The son of two musicians, Jed Rowe was raised on an alternative lifestyle community set in sub-tropical rainforest in Far Northern NSW. Growing up in a household without mains electricity and frequented by snakes and marsupials, Jed has always been used to looking at life from outside the square.After trying his hand at university study and overseas travel, Jed gave in to a consuming desire to a write songs. Hearing from a friend that Melbourne was the place for an aspiring young Australian musician to be, he made the move interstate with literally only a backpack and acoustic guitar to his name and went in search of a musical dream.Four years later Jed's first independent EP "LIFE" was released, co-inciding with the birth of his first child. Despite being an ultra low budget affair, the EP received good support from community radio across the nation, and attention from both the music and mainstream press. The stripped back arrangements featured Jed's lap steel guitar and plaintive vocals, and hinted at a considerable songwriting talent. Melbourne's Beat Magazine wrote "Rowe's ability to get you singing along to nearly every song is a testament to his songwriting," while The Box wrote "Rowe has all the tools to create some fine music."With the growing confidence of a well received EP behind him, Jed hit the road, touring through Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. He opened for the premier rising roots artists of the day: Ash Grunwald, Clare Bowditch, Dallas Frasca and others, and learned that the same key elements in his music can connect with people from inner city Melbourne to rural Tasmania: honesty, raw passion, genuine musicianship, and above all good songs.In mid 2007 Jed went into the studio armed with a swag of songs inspired by 18 months of touring and the journey into fatherhood. Calling on high school friend Pete Wilkins (drummer with Blue King Brown) and long-time collaborator Michael Arvanitakis (Double bass, keyboards), Jed set out to create a deeply layered debut album featuring lapsteel, acoustic and electric guitars, vocal harmonies, hammond organ, strings and percussion.With the formation of The Jed Rowe Band, Jed has made the transition into a remarkably diverse and flexible performer, capable of carrying his songs solo (with stompbox and foot percussion) as a duo with double bass, or with a three piece band. With the first release of his new material due later in 2008, Jed and his band are poised to reach new audiences and make a significant contribution to the Australian music scene.
