Jean Synodinos

Artist Information

Biography

Jean Synodinos delivers songs of grit, grace and acoustic soul for the big kids in the room. Her voice has been hailed by critics as “big league,” and her award-winning writing digs deep lyrically, moving from big affirmations to little ironies at the turn of a phrase. Deftly skating between genres, Jean easily slips from folk to pop to jazz to blues and binds them together with grit and grace. Known for dynamic performances, she lives to read the room and deliver shows that keep audiences returning for more.

Jean's third studio disc, "Girls Good & Otherwise," has just been released in Austin and is slated for a national release in January 2012. It features thoroughbred performances from some of Austin's finest players, including Bruce Hughes on bass (Jason Mraz, The Resentments, The Scabs), Rob Hooper on drums (Carolyn Wonderland, Guy Forsythe), and Charles Rieser (The Scabs, Boombox) on electric guitars and production. Guest performers on select tracks include Redd Volkaert (Merle Haggard) on blistering guitar, Red Young (Joan Armatrading) on B3 and keyboards, and John Pointer on cello and beatbox.

The 12/1/11 Austin Chronicle review of Girls, Good & Otherwise said: "For women, every day is a tightrope walk of actions both micro and macro in scale, the mundane mingling gloriously with the transcendent. This delicious tension is at the root of local singer-songwriter Jean Synodinos' third album, Girls, Good & Otherwise... Synodinos juxtaposes day-to-day concerns with much larger ones of contentment, partnership, and home, assembling an impressive cadre of supporting local musicians to back up her musings... [and] the ace in the hole is Synodinos' velvety voice, which encapsulates both the beauty and pain of being a girl, Good & Otherwise."

Both of Jean's previous releases, "Breathe" and "Lucky", received critical acclaim from critics nationally and locally: John Conquest of Third Coast Music says, “Synodinos is amazing… She has excellent moves as a songwriter and is an accomplished acoustic guitarist, but her big gun is the marvel that is her voice.” Margaret Moser of the Austin Chronicle calls Jean, “As fine a vocalist as she is a composer.”

Jean has performed as a solo artist at house concerts and listening rooms from coast to coast. Around her adopted hometown of Austin, TX, Jean regularly plays solo, duo, and band shows and has performed as a guest vocalist for Austin’s acclaimed ensemble Will Taylor & Strings Attached in several of their shows, including: Best of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and A Tribute to Joni Mitchell.

She lives with her husband, guitarist and producer Charles Rieser, and their superior mutt Freida. A breast cancer survivor, she appreciates all opportunities to remind women (and the men who love them), that early detection not only saves lives--it saves the quality of lives.

AWARDS:
First place -- Songwriter Serenade Competition, Hallettsville, TX (2011)

First place -- KRCL/Founders Day Festival Songwriting Competition (Now Susanne Millsaps Memorial Competition), Salt Lake City, UT (2003)

Finalist -- Wildflower! Songwriting Competition (2003)

Winner (1996) and Finalist (1995), Kerrville New Folk Competition (under former name Jean Ganias)

Jean has also been selected as an Official Showcase Artist at these conferences and festivals:

2004 - Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference, Austin, TX
2002 - Northgate Music Festival, College Station, TX
2002 - Millennium Music Conference, Harrisburg, PA

Instrumentation

We can add up to four players to suit the nature of any show. Let's talk! Local (Austin) band gigs always include the finest local players. - Bass, Drums, guitars, keyboards, Percussion
Charles Rieser - Electric & acoustic guitars

Discography

"Girls, Good & Otherwise" -- Released Nov 2011 in Austin Tx and nationally in January 2012 (Fortunate Records)

"Breathe" -- 2006 (Fortunate Records)

"Lucky" - 2003 (Fortunate Records).

"Drive" -- 1999 (with The Nonchalants, Found Dog Records).


