The tour culminated with a four days in Milano where Joan visited the famous cathedral, Il Duomo, and Museo Bagatti Valsecchi, an obscure but fascinating museum across from the fabulous 5-star luxury hotel, Four Seasons.

In a piazza, she met jazz harmonica player Bruno de Filippo quite by chance at a concert by Italian jazz singer Francesca Olivieri, honoring The Duke and hosted by the Italian Jazz School, directed by Enrico Intra with whom Joan performed in 1995 in Enna, Sicily. After visiting a music store where Bruno purchased his CD, YOU MY LOVE, as a gift for Joan, he took her to the Jazz School where she saw another old friend, veteran guitarist Maestro Franco Cerri.

* * * * * * * * * *

After a 2-year hiatus,
the epitome of this tour
is a CD recorded in 1996
and released in 1999 on
Philology entitled
ITALIAN BALLADEUR

* * * * * * * * * *

Joan sings
IN A MELLOW TONE
and
HONEYSUCKLE ROSE

* * * * * * * * * *

The CD features
Giovanni Mazzarino on piano
Nello Toscano on bass
Enzo Zirilli on drums.

Joan will tour Sicily
in August and
Northern Italy
in December 1999
through January 2000.

Before returning to Italy, Joan will be the guest of the Alex Haley Mosque and School, in Juffreh, Gambia, as a reporter for AFRICAN AMERICAN TRAVEL MAGAZINE. Publisher GLENDA McQUEEN and Joan will visit Ghana and The Gambia for the 4th Roots Festival from June 19-29.

From September 27 through December 3, Joan will teach two courses at Broward Community College, in Davie, Florida:

1. THE HISTORY OF JAZZ AND BLUES
2. WRITE YOUR LIFE STORY