Jan Seides
Austin, Texas, United States | SELF
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COBDEN — Once more the Yellow Moon Café in Cobden has pulled in some serious talent for those who enjoy their music in the finest singer/songwriter tradition.
Jan Seides of Austin, Texas, will perform at 8 p.m. tonight, June 26. The accomplished mother of two has won major awards in regional to national songwriting competitions. They include The Great American Song Contest, a national competition, the Northern California Songwriters' Association Competition, the Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival in Maryland and the Minnesota Folk Festival.
The cover of her latest disc, “Everyday People,” has a large square of reflective material on the front which is intended to focus on others rather than herself.
“When you've written all your stories, you start writing about other people,” she explained. “It's stories about people and experiences I've encountered.”
For example, “Boys at the Border” recounts an experience Seides had crossing the Mexican border where the impoverished boys were “singing sweet lullabies to tourists at the gate of paradise.” The boys, who were singing for money, had voices that could match any in the finest of boys' choirs, according to Seides.
When asked about being such a successful songwriter, Seides' approach was basically, the more the merrier.
“It's competitive, but can also be very nourishing,” she said. “When you go hear someone play, you listen, but on a different level. It's like 'How would I have said that and what would I have done different?' That's the kind of atmosphere that having a lot of songwriters around creates.”
— Jerry Bradley
- © 2003 Southern Illinoisan
COBDEN — Once more the Yellow Moon Café in Cobden has pulled in some serious talent for those who enjoy their music in the finest singer/songwriter tradition.
Jan Seides of Austin, Texas, will perform at 8 p.m. tonight, June 26. The accomplished mother of two has won major awards in regional to national songwriting competitions. They include The Great American Song Contest, a national competition, the Northern California Songwriters' Association Competition, the Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival in Maryland and the Minnesota Folk Festival.
The cover of her latest disc, “Everyday People,” has a large square of reflective material on the front which is intended to focus on others rather than herself.
“When you've written all your stories, you start writing about other people,” she explained. “It's stories about people and experiences I've encountered.”
For example, “Boys at the Border” recounts an experience Seides had crossing the Mexican border where the impoverished boys were “singing sweet lullabies to tourists at the gate of paradise.” The boys, who were singing for money, had voices that could match any in the finest of boys' choirs, according to Seides.
When asked about being such a successful songwriter, Seides' approach was basically, the more the merrier.
“It's competitive, but can also be very nourishing,” she said. “When you go hear someone play, you listen, but on a different level. It's like 'How would I have said that and what would I have done different?' That's the kind of atmosphere that having a lot of songwriters around creates.”
— Jerry Bradley
- © 2003 Southern Illinoisan
Jan's melodious voice is exquisitely framed by luxurious arrangements in many different styles, good old Texas swing, country, as well as a haunting acapella harmony song ... If you pick up a copy of "Everyday People" you will probably find yourself smack dab in the middle one of Jan Seides' delightful songs...Maggie Ferguson - Live! from the Livingroom, Detroit,MI
Jan's melodious voice is exquisitely framed by luxurious arrangements in many different styles, good old Texas swing, country, as well as a haunting acapella harmony song ... If you pick up a copy of "Everyday People" you will probably find yourself smack dab in the middle one of Jan Seides' delightful songs...Maggie Ferguson - Live! from the Livingroom, Detroit,MI
Her voice is flawless, almost ethereal...gliding easily between the musically diverse songs on each album.... - MyTexasMusic.com
Her voice is flawless, almost ethereal...gliding easily between the musically diverse songs on each album.... - MyTexasMusic.com
Texas singer-songwriter Jan Seides will bring her music to the Lake Area with a performance 8-10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at Dagostino's Bistro.
The Austin-based musician -- who also teaches guitar, piano and voice -- has won awards in regional and national songwriting competitions, including the Great American Song Contest, the Northern California Songwriters' Association Competition and the Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival in Maryland.
This year, she was a finalist in the Suwanee Springfest Songwriting Competition in Florida and a regional NewFolk winner at Kerrville, Texas.
She also is a semi-finalist in the upcoming MOVA (Mountain Valley Arts Council) Festival Songwriting Competition in Gunthersville, Ala., and the Mountain Stage New Song Contest in Charles Town, W. Va.
Seides is touring with her second CD, "Everyday People" (Panda Productions), a 12-song compilation of original songs that's predominately folk with some country, pop, rock and Latin rolled in.
Her poetic lyrics, both serious and playful, glimpse the lives of everyday people, with their faults and their good points, but positively affirming the human spirit.
Even the CD cover honors everyday folks, reflecting the image of the person looking at it.
The second verse of the title folk-rock ballad says, "Everyday people, like yourselves my friends / They struggle to live, / Let go and forgive / And start again / Refugees and survivors, they rise above / Learn to look for themselves / In somebody else / They learn to love."
"Boys at the Border," with its south-of-the-border beat, tells the story of the poor boys at the border who sing for money while they dream of a better life. "Bored," a 1940s-style ditty featuring a kazoo, talks about yearning to get away.
The Texas-swing "Jenny Jones" gets into the fascination with sleaze talk-TV shows. "Sweet Relief" is a folk ballad about how good it is to come home and get back in touch with one's roots.
