Jen

Jen was born into a musical family. At 4 years old, she began finding little melodies on her multi-colored xylophone. At 8 she was writing songs on piano and guitar, and singing all kinds of music from sacred to secular. From 7th – 12th grade, Jen played violin and was active in her school orchestra and string ensemble.

Jen was gigging by the time she was 15 years old with jazz trios and big bands. She studied choral, classical & jazz singing, as well as the Meisner Technique of Acting in college and with private teachers. Highlights in her professional training years include: being accompanied by Diane Schuur (while doing an impression of Diane) singing, “Caught a Touch of Your Love” in a Master Vocal Workshop at Mills College, and getting a handful of private lessons from Vicki Randle (vocalist/percussionist on the Jay Leno Show for 20 years).

Jen has sung on numerous corporate ads (including Levi-Strauss, Taco Bell & Mr. Pizza Man), film scores (SpyKids, Hell Boy, Da Vinci Code) and various studio projects around the SF Bay Area. Jen has performed, recorded and toured with her original songs. Her song, “Blessed One” was featured on a star-studded CD for The MIllion Mom March along with Emmylou Harris, Melissa Ethridge and Marion Wright-Edelman to raise awareness on gun control and stopping gun violence. Her song, “Freedom to Live in Harmony” charted in Adult Contemporary Radio and was featured in the FMQB (Radio Trade Magazine).

After an 8 year hiatus from performing and teaching, Jen joyfully makes her “return debut” at Art & Soul.