Self-taught singer/songwriter Jen Swartout dives in. Born and raised in Florida, her curious and bold nature led her to Atlanta where she and her good friend Lara Caldwell formed the acoustic duo Jen & Lara. Looking for a change, Jen moved to Baltimore joining the indie rock group Sir Rabbit and later the jazz ensemble Bird Bath. Jen was fortunate to find an amazing French tutor and between waiting tables, earning a Bio-Psych degree at Notre Dame of Maryland, and teaching sixth grade science in Catonsville, she managed to spend her summers in France developing a love for the language, culture and people. Jen’s love of language, as well as her strong desire to see the world and share herself, is evident in her music and songwriting. Her honest expression of pain, love and the human condition is unmistakable in the passion of her live shows.
Her most recent collaboration ’Sometimes’ involves a collective of musicians she has come across in her continued search for the right fit. The most profound in this effort is working with cellist Geoff Knorr, a Peabody Graduate she heard at the local pizza joint Iggie’s. The cello’s sweeping glides and motifs fill out the sound, complementing the pieces. The band on “Sometimes’ includes local musicians: John Doering on lead guitar, Tom Scanlan on Mandolin and producer Brian Potts on percussion. The result is a heart-felt body of work which expresses something found, something complete, and something uniquely Jen.
Written by: Jamie Campbell ShineCollective.com
Edited by: Jen Swartout