COMPILATIONS:

Peace from the Porch, Vol. 3 (2011)

GoGirls Music Festival Compilation (2011)

Southwest Regional Folk Alliance 2010 Song Challenge Compilation (2011)

Back to the Garden: A Tribute to Joni Mitchell (Will Taylor & Strings Attached, 2007)

Indie Music for Life (2007)

Peace from the Porch, Vol. 1 (2004)

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Tumblr Blog

Audio

• Full Moon Eclipsing
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• Enough is Enough
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• Nothin' But Love
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• Be a Good Girl
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• Red Vase
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• You're Only Human
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• Five Things To Do Today
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• The Scissors to My Rock
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• The Perfect Crime
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• Knife
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• This Morning
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• Real Renegade
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Lyrics

• Full Moon Eclipsing
• Enough is Enough
• Nothin' But Love
• Be a Good Girl
• Red Vase
• You're Only Human
• Five Things To Do Today
• The Scissors To My Rock
• The Perfect Crime
• Knife
• Picture

Video

CD Release show highlights 11-2-11

Waiting For The Light To Change

Photo Gallery

Press

• Praise for "Girls, Good & Otherwise" [+ Show ]
  

  "For women, every day is a tightrope walk of actions both micro and macro in scale, the mundane ming..."For women, every day is a tightrope walk of actions both micro and macro in scale, the mundane mingling gloriously with the transcendent. This delicious tension is at the root of local singer-songwriter Jean Synodinos' third album, Girls, Good & Otherwise. Synodinos juxtaposes day-to-day concerns with much larger ones of contentment, partnership, and home, assembling an impressive cadre of supporting local musicians to back up her musings... [and] the ace in the hole is Synodinos' velvety voice, which encapsulates both the beauty and pain of being a girl, Good & Otherwise." -- Melanie Haupt, AUSTIN CHRONICLE
  
  "Nothing pretentious or fake, just raw emotion and an endearing look at the world that few of us slow down enough to enjoy... Perhaps Jean’s unapologetic approach to music is her secret... she truly holds her own next to any national act with this performance... This album is Jean Synodinos’ best work to date." Lucky Boyd, MyTexasMusic.com
  
  "After spinning Girls, Good & Otherwise a few times we can't help but wonder how long it might be before Jean Synodinos receives the recognition she so rightly deserves. This talented lady writes and records music that could be easily be appreciated by millions upon millions of listeners--if they could only hear her songs. Jean makes music that is timeless and classic... Eleven classy tracks here and they're all keepers. Our favorites include "You're Only Human," "Full Moon Eclipsing," "Happiness Factor," and "Nothing But Love." Good solid stuff delivered with heart and soul." -- babysue.com
  
  "Beg, borrow, or buy her album Girls, Good and Otherwise. It’s beautiful and jazzy and sexy and bold like the women she writes about." -- Tom Ashcraft, FeedYourFan.com
  
  "From the first acoustic notes of 'You’re Only Human,' to the swingin’ 'Five Things To Do Today,' the songs just roll off, each one unique and sassy. But the record truly begins to soar with 'Full Moon Eclipsing,' juxtaposing Jean’s power pipes against Red Young’s orgasmic organ. This is a radio hit if there ever was one... Then another balls to the wall ballad – 'Enough Is Enough,' a New Year’s resolution song about Grace’s liquor store and car wash. 'Red Vase' is an even slower shuffle that reminds me a LOT of Sarah Vaughan (and why not?). OMG, 'Happiness Factor' says that 'good girls aren’t perfect, bad boys aren’t cool, but no one need ever atone…' and starts with a sultry sax — in short, another pure jazz classic. I could go on — but suffice it to say, we are ready for some more juicy meat and red red wine … Girls .. Good and Otherwise … yum/purr!" -- Duggan Flanakin, FLANFIRE MUSIC BLOG

• Praise for "Breathe" [+ Show ]
  

  "There's no mistaking that marvelous voice, but if that alone gives her a decided advantage in the m..."There's no mistaking that marvelous voice, but if that alone gives her a decided advantage in the massed ranks of Austin’s Girls With Guitars, she piles it on by writing songs that are extraordinarily inventive and distinctive... she writes poetry that can be sung. " -- John Conquest, Third Coast Music
  
  "...[Lucky's] successor is an equal sigh of relief... shouldering a flirty sense of humor with substantial songwriting chops." -- Margaret Moser, The Austin Chronicle
  
  "Tiny gestures like the brush of a finger or side-glance can speak volumes, Jean Synodinos is adept at turning such gestures into philosophical songs that incorporate jazz with a tough blend of organic folk and blues rock." -- David Pyndus, Pop Culture Press
  
