: 1983, Atlantic Records) and songstress Sandy Patton (Loneliblue).  Joan is an author of three books of poetry and three books that teach children about music performance, history - particularly the stories of women in jazz and blues, and the business of music.  Since 1997, Joan has presented Amazing Musicwomen to over 8,000 children in Florida, Georgia, New York, China and Japan.  In February, 2010, she was featured at the Blues on the Green Concert of the American Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica, with the Maurice Gordon Trio.  She visited two primary schools and shared her books with the students, there.