Jojo Draven is an Indonesian-born American musician and film score composer. She is a cast member of the Blue Man Group.[1] She has worked as sole touring musician with illusionist Criss Angel. She was also the guitarist for the Shrapnel Records/Geffen Records recording artist all-female heavy metal band Phantom Blue and was the co-founder and original member of the all-female tribute bandThe Iron Maidens.
Biography
Born in Java, Indonesia, Jojo Draven started her music career as a keyboardist for several rock bands in the country. She learned to play guitar in her last year of Senior High School, after being told that she was too old to start learning a new instrument. Shortly afterward, she joined an all-female rock band as the guitarist and main songwriter and found some success touring and recording with the band before relocating to the U.S. where she studied at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. There, she became the protégé of Alex Skolnick, guitarist of the heavy metal band Testament.[2]
In 1996, Draven joined the all-female band Phantom Blue as their main guitarist. She remained with the band until its demise in late 2001. On June of that same year, she and drummer Linda McDonald joined vocalist Jenny Warren, bassist Melanie Sisneros and guitarist Sara Marsh (formerly of Bandit) to form the tribute bandThe Iron Maidens ("World's Only Female Tribute to Iron Maiden"). Her stage name in the Maidens was "Adrianne Smith," a female version of Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith. Draven's tenure in both Phantom Blue and the Maidens earned her three Los Angeles Rock City Awards for Best Female Guitarist.
Shortly after the release of the band's self-titled debut album in 2005, Draven left the Maidens to pursue a career in composing film scores – many of which have been produced and/or directed by her husband, Danny Draven.
She was featured in the album Warmth in the Wilderness, a tribute album to pay homage to Jason Becker, appearing in the album alongside Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert and Vinnie Moore.
In 2001, she recorded "Baby's on Fire" featuring Ralph Saenz (lead singer for Steel Panther) on vocals, Ray Luzier (drummer for Korn and David Lee Roth Band) on drums, Tip Petersen on bass, and Jojo Draven on guitar.
In April 2011, through an audition process Draven was hired as guitarist for the Blue Man Group in Las Vegas, Nevada, beating many other male candidates.[1]
In March 2015, illusionist Criss Angel came to a Blue Man Group show and upon seeing Draven on stage told her that he wanted her to play for his touring show. [3] By April 2015, he hired Draven and she went on a residency tour with his Supernaturalists show.
Career as score composer
In 2001, Draven composed her first film score for the motion picture Hell Asylum.[4] Since then, she has gone to score other independent films such as Patient Seven starring Hollywood's favorite bad guy Michael Ironside.
In 2016, she joined other accomplished female composers in a Los Angeles showcase honoring long-time composer Deborah Lurie, in which Hollywood director Joss Whedon was in attendance and promoted the ladies.
In 2018, she signed a four-picture deal with Candybar Entertainment, a family entertainment production company, breaking her away from the horror genre.
