Jen

Jen was born December 13, 1977, in Miami, Fla. In 1979 Jen & her parents moved south to Marathon, Florida Keys to be closer to a large extended family. Jen recalls her musical awakening as a child, "As a three-year-old my favorite toys happened to be a new guitar & piano. I remember as clearly as if it was yesterday, my Uncle Diego perched behind his drums, joisting me onto his lap. Playing music has always been natural for me."

As Jen moved into adolescence, she added saxophone & drums to her musical repertoire, playing saxophone throughout high school in the marching band. Her 12-string guitar was never far from her side. A flair for songwriting emerged around age 13.

Jen admits "an affinity for poetry is in my Latin blood. Both my grandfather & my mother were extraordinary poets. Their poems spoke of healing & coping with life's challenges. Those beautiful images & lyrical words soothed me as a child. But when I began writing lyrics at 13, my first poems reflected the angst of a teenager. My first few songs could have been classified as Anger-Management 101. That phase passed as I matured as a person & a songwriter."

With a glimpse back at her past, it comes as no surprise the Jen has grown into a regionally renowned musician-songwriter. As a young female acoustic guitar solo artist, she sings original material spanning several styles of music from rock to blues, all with a hint of her Latin soul.

According to her fans, Jen's artistic strength is her power-packed live performance, her energy triggering comparisons to a bevy of heavyweight artists from Melissa Etheridge, Michelle Branch, to Janis Joplin.

Jen is flattered by the comparisons. "I love all those women & they definitely influence my style. I grew up on Elvis and, like him, I enjoy playing many kinds of music. I'm a fan of rock and roll cross-section from Nirvana to Gloria Estefan. I relate to Estefan's Latin vibe, particularly her ballads. Since I write in both Spanish & English, I can definitely say some of her Miami sound has seeped within my music."

Jen is a musical fixture throughout the Florida Keys, an area well-known for its tourist economy where entertainment plays a significant role. In 2001 she won the title "Best Musician in the Keys", after previously winning "Favorite Marathon Musician". She also won "People's Choice Award", & in 2004, picked up three honorable mentions in Billboard's prestigious annual Songwriters Competition against 1500 entries.

With such a high profile local buzz, prominent entertainers have sought her out. Clarence Clemons of Springsteen's E-Street Band fame jammed with her at a Keys festival, saying, "Girl, you are on your way!" He's still in touch these days. Jen is polishing her act by opening for Rick Derringer & most recently .38 Special.

I prefer real musicians because I feel they contribute to the positive energy of the music. My songs about love & friendship & loss are really a compilation of my life experience and inspirations."

Jen is now in the studio working on her CD and co-writing album material for well known artist.