Just a quick hello, since it's been so long. Lots going on these days, but all good! I've been doing quite a bit of studio singing this year, not so much live gigging. And Sixth Wave is back in the studio, aiming towards the completion of our new CD. Probably won't be released until June or so, but it's shaping up nicely. Just got to see one of the new movies that I sang on, "Horton Hears A Who", which was a HOOT! I highly recommend it to young and old alike, especially if you can see it on a big IMAX screen like we did last weekend --- my four-year-old LOVED it (even if the big eagle was a little scary)! Or maybe it was the popcorn and pretzel we shared that she loved the most -- I don't know. :-) Anyway, this Sunday I'm doing a rare and neat kind of concert --- a jazz praise concert --- with some terrific musicians by my side, so check out the calendar page for more info on that and come check it out if you're in the L.A. area.

Meanwhile, I hope you all have a wonderful spring and God bless you!

...has it been five months since I said hello "in person" on here! Wow --- I guess time really DOES fly when you're having fun! Let's see --- lots of things going on in my life, but one of the biggest has to do with Sixth Wave activities as we prepare to record our new CD this fall. We're all busy writing new charts and we'll have a few gigs around L.A. this fall to get "studio-ready", so check out my calendar page for those, plus you can always go to www.6thWave.com to get more info on the group. I'm also looking forward to some more local jazz gigs coming up, so check back on my calendar in the near future to find out more about when and where.

A very happy fall to all!!!
:-)

No, don't worry, it's not politics! I have entered the "Big Phat Jam" contest, for the privilege of having a track included on the next recording by the phenomenal Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band! So your job is to PLEASE go visit www.bigphatjam.com to listen to the track that I recorded on "Too Close For Comfort" and vote for my entry THIS WEEK (April 2 - April 8). Only the vocalist with the highest number of votes each week will be entered in the finals, so like I said..... I NEED YOUR VOTE NOW! You can vote only once (with each e-mail address you may have), so please check it out and tell 10 friends to do the same!

Thank you for your support!
:-)

.... the air, until TODAY, when I finally got back outside for some playtime with some wonderful fellow mommies & kids! Anyway, hope you're keeping warm wherever you may be. It's been a lovely wintertime for me and us, and now I'm looking forward to "grooving" again back in town for a while. I recently enjoyed being in fabulous NYC for the IAJE conference, singing with a wonderful student vocal ensemble from Iowa ("First Take") on an arrangement of mine, "Brazasia", which has been finally re-published by UNC Jazz Press --- see my "Audio" page for more info on how to get my vocal arrangements. There was lots of fresh and inspiring music to hear and I've got lots of great ideas about new music to write! Also, I've been doing more fun studio singing work, writing new charts for Sixth Wave as we prepare for a big April gig in Canada, as well as looking towards recording a new CD. The next fun thing for me will be my first workshop in Cathy Segal-Garcia's wonderful series of workshops at her home (in the L.A. area) on 2/4. If you'll be in town then, come and join us! For more info on that, see my calendar page. It's an exciting and busy time, and I hope for you as well!
:-)

....When you're having fun, right?! I must be having a LOT of fun then, since I can't believe my last news report was in August! I've had a ball doing a good bit of singing (recent projects have included the brilliant "Happy Feet" (released tomorrow I think!), "Charlotte's Web" (singing background vox for Sarah McLachlan's title song), and an amazing video game score "GRAWF 2" -- I know nothing about those things!), as well as clinics, writing charts and of course, hanging with my hubby and almost-three-year-old buddy, Emily.

