Venessa Joseph was born in New Orleans and her musical gifts became apparent at an early age. Venessa began singing at the tender age of 7 yrs old with New Orleans R&B Legend Tommy Ridgely. Her love of music led her to sing with many local bands at 13 at many favored establishments with the aid of her Mother who would allow this without Dad’s permission. These little outings led to her receive her first paid gigs leaving her with the desire to further pursue the stage.
Some of her first paying gigs as a teenager took place singing at St. Augustine High School and singing a duet with the soulful Teddy Pendergrass at New Orleans premier performance theater, The Saenger Theatre. Venessa has also been on stage with New Orleans’s musicians like Anders Osborne, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, George Porter Jr., Charmaine Neville, and Dr. John as well as with her own band “Fleur de V”. Williams. She has three Grammy credits, has recorded with various musicians and has performed at Jazz Fest for 15 years.
VeeJay is what she calls herself these days.
Venessa is married to New Orleans own Sousaphone player Kirk Joseph of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Venessa is the current president of New Orleans Women in Music and the owner Of Cajun Moon Catering and Realtor at Dorian Bennett Sotheby’s International Realty and she is on the executive board of The famous New Orleans “Dew Drop Inn’s” Purple Dog Foundation and radio host for WWOZ Radio.
Keep watching for her first CD project…It’s gonna be an awesome thing.
www.veejaymusic.com
Her vivacious attitude and vocal talent has allowed her to be onstage with local, national and international acts one such group being Cyril Neville and Tribe 13 performing live in Japan helping to disperse the unique New Orleans funky sound. Her affiliations with many of New Orleans music celebrities and life in the music world led her to join NOWIM (New Orleans Women in Music)in 2009. Venessa’s dedication to the organization resulted in her being voted in as Secretary of NOWIM in 2011 and since 2012 she has been and was reelected as the President of the group.
However, being a woman with many varied interests and talents, Venessa also likes to focus her attention on her other passion, Cooking. She is the owner of Cajun Moon Catering, a New Orleans catering company specializing in local favorites earning her the title of “Fried Chicken Mistress of the Crescent City”. Wearing one of her many hats as an entertainer, entrepreneuring chef or community leader keeps Venessa always busy and looking ahead to many exciting projects.
She has scored big by giving/hosting a series of benefit concerts for the revitalization of the venue.