With "Old Friends" and "If You Ask My Heart," she evokes the essence of Judy Collins with an ethereal, haunting quality.
There's a little bluegrass in the a cappella "Oh Hear the Wind," and she has fun with the country two-stepping "Chevy Suburban," which is the basis of one woman's dream life.
Seides, who has a music degree from the University of Texas, is a member of the Austin Conspiracy of Performing Songwriters, www.austinconspiracy.com.
Her first solo album released in 1992, "Slowly but Surely," received national and international radio play.
Check out her music at www.janseides.com.
gail norris
- AMERICAN PRESS, LAKE CHARLES, LA – 9/21/03
Texas singer-songwriter Jan Seides will bring her music to the Lake Area with a performance 8-10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at Dagostino's Bistro.
The Austin-based musician -- who also teaches guitar, piano and voice -- has won awards in regional and national songwriting competitions, including the Great American Song Contest, the Northern California Songwriters' Association Competition and the Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival in Maryland.
This year, she was a finalist in the Suwanee Springfest Songwriting Competition in Florida and a regional NewFolk winner at Kerrville, Texas.
She also is a semi-finalist in the upcoming MOVA (Mountain Valley Arts Council) Festival Songwriting Competition in Gunthersville, Ala., and the Mountain Stage New Song Contest in Charles Town, W. Va.
Seides is touring with her second CD, "Everyday People" (Panda Productions), a 12-song compilation of original songs that's predominately folk with some country, pop, rock and Latin rolled in.
Her poetic lyrics, both serious and playful, glimpse the lives of everyday people, with their faults and their good points, but positively affirming the human spirit.
Even the CD cover honors everyday folks, reflecting the image of the person looking at it.
The second verse of the title folk-rock ballad says, "Everyday people, like yourselves my friends / They struggle to live, / Let go and forgive / And start again / Refugees and survivors, they rise above / Learn to look for themselves / In somebody else / They learn to love."
"Boys at the Border," with its south-of-the-border beat, tells the story of the poor boys at the border who sing for money while they dream of a better life. "Bored," a 1940s-style ditty featuring a kazoo, talks about yearning to get away.
The Texas-swing "Jenny Jones" gets into the fascination with sleaze talk-TV shows. "Sweet Relief" is a folk ballad about how good it is to come home and get back in touch with one's roots.
With "Old Friends" and "If You Ask My Heart," she evokes the essence of Judy Collins with an ethereal, haunting quality.
There's a little bluegrass in the a cappella "Oh Hear the Wind," and she has fun with the country two-stepping "Chevy Suburban," which is the basis of one woman's dream life.
Seides, who has a music degree from the University of Texas, is a member of the Austin Conspiracy of Performing Songwriters, www.austinconspiracy.com.
Her first solo album released in 1992, "Slowly but Surely," received national and international radio play.
Check out her music at www.janseides.com.
gail norris
- AMERICAN PRESS, LAKE CHARLES, LA – 9/21/03
On the 28th of October, we went to Evelyn Bay Coffee to listen to yet
another member of the Michigan Acoustic Music Group, Jan Seides…She now hales from the great state of Texas. However, she has family in Michigan, which brings her back to this area often…Jan's songs tell wonderful stories about Texas, her family, her love of people and crazy incidents in the life of some of her friends. With Jan, you felt she was taking you on tour of her life through the songs she sang. It was two hours well spent. - Notes from the Potter's Daughter - Michigan Acoustic Music – 10/29/04
On the 28th of October, we went to Evelyn Bay Coffee to listen to yet
another member of the Michigan Acoustic Music Group, Jan Seides…She now hales from the great state of Texas. However, she has family in Michigan, which brings her back to this area often…Jan's songs tell wonderful stories about Texas, her family, her love of people and crazy incidents in the life of some of her friends. With Jan, you felt she was taking you on tour of her life through the songs she sang. It was two hours well spent. - Notes from the Potter's Daughter - Michigan Acoustic Music – 10/29/04
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Jan Seides (pronounced Sigh-deez) has won major awards in regional to national songwriting competitions. They include The Great American Song Contest, and Kerrville New Folk, (regional NewFolk winner), among others In 2005, Jan was a finalist in the KRCL Founders Festival Songwriting competition in Utah. She was also a Judge's Award winner at MOVA (Mountain Valley Arts Council) Festival Songwriting Competition, and was awarded First Prize at both the Dallas Songwriters Association Competition and the Austin Songwriters Group Competition. Her name most recently appears with the Finalists of the South Florida Folk Festival Competition.
Jan Seidess songs combine down-home honesty with up-town sophistication, and have been described as Nanci Griffith meets Broadway. Jan holds a Music degree from University of Texas.
Jan Seides first CD, "Slowly But Surely", received widespread radio play. "Everyday People", released in 2002, has garnered glowing reviews, and frequent radio play. Jans new project, The Family Album will be released in 2006.
Venues played include: Bitter End (NYC), Bluebird Cafe in (Nashville), Coffee Gallery Backstage (L.A.), and Artz Rib House (Austin, TX). Jan has shared stages with Jeff Talmadge, Alton Rex, Albert & Gage, David Llewellyn, Tim Grimm, and Buddy Mondlock.
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