Her mother had to chase her around the piano for an hour to get her to practice, and she spent her college years trying to improvise her way around Bach preludes, but when she finally sat down, focused, and played, no one within earshot doubted that JanElaine was exactly where she was supposed to be. Finally stepping into the spotlight with her latest cd, Epiphany, debuting in the top 100 on New Age Reporter, JanElaine is certainly making a splash in the instrumental music world. Noted for her emotional soaring melodies and her ability to make the listener internally ‘see’ the subjects of the songs she writes, JanElaine is proving herself to not only be an exceptionally talented pianist, but also an extraordinary composer. One Nashville producer was quoted as saying that ‘JanElaine takes the listener on journey after journey into visual vistas that at times take one’s breath away, and then goes deep within to unearth the secrets of one’s own soul.’
More than anything, JanElaine wants to be a healing force on the planet. Having lived through many upheavals in her life including the death of her mother and brother and the ensuing challenge of supporting a family with such obvious pieces missing, she uses those experiences and others as a direct bloodline to her music to instill in the listener that all things eventually do come ‘round right. Because of the many things that happened to her at a young age, JanElaine was forced to give up music for nearly ten years and switch to traditional studies and get a ‘real’ job. But after a long spiritual battle to discern what was ‘real’ for herself, she has come full circle back to the piano, this time with a powerful mission. Even though she is an extraordinary lyricist, she chooses to perform as an instrumental artist because she believes that sometimes words take away the depth of a lesson because we blindly trust the truth of what someone else penned. Therefore, her music comes with a few guidelines, usually in the expertly written liner notes, and then the listener is left to encounter the destinations the music takes them to on their own. Kathy Parsons of Mainlypiano.com writes that JanElaine “wants to share with, soothe, and uplift her listeners, giving freely from the depths of her soul.†She concludes her review stating that “Epiphany is a beautiful CD that conveys many powerful life lessons, emotions, and experiences we can all relate to.†And that is exactly what JanElaine intended.
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, JanElaine currently resides just outside the city with her menagerie of rescued animals, including six horses, a dog, two cats and a whole bunch of fish. She loves Yoga, is an avid meditator, and is a Reiki and energy medicine practitioner and intuitive healer. Many JanElaine compositions refer to and reflect the spiritual lessons of nature because she spends so much time outdoors watching and learning as she trains her horses and tends her garden. Most people are amused by the absolute dichotomy of the long elegant dresses of her performances and the girl in jeans doing the very southern traditions of growing, canning and freezing her own food.
Her debut CD, Threads in the Tapestry, released in 2005, was met with rave reviews calling her music ‘audible energy, musical adrenaline’ and ‘elegantly mesmerizing.’ And her latest release, Epiphany, with its expansion into intriguing saxophone, flute and mandolin duets with her powerful piano is proving just as exceptional. The whole of both projects are masterfully woven and reflect the multi-dimensional threads of the eclectic tapestry and epiphanies she’s lived thus far. The music of JanElaine isn’t just beautiful, it actually reverberates the chords of the very soul of the listener. She has mastered the balance of peaceful and powerful, and if you truly listen, she’ll take you there.
Reviews
5 Stars! Elegantly mesmerizing, exquisitely beautiful, emotionally and powerfully moving.
Threads in the Tapestry is elegantly mesmerizing and exquisitely beautiful…a sensual blend of jazz and new age piano combined with drums, bass and cultivated guitar grooves. You’ll be transported to the oceanfront where you can experience the mighty breath of the ocean winds. I love to listen to this CD in my car with the windows down on a cool night. I also envision myself sitting in an outdoor concert theater sipping wine while listening to this potpourri of melody and rhythm. Threads in the Tapestry is so emotionally and powerfully moving that you will feel elevated. The piano is arranged in a truly unique way while rhythmically grooving the drums, percussion and guitars. Brilliantly stirring!
-Loretta Peters-Martin
5 Stars! Peaceful yet Energizing!
The first time I listened to Threads in the Tapestry the entire way through, I was totally blown away. The power and soul that resonate through each journey every song takes you on is incredible. You reach the end of the cd and are shaken by the emotions you have felt along the way. JanElaine's music can touch you, in places you didn't yet know you were yearning to be touched.
-Linda J.
5 Stars! Audible energy; musical adrenaline; alluring original keyboard; pure talent.
The original tracks on Threads in the Tapestry are captivating and invigorating. There are classical influences and the emotion that JanElaine expresses through her songs' melodic crescendos and pianissimos, is infectious. The first track, "Brittany" is most dynamic. Her "Dolphin Song" takes me right to the Georgia coast watching dolphins off St. Simon's Island. This album is appropriate for personal listening, select retail "muzak", private meditation, massage therapy, self-help, and spiritual inspiration. I listen to the tracks repeatedly, and love the album for self-reflection as well as for cleaning the house!
-B. H. Woods
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Epiphany:Captivating piano instrumental with emotionally charged, beautifully soaring original melodies, intriguing rhythms and exceptional orchestration. The power of JanElaine continues!.Read the liner notes! Once you know the setting for the compositions in JanElaine's latest release, Epiphany, you will realize what an amazing gift JanElaine has for capturing the essence of life events and transforming them into melody. The entire cd is a masterpiece, with the piano painting on the canvas of listeners' hearts. Every song is poetry without words. With the release of Epiphany, JanElaine has proven herself as a formidable contender in instrumental music. This cd has the same beauty as her first release, Threads in the Tapestry, but shows a marked evolution both spiritually and technically. Don't miss the journey into Epiphany!