Speaking of charts, I have 2 new ones published with SMP (Sound Music Publications), which I'm VERY excited about! They are a TERRIFIC publisher for a whole lot of reasons, and if you're an educator, I urge you to RUN, don't walk to their website and get doing business with them! They're ALL about the customer in every way, and are really working hard to be the very best in vocal jazz and choral publishing at ALL levels. Check out their site at: www.smpjazz.com

Anyway, I've just added a few fun things to my calendar, and wanted to also direct you to that fun myspace page that is up and running. I'm still getting the hang of it, but it's a blast! If you want to visit and become my "friend", go to: http://www.myspace.com/jbjazzsinger

Especially at this wonderful time of year, I know that I have much for which to be thankful, and I trust that you do too, so I wish you all a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving!
:-)

... and it's been a great one! I hope you've had as terrific a summer as my family and I have had --- lots of great music-making and fun family time traveling, at the beach, etc. Just thought I'd throw in an entry to say hello --- I've got a couple of gigs coming up, so check out the calendar page for those. I'm also accepting new students to start in September, so if you're in the L.A. area (permanently or just visiting), contact me if you'd like to set up a lesson or regular lessons. Also, I'm in the process of setting up my "myspace" page, so feel free to visit and become one of my "friends" there if you like to hang out there too.

Take care, enjoy your "dog days of summer" & enjoy browsing around!

After a long process, we've FINALLY finished updating the website! Please feel free to look around for new things. I'm especially excited about the new music on my homepage (hope you heard and enjoyed it!), the catalog listing all of the vocal charts I've written with audio samples of nearly all of them (on the "audio" page), AND the studio singing clips that are also downloadable on that page. Please also feel free to fill out the form on the "Contact" page to send me an e-mail, sign up to be on my e-mail list for performances, new charts, clinic updates, etc., and to let me know if you encounter any troubles with links or content as you browse.

Enjoy, and a very happy and music-filled spring to you all!
:-)

P.S. -- Because there's been some confusion, please note the following important disclaimer: the vocal arrangements in my catalog listing are only available if you see "UNC Jazz Press" under the "Availability" column; otherwise, they are "listenable" only, as examples of my work. In other words, the LIST is downloadable, NOT the charts! I am working to get more of these published so that they WILL be available, but in the meantime, please contact me if you have any further questions about this.

Hi y'all!
(Sorry for the Texan reference, but I just finished updating my calendar with entries about my May 2-day residency in Texas, so....!) Well, I'm not even going to make reference to the soon-to-be-completed updates to my site, since it's obviously bad luck to promise how soon they'll be finished! (I don't really believe in bad luck, but still.....) Instead, I'll just say, welcome, or welcome back if you've visited before, and check out the new dates on the calendar for anything happening in your neighborhood. And please, come back..... well, before 2007..... that's not too bold a promise to keep! :-)

Cheers,
Jennifer

Hello!!!

Thanks to all who are repeat visitors for your patience while I work on completing the update of my website. It's been a wonderful, busy time for the past few months -- lots of travel, performing, family time, studio work, etc. So it's all been good, but the website has been a bit neglected! I've just updated my calendar, and there will be other new content here VERY SHORTLY -- new audio, updated calendar, photo gallery, updated info on availability of vocal arrangements, etc. Meanwhile, enjoy browsing, and feel free to e-mail me if you wish to be notified upon completion of the updates.

Happy Fall To You, and God's blessings on all who've been adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina ---
:-)
Jennifer

Greetings, new and returning visitors!

The new updates are still in the works (still taking a little longer than I thought to get to this), but I wanted to at least give an update about some very exciting news for me --- I have just been selected as the newest member of the vocal group SIXTH WAVE here in Los Angeles! In case you don't know about them (or should I now say "US"!), please visit: www.6thWave.com

This is a really fun and exciting new thing for me, after a long absence from being an ensemble vocalist (except in recording studios) -- I've really missed it, and this outstanding group has been on my radar for a long time. Thankfully, just about the time that I'm ready to add a few things back into my life in addition to being "mommy", their alto left the group, creating a vacancy that I'm now delighted to be able to fill! I'm looking forward to both the singing AND hopefully having a great excuse to write some new vocal arrangements. We have several gigs in the next few months, which I'll have here on my calendar as well as all the info on the 6th Wave website.

The other "new news" is that I am no longer on the faculty of the University of Southern California. This is a decision I made in the fall and I'm VERY happy with it --- after 14 consecutive years of teaching, it was DEFINITELY time for a break; now I will be focusing my energy on two things: my family and singing!
This is the beginning of a wonderful new chapter in my life, and I thank God for the opportunity to make the change.

