Featured Artist ~ April
2006
 Jan
Seides
Bio
Singer/songwriter Jan Seides's songs combines down-home honesty with
up-town sophistication. Jan has an eclectic writing and performing style:
folk to pop to jazz. Her unique musical background includes a degree from
University of Texas, School of Music. There she studied piano and composition,
exploring folk, classical, jazz, pop, rock and country.
Jan Seides (pronounced Sigh-deez) has won major awards in regional to
national songwriting competitions. They include The Great American Song
Contest, Mountain Stage NewSong Contest, Kerrville New Folk, (regional
NewFolk winner), Metro Detroit Songwriting Contest and the Mid-Atlantic
Song Contest. In 2005, Jan was a finalist in the KRCL Founders Festival
Songwriting competition in Utah. She also a Judge's Award winner at MOVA
(Mountain Valley Arts Council) Festival Songwriting Competition, and,
most recently, was awarded First Prize at both the Dallas Songwriters
Association Competition and the Austin Songwriters Group Competition.
Her name most currently appears with the Finalists of the South Florida
Folk Festival Songwriters Competition.
In 1992, Jan Seides released her first solo album, "Slowly but
Surely". "Slowly but Surely" received radio play on national
and international radio. "Everyday People", Jan Seides latest
recording, was released by Panda Productions in 2002. This CD has garnered
glowing reviews, frequent radio airplay and has claimed songwriting awards.
Jan has played at these prestigious venues among others: The Bitter End
in New York City, The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, TN, The Cowgirl Hall
of Fame in Santa Fe, NM, Artz Rib House in Austin, TX, Chicago House in
Austin, TX, The Gingko Tree in St Paul, MN, Café Stella Blue in
Melbourne, FL and the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, CA. Jan has
opened for Buddy Mondlock and shared the stage with Jeff Talmadge, The
Therapy Sisters, Albert & Gage, David Llewellyn, and Tim Grimm.
Jan Seides is currently in the studio, recording her newest project.
Jan is an accomplished music teacher for guitar, piano and voice.
Interview
How old were you when you started writing songs and how many years have
you been writing and performing?
Although I started singing when I was 3, playing piano at 4 and wrote
poetry from elementary school on, I didn’t start writing songs until
my twenties. I had been using my “perfect pitch” to help songwriters
get their songs in visual form (which used to be a requirement for getting
them copyrighted). It was like going to “Songwriting 101”.
By the time I realized I could write songs, I knew a lot about what worked
and what didn’t.
Who were your major influences with your music?
Most of my clients were Austin songwriters like Michael Murphy, Steve
Fromholtz and Jerry Jeff Walker – names that may or may not be familiar
to you – and I can’t claim not to have been influenced by
them. But my major influences were people that I heard while living in
New York City: Carole King, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkle,
Buffy Ste. Marie. On the other hand, my mother loved musicals, and played
her record collection the whole time I was growing up, along with 40s
and 50s crooners like Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kitt, Patti Page, Tony Bennett.
Consequently, I was heavily influenced by writers like Rodgers & Hammerstein,
Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Harold Arlens. An odd mix, I know.
How would you describe your music?
I’m frequently told that I sound like Judy Collins and was once
compared to Tori Amos, but most people tell me I should write a musical.
(I think so too!) I describe myself as Joni Mitchell and Nanci Griffith
meet on Broadway.
How many CD projects have you finished and are you working on or have
any future project in the works?
I’ve finished two Cds that are available on my website (www.janseides.com)
and we’re wrapping up the third one as I write. Just one more song
to finish, mastering and packaging to do and I’ll send a new child
into the world. And the next one’s already ready to begin recording…..
What special honors or awards have you received over the years in your
music career?
I’ve won some very flattering awards, beginning with Second Place
in the Austin Music Umbrella competition (which my friend Emily Kaitz
describes as being “catapulted into anonymity”). Over time,
my songs have earned two Honor Awards in the Great American Songwriting
Awards, and I’ve been a finalist and/or prizewinner in a variety
of competitions nationwide. Most recently, I won First Prize in both the
Dallas Songwriters and Austin Songwriters competition, within a week of
one another.
What is your favorite venue to perform live and why?
