Jane Walker
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Jane Walker

Band Pop Singer/Songwriter

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Discography

2008 Single: Ancient Land
2009: Album: Walk Gently (TBR)

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"One of this city's finest emerging acts." Michael Smith, Drum Media

"A voice from the heavens and a gift for developing melodic themes into songs that stick in the mind for hours afterwards. Dig it!" Zolton Zavos, Tharunka Magazine

When you hear Jane Walker sing, her voice tickles your ear with the sweet familiarity of singers like Sade, Dido, Joni Mitchell, Eva Cassidy, Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan and Karen Carpenter.

Like those singers, the lyrics and melodies on her debut album ‘Walk Gently’ are heartfelt and direct, her gentle messages reaching far into our psyches to connect, identify, soothe, persuade, entrance and ultimately feel uplifted by. Jane delivers her songs with an Australian honesty that will win the hearts and minds of her audience and ensure her songs become timeless classics.

Jane is classically trained on piano and has studied jazz at the NSW Conservatorium of Music before singing for two years with Sydney’s a cappella outfit, The Café of the Gates of Salvation. Emerging as a singer/songwriter, she traveled to Africa and made her first recordings with the legendary Thomas Mapfumo’s band, The Blacks Unlimited, in Zimbabwe.

Living for a while in London, Jane consolidated her writing and started performing her original songs. "Immediately it was clear how Jane had refined her songwriting craft... presenting a focused, powerful and uplifting presence on stage. With warm, delicate grooves and heart-felt lyrics Jane slips effortlessly across influences of jazz, electronica and classical to create a pop style all her own. Her songs speak in the hidden language of the soul - definitely one not to miss." Claire Scobie, The Daily Telegraph, UK.

Inspired by the atmosphere in London's financial district, she wrote ‘Threadneedle Street’’ which was produced by DJ-composer Peter Lazonby and released in the UK on the album Foundations: Coming up from the Streets, alongside tracks by Massive Attack and Radiohead. In 2006 Jane attended a songwriting retreat organised by Chris Difford (Squeeze) with writers including Difford, Adam Levy (Norah Jones), Steve Hillier (Dubstar) and Geoff Martyn at Monostevole, Italy.

Back in Australia, Jane started recording her debut album. Teaming up with English producer Steve James at Rocking Horse Studios, Byron Bay, Jane recorded the first four songs. One of these, ‘Ancient Land’, features Aboriginal rapper, Predator from Street Warriors. Growing up in Australia, Jane was always aware that there was a strange language, a heritage she didn’t quite understand about her country, surrounded by Aboriginal names, but no Aboriginal faces. In this song, Jane finally is able to express this feeling and apology. The song was released just prior to the Apology and received airplay and support from various stations around the country.

NSW Reconciliation Ambassador, Aden Ridgeway describes ‘Ancient Land’, in the light of February’s long-awaited Australian parliamentary apology, as a timely celebration of Australian identity and a call to unity. ' ‘Ancient Land’ - like the apology - gives a gentle power to a message whose time has finally come”.'
For the second recording session, Jane teamed up with Sony songwriter/producer Barbara Griffin. Recording the rhythm section at Billy Fields’ Paradise Studios and putting the final touches on the songs at Barb Griffin’s Sydney based studio, the recordings were then given to David Hemming to mix, before mastering by Leon Zervis at Sterling.
While there is a thematic thread dealing with perspectives on identity through her lyrics, “Gentle Power” is a very apt accolade. Jane’s music is gentle, and indeed her whole philosophy is encapsulated in the title of one of her key tracks, ‘Walk Gently on the Earth’. For the album title, ‘Walk Gently’ seemed perfect.
“Everything in our world today exhorts us to speed, to violence, to dehumanise, to abuse, to excess. The song, ‘Walk Gently on the Earth’, talks about the need for us as humans to take care of the Earth for our children, to respect the Earth, our mother. It’s also a call to lay down arms against each other, to be kinder to each other, to slow down and breathe.”
The recording of ‘Walk Gently on the Earth’ features a wonderful jazz infused rhythm section and some very special, yet to be named, guests on the track.
The recordings feature the finest of local and overseas talent in special guest musicians including Adam Levy (Norah Jones), Chris Difford (Squeeze) and Steve Hillier (UK band Dubstar), Warwick Scott (Skunkhour), Kinnon Holt (Alex Lloyd, Russell Crowe's band), Bobby Flynn, Tania Bowra, John Bersche. (Bersche and Levy guitars all recorded in NYC); on keys: James Cruickshank (Cruel Sea), Stu Hunter, Billy Field, Barbara Griffin and Jane herself. On bass: James Haselwood, Kara Gray; on drums: Drums: Hamish Stuart and percussion: Jess Ciampa.

Stay tuned for the release date of Jane Walker’ debut album, ‘Walk Gently’.

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