Please enjoy browsing my site --- and feel free to e-mail me if you want to be notified when my website update is completed, with lots of new audio, photos and other information.

Cheers!
:-)

O.k., now really --- when I said my website would be undergoing some changes in "the very near future" (back in JUNE!), I surely didn't mean seven months later, did I? Well, life has been humming along at a tremendous pace, and now I am finally ready to begin the updates, so please check back again and there should be new content to start the New Year of 2005, including photos of the love of my life, Emily (now 11 months old -- Yikes!), new audio and more. Meanwhile, enjoy looking around if you're a first-time visitor, and if you're a repeat visitor, feel free to visit my Calendar page to see all that will be going on for the next few months, with new things being added all the time.

At this "Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" (as Andy Williams sings so beautifully!), I extend my personal wish to all of you for the happiest, merriest and most blessed of Christmases and New Years!

WOW! And to think, I thought I was joking when I wrote last that I'd probably not "come up for air" for a while.... here we are, 4 months later!

Welcome to you new visitors, and welcome back to my repeat visitors --- thank you so much for your patience as I transition into my new role of "mom" and try to keep all the balls in the air, so to speak!

So much has happened, and I will simply say please go visit my "Calendar" page to see what all is new. The most exciting addition is the concert I'll be performing on July 16 in the San Francisco area with some amazing fellow musicians, to benefit an amazing cause --- check it out! Also, my website will be undergoing some updating in the very near future, with new audio (from my latest demo CD), photos (of our newest family member, of course!), and information on newly published vocal arrangements. Please come back often in the next couple of months to see and hear the changes.

I wish you all a terrific, relaxing summer!
:-)

Greetings!!! I have precious little time to write, since my husband and I welcomed our first child, Emily Ann Barnes, into the world on Friday, January 16! Please feel free to read and explore the website, and I promise that there will be updates posted as soon as I can come up for a bit of air (probably longer than I think, say the experienced parents among you.......)!

May God bless you all, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Wow! Time is really flying by these days, and I can scarcely believe that it's been since August that I last wrote - SORRY for those of you who've checked back in. I have been trying to keep my calendar pretty updated, and have just now added a couple more items - the most noteworthy of which is the one on January 15, 2004 (go to the Calendar page to see what I'm talking about). That one probably explains both why time is flying so much and also the gap in activity between my December 29 performance in Palm Springs and the next music-related activity in March! :-) It's going to be a very exciting time, to say the least.

Meanwhile, I've been happily busy this fall with many local activities, including workshops and clinics at Canyon High School in Canyon Country, Viewpoint School in Calabasas, and others. I'm busily working to transcribe and arrange the material for our December 29 performance (see Calendar), which I think is going to be a BLAST! I'm also very grateful and excited to report that my CD has been selected by the renowned Wyndham Hotel chain as a holiday gift option for their employees and clients, so 350 of the CDs will be dispersed throughout the country -- if you are reading this because you found my website after receiving the CD, welcome and thank you for visiting! Lastly, I'm preparing my vocal jazz ensembles from USC for their fall concerts (see Calendar - 11/19 and 11/24), which should be delightful, so mark your calendars.

I'm humbled and always amazed to note the sheer number of you who are visiting this site -- reading, listening, writing, ordering my CD -- and recently there have been a couple of new COUNTRIES as well: Israel and the islands of Trinidad and Tobago! Thank you, and please keep spreading the word.

I also want to add that if any of you reading this have been affected adversely by the horrible fires here in Southern California, my thoughts and prayers have been with you - thank God, the weather seems to finally have turned and we're getting some relief for the weary firefighters and worried homeowners.

God bless you all and happy November!!!

Greetings to you all!!!

