JANIE COWAN

Upright bassist Janie Cowan grew up in Anchorage, AK.  She graduated from The Oberlin Conservatory of music where she studied with such luminaries as Jamey Haddad, Eddie Gomez and Billy Hart.  She was trained classically but was more drawn to the space and flexibility in more modern music traditions, allowing her to cultivate a diverse and authentic sound and approach.  

Having made appearances on Dutch national TV, Bulgarian National Radio, NPR and BBC 1, she has captivated audiences worldwide.  You will find her contented busking on the streets, playing for dance and music festivals, playing sold out venues like the 9:30 club, Irving Plaza or the 100 Club, in your living room or local public library.  She loves a pure acoustic sound, but also persues experimental projects using electronics to process the upright bass.  After years of travel and immersion in music communities all over the country and world, she resides in southern California where she does remote recording, studio work, teaches and performs. 

She spends time exploring space, dynamicism and sensitivity in sounds as well as sharing and learning international folk traditions.  She has immersed herself in and pursues the studies of music from Ethiopia, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, the Middle East, the Balkans, Sephardim and America's Soul, psych and songwriting traditions.   

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