  "I love her sass, her wit, here boldness, her sexiness... 'Breathe' showcases her ability to make a song swing between Dorothy Parker’s wit and a well written short story. Synodinos definitely has breadth... and once again begs the question, “why is Jean Synodinos not a household name in the greater folk world?” All I can figure is the white boys in charge are damn intimidated by this great artist." -- Christy Claxton, Stave Magazine
  
  "Ms. Synodinos’ second album is another wonderfully insightful investigation of human nature in all it’s natural forms and manifestations; love pined for; lost; found again and reinvigorated. Her vocals are even more assured than on her previous album and her music gains in depth with added stylistic accretions of sound without sounding dilettantish. She incorporates elements of folk, jazz, rock, blues et al, in a seamless way that enhances the singer/songwriter genre in general and her own unique perspective in particular. Her last album had the best version of Ode To Billy Joe I had ever heard and she makes a strong case again by appropriating Houses of the Holy from Led Zeppelin, with an understated reading that digs beneath the surface of the lyric and gets to the heart of the matter, making the song her own and melding it into the middle of her own observations on life and love. – John Hammel “Mozart to Motorhead” Internet DJ www.homegrownradionj.com
  
  “Folk-rock that is a great pick-me-up is a rare find in these days where melancholy seems to drip from the sky. Jean’s vocals are dynamic with a tasty amount of range. She’s gotten even better on this terrific follow-up [to Lucky]. It’s an album I’ll be pondering often since it has a new residency in my stereo.” – J-Sin, www.smother.net
  
  “… there is something charismatic about Synodinos. There is a vulnerability in her voice that will attract even the casual listener. You have the feeling you are being sung to and not sung out like so many card carrying female acoustic guitar players out there.” — William Alexander, www.enigma.com
  
  “If you have heard Jean’s last album, 'Lucky,' you will be blown away. This compilation is stronger lyrically and has a bolder sound. Her gorgeous raspy voice mixed with the beautifully well-written lyrics makes for a must-own CD.” – Beth Bowers, www.celebritycafe.com
  
  “Excellent tunes, great band… very fine disc!” – John Ziegler, PD, KUMD, Duluth, MN
  
  “... there's nothing like that smoky voice with just a hint of grit like yeah, she's been there and done it and done it. And hot damn, those songs! There's nothing predictable about these tasty songs of love and regret with the occasional odd character, fueled with her rhythmic acoustic guitar and rootsy arrangements. It's not folk. Exactly. More like sultry alt-country, low on the twang please, with pop and jazz too.“ — Jamie Anderson, www.minor7th.com
  
  "BREATHE is a captivating record. The reprise of the opening cut is worth the price of the entire album. The voice is perfect as expected, and who else would toss in a Led Zeppelin tune for good measure? We hear a rocky side to Synodinos as well as her jazz and folk side. All around, this is a major disc. Jean Synodinos is one of those performers that you just love to listen to, almost embarrassingly wanting to listen alone, almost like hiding away with a Nina Simone record. Great album hands down." -- Lucky Boyd, mytexasmusic.com
  
  

• Praise for "Lucky" [+ Show ]
  

  "...great lyrics and a full, soulful sound that is truly wonderful! With a voice capable of being wa..."...great lyrics and a full, soulful sound that is truly wonderful! With a voice capable of being warm and smoky and at the same time light and playful, Jean puts great passion behind every note. With a beautiful voice and great guitar skills already in force, the lyrics thankfully follow suit, providing lots more fun." -- SINGER MAGAZINE, Issue 31, Jan/Feb 2005
  
  “As fine a vocalist as she is a composer, Synodinos’ Lucky is among the most overlooked albums of recent memory.” – Margaret Moser, THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE, June 18, 2004
  
  "Synodinos is amazing... She has some excellent moves as a songwriter and is an accomplished acoustic guitarist, but her big gun, and I'm talking .50 caliber made by badass Hellenes, is the marvel that is her voice." -- John Conquest, THIRD COAST MUSIC, June 2004
  