It's been a very long time since my last update, and I do apologize for that --- it's been a wonderfully busy summer for me with lots of travel, music, and some play, too! Unfortunately, amidst my travels, I broke my right thumb and have been in a cast for a good while, which has really hindered both my piano playing AND my typing skills, among other things (I'm right-handed, of course!). So.... although I'm still in a splint, I figured it was time to check in here and do some typing, including updating my Calendar with quite a few educational gigs throughout the next year or so.

ALSO, a very important promo is going on for the artists who sell CDs through the CDBaby website, involving the number of CDs sold in the month of August --- the top-selling artists will be included in a compilation CD that they will produce at their expense and distribute! So if you have visited my site before and enjoyed my music (but not purchased a copy of my CD yet), or especially if you are a first-time visitor, PLEASE go to my Audio page and listen to some samples, then click on the link "BUY FROM CDBABY" to get a copy of my CD --- I will be sure to let you all know if I make the CD. Then please tell 10 friends or family members to do the same!

Thanks for visiting, and have a wonderful brief remainder of summer!

Happy Spring to you all (or SUMMER, as it seems here in L.A.)! It's been a busy month for me so far, mostly having to do with wrapping up a school year of teaching at USC. But as I look ahead to summer, I'm excited about various musical projects and camps that will be going on -- please check out my "Calendar" section for info on the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop as well as the U. of North Texas Vocal Jazz Workshop, both of which are EXCELLENT place to get some concentrated attention if you are a jazz voice student. I usually also use some summer "down time" to write music and work up new arrangements for my band and also for vocal ensembles, so it's a good time to contact me if you're interested in having me write (see my "Arrangements" section under "Audio")!

I'm also happy to be a part of a new CD that's just been released by a dear friend of mine, Greg Jasperse --- there's some beautiful summer "driving music" on it and terrific musicians abound! Greg is a very gifted pianist/composer/arranger/vocalist, and the CD is all his original music. Check out his brand new website, too, at "www.GregJasperse.com".

I hope that you have a terrific summer, and enjoy the site!

Hello! Thanks to all of you who made it out to my gig last Friday night at Steamers Cafe --- it was a wonderfully exciting evening with an ELECTRIFYING performance by the rhythm section, in large part due to Otmaro Ruiz's explosive rendition of "Caravan" that brought a normally laid-back club to its feet in ovation! As they say, "A good time was had by all!".

Meanwhile, I just received word that legendary jazz radio host Chuck Niles is playing selections from my CD on his radio program on KKJZ (88.1 FM for the LA area folks; http://www.kkjz.org anyone not in LA) again -- he had played it for a while, and when I heard that the CD had disappeared from their station, I sent another right away! So give a listen on weekdays between 1 - 4 p.m. during Chuck's program, and if you hear something of mine that you like, don't hesitate to shoot them an e-mail or phone call to let them know that you heard and liked it! :-) Thanks --- we self-employed musician types need all the help from our "fans" that we can get.

Here's hoping that you all have a lovely weekend -- hopefully some quality time with family and friends as well as celebrating the blessed event of Jesus' resurrection.

Happy Easter!!!

Greetings and welcome to you!

Just a quick word to you in the greater Los Angeles area -- a reminder to check out my Calendar page for information on my live performance THIS FRIDAY NIGHT (April 11) at Steamers Cafe. It's a really fun venue with good food and it promises to be a terrific evening of jazz -- I'm really excited to be playing with a new pianist and bassist, and will be debuting several new charts. Hope you can make it!

Have a beautiful day!
:-)

Greetings, and happy spring to you!!!

Just giving a little update on what's been going on.... it's been a very busy stretch recently, with lots of fun things. Just yesterday I had the fun of singing on a soundtrack to a new movie ("X Men 2") at 20th Century Fox; also, if you go on a Crystal Cruise anytime soon, you'll hear my voice if you attend a live show (we recently pre-recorded lots of Broadway and pop vocals to accompany their shows)! I also had a blast singing at the March Los Angeles "Chick Singer Night" at the Knitting Factory, and the INCREDIBLE pianist (Otmaro Ruiz) and I hit it off so well musically that I asked him to play with me on my next live L.A. performance on Friday, April 11 at Steamers Cafe. We'll also be joined by legendary jazz bassist Luther Hughes, so it should be HOT -- check out my Calendar page for more info.