I’ve had the privilege of playing a number of wonderful venues
around the U.S, among them The Bitter End, Bluebird Café, Coffee
Gallery Backstage, Gingko Tree and in Austin: The Live Oak Coffeehouse
and the now-defunct Chicago House. I loved them all and others like them,
because people came for the music – which is also why I loved playing
in Europe. I feel compelled to also mention that I have a picture of myself
and my band onstage at Armadillo World Headquarters (Google it. You’ll
be glad you did.) which I treasure. (I’ve been around awhile!)
What music organizations are you affiliated with?
Besides Indigrrls, I’m also a member of the Austin Conspiracy
of Performing Songwriters, Dallas Songwriters Association, Houston Association
of Acoustic Musicians (HAAM – I’m a Haamster!), and the National
Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS)
What do you think of politics and expressing political views in music?
Political songs, hmmm. I really admire people who write them. I’ve
written a few, but I tend to personalize my politics. When I write about
political ideas, it takes the form of songs about balance, generosity,
forgiveness and our common humanity as roads to peace, rather than as
commentary on the current news. I do have strong political opinions, they
just don’t often come out as songs.
When you are writing songs do you pull from personal experiences, and
headlining news or events that are around you? If so how easy or hard
is it to create songs expressing what you feel about these topics?
My songs mostly come from personal experience, often from other peoples’
stories, and sometimes from Cloud-Cuckoo Land. Songs about my family are
easy. Other peoples’ stories require more effort. Quirky songs seem
to fall out of my head like rain….
What does it mean to be "Indie" to you and do you own your
own record label or publishing company?
Which is why I have to be an Indie. To me being Indie means not waiting
for someone else to give me permission to try to move my music forward.
My husband and I record my CDs (he produced both of the finished ones),
publish, market and promote, and bear the responsibility for them. And,
hopefully, reap the rewards – the old “dozens of dollars”.
That suits me fine. At this point, there are very few record companies
I would entertain offers from and they’re all small and work with
people like me.
What advice can you give to someone who is just starting to market themselves
in the Indie music market?
To someone just starting out I would say, first and foremost, be prepared
to work hard. Join groups of like-minded people (like Indiegrrls), work
hard, promote your music through every conduit you can find, work hard,
connect with your community, did I mention work hard?, and above all never
give up. At the very worst, you’ll make music all your life. What’s
wrong with that?
How involved are you with your recording projects?
As I mentioned, my husband is my engineer and producer. We met over
my first CD project! He knows way more than I do about that process, but
I’m learning.
What all instruments do you play?
I play piano, guitar, vocals and I’m learning to play mandolin.
I’m kind of acquisitive when it comes to instruments, but I haven’t
learned to play all of them yet.
What are your main goals for 2006 and in your music career as a whole?
My biggest goals for 2006 are to wrap up the “Family Album”
, the CD that’s almost finished, and get rolling on the next one.
I still haven’t reconciled myself to the amount of time involved
in this process – I’ve never been a very patient person. I
want to do more theater this year, and I want to collaborate on a musical.
I’m also interested in licensing opportunities for my songs. Mostly,
I want to keep writing and playing until I can’t stand up. And having
fresh new musical experiences. And meeting other musicians with similar
goals – it’s so validating!
What does Indiegrrl mean to you?
Validation, yes. But lots of other nice things too. I was so delighted
to discover this huge group of talented, dedicated musicians! Indiegrrl
members have been so generous to me with their experience, wisdom and
information on just about every subject no matter how obscure. For example,
I asked on the list if anyone could help me translate a Yiddish poem.
I thought of it as a real long shot. Imagine my astonishment when I was
deluged with responses, and every one was helpful! Wow!
Is there anyone you would like to thank that has helped you along in
your career or in the music industry as a whole?
The person to whom I’m the most indebted is my husband and partner,
Andy Murphy, who got my recording desires out of my head and into reality.
He’s a discerning producer, an expert engineer and a supportive
and honest friend. If not for him, I’d probably still be trying
to choose the songs to record. I’m also grateful to my dad and sisters,
who believe in me against the odds, and to the Austin Conspiracy for their
support and companionship. And to all those songwriting clients of mine
who, unbeknownst to themselves, were some of my best teachers back in
the day .
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