  “Few can genre-skate well, but perhaps that’s because few have a voice as amazingly versatile as Jean Synodinos'... Certainly, the muses have visited Synodinos, and I’m not so convinced she’s not one herself. I’m so blown away by the entirety of Lucky, I hardly know which to acknowledge as more compelling - Synodinos’ voice or her songwriting capabilities, or stronghold on guitar playing. Her experience and confidence shines through without a shadow in all three, yet the natural juxtaposition her vocal talents provide seem to prevail. Fresh but down-home-dirty. Pure but worldly. Bottomless but downy-light. With that cannon in her pocket, Synodinos could sing any piece passable as music and cast it into greatness. More so than any other artist I’ve ever witnessed, Synodinos’ songwriting is not only a perfect counterpart for her voice, but also impressively reflects her wit, intelligence and whims. Synodinos’ style does not simply come out of wisely choosing lyrics to fit a nice groove, but additionally out of a storytelling skill consisting not of stories themselves so much as a capacity to relate a wisdom without becoming condescending. Perhaps Synodinos is indeed a muse. Beyond doubt, Jean Synodinos is a woman to be reckoned with.” – Genevieve Will, www.indie-music.com
  
  
  "Acoustic strumming quickly punctuated by sax, trumpet, and trombone begins Lucky in assured fashion, followed by Jean Synodinos' seductive singing, at turns jazzy and brash, at others subdued and understated. Synodinos has the cojones to cover Bobbie Gentry's 1967 smash "Ode To Billy Joe" and pulls it off in a wonderfully sultry manner. Synodinos appreciates a well-written narrative and knows how to enjoy life, all the while encouraging everyone else to do the same. Alive as alive can be, as she sings in 'Running With Me.'" -- David Pyndus, POP CULTURE PRESS, August 2004
  
  "Jean Synodinos demonstrates none of the delusional behaviors of an average singer/songwriter. She knows her lyrics aren't so important as to supersede the necessity of smart composition and varied instrumentation. She's serious enough about being listenable that she doesn't take herself too seriously. Synodinos's lyrics are smart and silly and weightless and charming. Her voice is dusky and twangy and warbles just slightly, oh so pleasantly, when the time is right. She's a little bit country, and yes, she's a little bit rock and roll. Lucky is a singer/songwriter album you can really get behind, without feeling guilty about supporting a half-assed product. Hell, you can dance to it, too. -- Mike Meginnis, splendidezine.com
  
  
  "Austin-based singer-songwriter Jean Synodinos belts out the kind of bluesy vocal delivery that is paradoxically both bawdy and coy. There's just a hint-of-Texas mystery to her vibe that you can't quite define... is it down-home or come-hither? Whoever is touched by a listen to Synodinos' music is sure to feel the luck." -- Alan Fark, Minor 7th (www.minor7th.com)
  
  "... strong, smooth vocals that don't quit, backed up by some great musicians... a great product deserving of commercial radio and top 100 activity. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if we hear a lot more of Jean soon." -- The Music Review, www.musereview.com
  
  "[Lucky is] wonderfully produced. The instrumentation is well constructed and Synodinos’ voice is soulfully contagious. Her voice has wonderful qualities, including the smoothness found in R&B, the swing and sassiness found in jazz, a gentle country twang, and great projection of powerful emotions alluding to the blues. Jean Synodinos' lyrics were intelligent and thought provoking. This album is a great accomplishment." -- www.southofmainstream.com
  
  "One of the best CDs of 2003. Intelligent, thoughtful, literate lyrics, a world-wise sensitiblity and a big, big sound -- 'Lucky' is the whole package. And oh, that voice! Highly recommended." -- Susanne Millsaps, Host of Thursday Breakfast Jam, KRCL-FM, Salt Lake City, UT
  
  "Wow! The vocals are amazing, and so's the content, instrumentation and arrangements. A very tasty offering and, for that, BOY am I Lucky!" --Chris Darling, Host, Us Folk, WMPG-FM, Portland, ME
  
  "Another big talent blowing across the country from the Lone Star State. Ms. Synodinos' record is an amalgam of folky roots singer songwriter gems that sparkle long after the cd stops spinning. Her cover of Ode To Billy Joe is gifted with more understanding and insight than most singers have ever imbued the song with. The backing players are exquisite and support with astonishing expertise. This is a great record and Ms. Synodinos' voice is warm as a balmy breeze. Wit and grace abound all over this disc." -- John Hammel, Host, Mozart to Motorhead, WNTI-FM, Hackettstown, NJ
  
