Bio

Jan was born in Greymouth on the remote West Coast of the South Island of NZ. Her family had little resources or opportunity, but she grew up in an era where people would gather around the piano and sing together. From when she was very young she played piano while everybody sang along or played tea chest basses, eggbeaters, combs, violins, even an old saxophone.

Jan says "I had an Auntie who played honky tonk style, and heard Winifred Atwell along with early rock n roll on our old Columbus Radio in the kitchen."

"Playing piano from the moment I could reach the keys, and being spurred on by my older sister and brother who both played, I studied classical very seriously, becoming a star student, passing all my grades with distinction and gaining a very prestigious place (one of 4 students from the whole of NZ) to study a 5 year classical piano degree at Auckland University."

"Although I loved classical music, by the end of the degree I wasn’t happy to be a concert pianist or, more likely, a piano teacher."

"So I cut off my hair, and moved to Wellington where I experimented with different styles of music, working in an independent theatre group and then rock bands."

"In 1980 my band, Coup D’Etat had a No. 1 hit with the song Doctor I Like Your Medicine, after which I moved across the Tasman to Sydney, playing in bands and piano bars as well as writing music for films.
It was some years later before I found my own voice, as a boogie piano player and songwriter."

"So here I am, still resident in Sydney, but constantly touring to play festivals, concerts and shows around the world, (even a recent trip to China), and I am grateful for the success and musical path I have found.
I am still enormously passionate about music and have so much more to play, sing and write!"

Links

• Artist Website
• Facebook Page