Jennifer is no stranger to the spotlight or big audiences, having developed in the rich artistic culture just outside of Chicago. As a teenager, she relished performances in front of thousands singing the American & Canadian National Anthems for the Peoria Chiefs baseball team and Peoria Rivermen hockey team. She starred in musical theatre productions with many noteworthy artists including Andrew Driscoll who went on to play the leading role in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon, contemporary ballet composer, Derek Childs, and Chad Luberger who played a supporting role in the TV series “Jag.” After taking a hiatus from the musical theatre community, Jennifer began experimenting with new musical sounds. She joined a rock and roll band her first year in college and was then hooked on "popular" music. After singing backup vocals for a Grateful Dead cover band for a year, Jen picked up the guitar and began composing music to go with all of those songs and poems that had been left to gather dust in the boxes under her bed.
Jen moved to Colorado in 1998 and began a life of dedicated community service while serving with AmeriCorps in Fort Collins. While working in the backcountry of the Rocky Mountains, Jen's muse became the natural world and she began practicing patience and discipline while living in unfamiliar surroundings. The clarity provided by nature allowed for much needed self-reflection and inspiration, not to mention alot of writing. Back in town, Jen joined a band with friend, Wells Dycus, and sang regularly for almost two years before moving to Oregon to serve with a second AmeriCorps program. This time, Jen would combine her experience and passion for the environment with her desire to serve Native American communities. She worked for a year with five Tribes in the Pacific Northwest on salmon habitat restoration and river recovery projects. On the weekends, she spent her time in the national forests learning to climb trees and training in compassionate nonviolence and civil disobedience. She began exploring new avenues to put her theatrical background to good use with a performance troupe called the Theatre for Social Change. Again, the year provided her with a new perspective on life and renewed her interest and fascination with issues of justice and equality. Lessons that she carries with her to this day.
Now living in Colorado, Jennifer stands out as the up & coming acoustic musician of the Rocky Mountain Front Range. A combination of outstanding vocal work, reflective lyrics, and beautiful melodies highlighted by intricate guitar playing, have earned Jen a place on the must hear lists of folk fans and socially conscious people alike. Jennifer released her debut album, “You are Creation” in October 2005 and selections from the album are being played on the Colorado Wave, a syndicated radio program aired throughout the Mountain West and her song, "Creation" will be featured in an independent film called "the Garden." Jennifer has studied songwriting technique with some of the brightest national pop and folk artists including Lisa Loeb, Catie Curtis, Vance Gilbert, Beth Nielsen-Chapman, and Peter Mayer, as well as regional musicians Rebecca Folsom and Maggie Simpson. She is currently working on her second studio album and can be heard singing back-up on award winning Minnesota folk artist, Lisa Kane’s, fourth album “Armstrong Avenue.” Jennifer has performed at coffeehouses, clubs, and festivals up and down the Colorado Front Range for many years, moving audiences with her beautifully clear, melodic voice and passionate performance. It is not uncommon to find audience members struck silent in a room filled with Jennifer’s voice or moved to tears during a show. Jennifer enjoys this connection with her audience and is known for her unguarded sincerity. Jennifer loves to collaborate with other artists and has hosted a popular Songwriters in the Round series featuring local and nationally touring musicians at Avogadro's Number in Ft. Collins. Drawing on her natural desire to organize, she has been involved with numerous showcases, benefits, fairs and festivals including the Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Fair, Northern Colorado Holistic Arts Fair, and 2004's Rhyme for Change and Rhythm for Reason, a 2 day event featuring musicians and spoken word artists dedicated to peace. She has also played host to several benefits including Colorado NARAL's Voices 4 Choices event bringing together female musicians and artists to benefit pro-choice causes. |