  "An exciting CD -- imaginative, fresh and ear-catching!" -- Arthur Elliott, 99.7 Radio, Brisbane, Australia
  
  "It is hard to believe this is a debut.  Both text and music witness a mature and independent singer/songwriter with a sense of lyric and groove... The material showcases a multifaceted talent." -- Gert-Ove Fridlund, Hallandsposten, Sweden
  
  "Your CD Player will thank you -- each and every song is a MUST hear! From the full throated 'Running with Me' to (in my humble opinion)Jean's better-than-the-original rendition of 'Ode to Billy Joe,' this CD is an amazing presentation of her vocal skills. Jean then brings it down to a sweet close with 'Lullaby,' guaranteed to make you sleep a little easier. Buy two, one to keep selfishly for yourself and the other to give to someone you love." -- Connie Gray, booker, Georgetown House Concerts, TX
  
  "'Lucky,' Jean Synodinos' solo debut may prove to be her 'lucky charm.' Jean has overcome the acoustic curse of being an amazingly powerful voice in a typically mealy genre called 'folk.' With horns, an accomplished rhythm section and crisp production from Charles Rieser, Lucky jumps off the folk wagon straight onto the AAA fast track. It's groovy, energetic and exceptionally smart. Synodinos regularly proves herself to be one of the smartest songwriters working today, and she's got the beauty to match the brains. I like to imagine her shoving the acoustic purists aside and saying 'leave it to me, I'll show you how to do it.' And with that, she becomes a champion for the singer/songwriter." -- Christy Claxton, booker, Bear Creek Concert Series

• Praise for live performances [+ Show ]
  

  "I've decided that performance is not important in the Live Capitol of the World. If it was, there w..."I've decided that performance is not important in the Live Capitol of the World. If it was, there would be a whole lot of headliners taking lessons from Jean Synodinos. Forget young and trendy. Think more like fully realized, musically seasoned and breathtakingly hot show stopper. That was Jean and her band on Tuesday night at the Saxon. Hot show. Very hot show. Leave the Lone Star tallboys with the babysitter. You need a straight up shot of Lagavulin for Jean Synodinos. With a tight, crisp 3 piece back up band, Synodinos rolled out songs from her forthcoming album, “Girls. Good and Otherwise.” [Her live performance is] from the heart, flowing right through the ends of her fingertips. I'll admit that there were times I found my self sitting tense, perfectly still and sans breath. Nobody can tell a story with song like Jean... Maybe it's her superior approach to the song. Maybe it's that she came to town as a completely grown up adult. Maybe it's because her sound is all her own. You don't hear hippie, Country, jam or blues the way Austin does it. There's a little of all of it in her song, but the low groove root of her sound is much more complex than anything coming out of this town. When she fleshes it out live, it's impossible to sit still... Band or no band, treat yourself. See and hear Austin music in a whole new and sexily grown up kind of way." -- Christy Claxton, STAVE MAGAZINE music blog, 10/18/11
  
  "By the time I got to Momo’s tonight, there was already excitement in the air. I had just missed Deann Renee and her hot band, but got there in time for the Jean Synodinos CD release show... Let me just say this was one ROCKIN’ set… This is one amazing woman, gritty and soulful yet down to earth as you can get." -- Duggan Flanakin, FLANFIRE music blog, 11/2/11
  
  "... her deceptively angelic voice infuses her music with a soulful, sardonic edge." -- David Okamoto, Dallas Morning News
  
  "Here's a big BIG voice with intrigue and drama, overflowing with dynamic power... She's a sassy, sweet and wide-awake original whose performance will knock your socks off!  When you book Jean, bring in more chairs, 'cause you're gonna need them!" -- Michael Terry, past booker, Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse, Dallas, TX
  
  "...well-written and entertaining songs, great audience rapport, fabulous vocals and wonderful stories to back it all up and tie it all together." -- Shannon Hicks, The Newtown Bee, CT

Setlist

Features all cuts from Jean's discs, including "Girls, Good & Otherwise, "Breathe," and "Lucky." She also performs select cover songs.

Typical sets 45-50 mins in length. Shows up to three sets.

Basic Requirements

Calendar