Meanwhile, there have now been over 2,000 visitors to this site from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Namibia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russian Federation, Seychelles (I had to look on the map for that one!), Spain, the U.K., and Uruguay. I think this is very exciting that people are interested in and looking for jazz music everywhere -- I guess that music is truly the international language!

I close on a serious note..... by saying that I hope you will all join me in praying for PEACE and asking God to guide and protect the lives of EVERYONE involved in the imminent conflict in Iraq. May He give wisdom and strength to those who will courageously fight for our freedom and the freedom of those who can't fight for themselves.

May God also bless and comfort you who are reading this, even now!
:-)

Greetings, and Happy Valentine's Day (week?!)!!!

Just in case you're still looking for that perfect romantic jazz CD with which to create the perfect Valentine vibe.... I happen to know of just the thing! Jump on over to my "Audio" page and check out the info and sound clips from my CD (especially "We Kiss" or "You Taught My Heart") and then click on the link to buy it from CDBaby or Amazon and you can still get it delivered by Friday if you hurry!

Anyway, it's been quite a busy month or so since I last updated my "News", so I thought I'd check in --- a special highlight was seeing lots of old friends at the WMU Gold Company 25th Anniversary Show in Kalamzoo, Michigan two weekends ago. Welcome to my site to any of you fellow GC alums who are visiting for the first time!!!!

I just added a new gig to my Calendar page for Monday, March 3, so check that out, as it should be a good one! Also, I'm happy to say that I've passed the 1500 visitor mark now (since December!), so THANK YOU for visiting, and please keep doing such a great job of spreading the word! There will be more news soon about upcoming gigs, some new audio tracks, etc., so keep on checking back......

Greetings and Happy New Year! Hope you're having lots of success in keeping your resolutions so far!

2003 got off to a great start for me so far, especially fueled by a wonderful gig at Steamer's Cafe on December 27 with my quartet that was standing-room only! Thanks to all of you who came out that night! Hopefully I'll be back very soon.....

Also, I'm excited to report that the final report is in, and in my website's first month of existence, I had a total of just over 1,100 visitors from 5 countries! I don't know much about this stuff, but I'm told that that's a pretty darned good showing, so thanks for checking out my site and please keep spreading the word!

I've just spent a long time updating my "Calendar" page with most of the activities (particularly education-related) that are on my 2003 calendar so far, so please feel free to check it out and e-mail me if you're interested in more information on any of the events listed.

Have a terrific week!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :-)

Just want to wish all of you a very joyous and prosperous 2003. If you're looking for someplace to head for dinner Friday night (Jan. 3)..... head on down to Granata's Italian Villa in Downey and you'll have the added bonus of hearing the wonderful young pianist Mike Cassedy and myself perform in a duo format from 8 - 10 p.m., while you enjoy your delicious Italian food! (More info on my Calendar page) See you all soon!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!!!!

I sincerely wish all who are reading this the most joy-filled, loving and warm Christmas! And after you've finished with all the gift-opening, church-going and eating, I'm sure you'll want to hear some great LIVE JAZZ (!), so come on down to Steamers Cafe this Friday night to hear me and my quartet! It truly promises to be a LOT of fun with an outstanding group of musicians and a surprise guest or two. Jump over to my "Calendar" page for more details.

Hope to see you there!
:-)

Welcome --- and thank you for visiting my new website!

Sorry if any of you have been checking and waiting, but with Thanksgiving madness, it all took just a little longer than we thought --- hopefully it's worth the wait!

Please make yourself at home, and don't forget to let me know you've been here (see the Contact page to send me an e-mail). I especially hope you'll enjoy listening to many kinds of sound clips on my "Audio" page and finding out where I'll be performing on my "Calendar" page -- come back often as I'll be making additions and changes frequently.

Only a few weeks to Christmas now --- can you believe it?!?!
:-)