||| about Jannie & Friends |||
The Jannie and Friends Jazz Band features a repertoire of both vocal and instrumental jazz standards. In addition to American standards, Jannie has also brought into her repertoire traditional and popular Chinese songs fused with the flair of American jazz. For several years, her band has given a variety of public performances and played for private parties. The size of the ensemble varies, depending upon client requirements, with a range of 3-4 musicians for background music or a full-sized band of 7 or 8 musicians for big parties.
( ( ( about Jannie ) ) )
After a successful career in Accounting and Finance, Jannie Spain became inspired by singing after watching her daughter sing in children's choirs. She hesitated, because she had not sung while growing up in Taiwan. She then happened to attend a Cab Calloway concert when he was in his late 80s and was recovering from a broken hip. He got around on stage by sitting on a standard secretarial chair. He only stood up when he was singing, which he did with complete abandon and joy. Jannie was captivated by his love of music and by the obvious joy he felt when performing. It was then that she decided it is never too late to pursue one’s heart.
Jannie eventually started taking lessons from some of the top vocal and jazz musicians in the Seattle area. Most recently she has studied voice with Nancy Zylstra, and jazz with David Friesen. Over the years, she has met and befriended many fine musicians who share her passion; her various bands have been created from this group of friends. Recently, Jannie co-produced her debut CD, Sweet Awakening, with her jazz instructor, David Friesen—a work played on KPLU (Seattle’s top jazz radio station), and reviewed favorably in a west coast jazz magazine, NW Jazz Profile, in May of 2008.