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Born to a Jewish family so left wing that they were monitored by the government during the Cold War, it’s only fitting that Janis Ian would become a truly radical voice for change when she made her debut. What’s surprising is that she was that openly liberal and informed when she was just fourteen years of age. Her father was a music teacher, so by the time she reached her early teens she was proficient in piano, guitar, flute, French horn, organ and the harpsichord. She was so musically literate that she was writing her first songs by the age of 12, and started performing around the legendary New York folk scene soon afterwards. It was while she was performing at the world-famous Gaslight Café, that Leonard Bernstein’s producer watched her perform her song “Society’s Child”, and everything changed after that.
The producer got her a slot performing on a television special concerning the new wave of pop music, and though the song’s subject matter (an interracial romance) was taboo for the time, Verve Records picked the single up and started promoting it wherever it could. The song was officially released in 1966 and though the fifteen year old Ian received death threats and hate mail for writing the song, it reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1967, the same year her self-titled debut album was released. The album that accompanied it was also a big hit but it was the last hit that she’d get for nearly a decade, being written off as a one-hit wonder until 1975, when she scored an even bigger hit with “At Seventeen”, a top three hit on the Hot 100 and even performed on the very first episode of Saturday Night Live.
Ever since then, Ian has remained one of the most vital voices in folk music, with songs of hers covered by the likes of Bette Midler and Amy Grant, among many others. She still writes, records and performs live to this day, with the kind of skill that you can only get from half a century in the business. Highly recommended.
Críticas en vivo
Janis Ian has played to millions world wide on SNL and to less than 50 people in coffee bars across the country. I was one of the million who heard the music of Janis Ian on SNL. I was instantly hooked. Her lyrics were confessional to the extent that a stoic would blush and her music captured the pure harmonious sound evident in the work of like minded artist such as Joni Mitchell and Peter, Paul and Mary.
Her live performances are emotionally gripping and are in a sense a cathartic experience. Her music is utterly gorgeous and quite calming; however, this is not necessarily the type of show where you go to have a glass of merlot and chat it up with your friends. This is not background music! You will be invested in the performance the entire night and in some cases reduced to tears. Her writing is profound and is created to pull at the heart strings. Though she touches on controversial and in some regards unconventional topics, her performance is far from uncomfortable. I would rather call it a socially informative and enlightening experience.
The instrumental set up is bare and subdued, but the delivery and lyrical content is absolutely invigorating. The minimal instrumentation does nothing but enhance the potency of the lyrics allowing them space to resonate to a provocative extent within the listener. The song "Seventeen" which she still performs to this day is almost an anthem of self-deprecation, but nevertheless is a vividly poignant piece of celebrity fascination and teenage angst. Her works on "Breaking the Silence" touched on themes of incest, prostitution and homosexuality. She became recognized as an artist of paramount importance to the indie scene. One of the most memorable songs she played live was "Jesse". She started this song off singing for about a minute with no musical accompaniment as the song progressed she underscored her voice with trickles of acoustic guitar. Chills ran down my spine during this song. Although a guitar is often all that accompanies her on tours her music far surpasses the traditional folk sound. She has influenced musicians as far ranging as the Indigo Girls to the Cure. She has even recorded a dance song with disco producer Giorgio Moroder. To say the least she is not a one trick pony. Her shows will be private and personally revealing, but they are worth every minute you pour into it.
wjmcc
I saw Janis in Stamford, CT., around 1985. I brought a Valentine"s balloon to her. She thanked me publicly. I have her album (autographed).
If she shows up anywhere, I will see her. (If in NY, Janis, may I take you to dinner?) She is very special to me.
I wish her all the love in this world. She is the real thing. Just study her lyrics. Be transported by her humanity.
Very best and warm regards, Janis,
Joseph Whelan
Jwhelancpa@juno.com
Bedford, NY
914)689-1494
jwhelancpa
Very impressive! Newer and older songs still strong. Deep impact when she started Jesse at the beginning, just like that! and the audience listened and stayed silence, deeply impressed by this personalty and good musician and guitar player. Besides good songs there where lots of inside nice stories about live, songwriting etc.
Special night it was.
Guus70
