Janet Swain
Singer & Composer (Sydney, NSW)

Janet Swain is a singer and composer, a teacher and musical event co ordinator. She grew up in a family of musicians, and as a child spent two years traveling with her mother, father and younger brother through Europe, learning and singing songs in 4-part harmony.

Janet has traveled extensively up the far north coast of eastern Australia, and inland, and she lived for a while in Alice Springs, and Mimili (a remote Aboriginal community in the Sturt desert). Many of her songs reflect these experiences, and her love for the land and the stories of this country.

Janet also writes music for choirs and other ensembles. Her most famous piece is her suite for Holden car horns, choir and percussion, which has been performed at various festivals. Janet's debut CD "SPINE" is a folk/funk meditation on the human condition. Produced by groove-meister Peter Kennard, it combines both pop and classical styles and forms, with lush backing vocals and layers of electronic and acoustic sounds.

Featuring West African djembes and guitar, Celtic and Hungarian woodwind, and well as more traditional pop/R&B instrumentation, the CD has the richness, variety and depth of a movie soundtrack. The CD features some of Sydney's most interesting and versatile musicians, including Paul Jarman (Sirocco), Moussa Diakite (Salif Keita's band), Mohomed Bangoura and Mohata (West African djembe band), Tina Harris (African Express), Calvin Welch (Jacki Orszaczky and the Mothers of Invention, Coloured Stone) Bill Jacobi (Floyd Vincent & the Childbrides, Stiff Gins) and Peter Kennard.

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