I am always excited when Mieka comes to town.  She is definitely one of the most dynamic performer I've ever seen.  Her voice will demand your attention and you will be more than happy to oblige.

Jana Holland has been given a rich heritage of song and spirit. Every Saturday afternoon for the first 15 years of Jana's life, she would join her Grandmother at the local nursing home in Muskegon, Michigan, to sing hymns of old. As a teen, she was introduced to the world of performance, and recording by touring with Judy Price, her mother, mentor and gifted vocalist.

Through these experiences Jana developed a deep desire to connect with others through song. She began to write after having her daughter in 1996. In her writings she shares her life journey, offering an emotional, intellectual and spiritual response to deeply moving issues.

Promoting a holistic approach to her art form, she often collaborates with visual artist. In 2006, Holland's song "Tribute to Grace" was the foundation for a collaborative art piece produced by Women Create. The nine artists are all based in northeast Wisconsin, and they meet regularly to challenge and support each other. The piece sold at auction, with proceeds supporting Sunshine House Inc.

Holland's 2007 E.P debut, 'ONE' is personal in tone, yet universal in reach. Her deep minor tones and angelic voice offer solace to any who listen. Jana's songs are full of depth, character and an underlying sense of peace.

Recently joining Jana is husband, Craig Holland. A gifted musician/guitarist, Craig has a long history of performing and recording. His most recent project was seven year stint with national touring band, Ballydowse, a 9 piece Celtic/World music band with punk roots. Craig brings a international flare to the band, as he grew up in a small town outside of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Over the past year they have toured in the Midwest, down the East Coast to Florida, and as far away as Australia.
 

Jen Chapin’s music is urban folk — story songs that search for community and shared meaning, powered by the funk, soul and improvisation of the city. Critics have hailed her work on her albums Linger (2004) and Ready (2006) as “brilliant.. soulfully poetic” (NPR), “thoughtful.. worth-savoring” (People), “addictive” (Boston Globe), “smart, observant, lyrically deft, politically aware and emotionally intuitive” (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). JazzTimes has called her “a first-rate storyteller” while Relix regards her as “one of the freshest voices singing today." She has been featured on “Late Nite with Conan O’Brien,” honored by the USA Songwriting Competition, appeared on stage with Bruce Springsteen, and opened up for Bruce Hornsby and the Neville Brothers. Her performances are powerful, spotlighting the world-class musicianship and rare chemistry of husband/acoustic bassist Stephan Crump and guitarist Jamie Fox, with the frequent special addition of guitarist Liberty Ellman. As an activist, educator and mother, Jen also brings the knowledge and insight of varied experience (student/traveler in Mexico and Zimbabwe, BA in International Relations, longtime Member, Chair and Secretary of the Board of WHY – (http://www.whyhunger.org) to her workshops and presentations to college, community and church groups.

Light of Mine: the new double-disc CD/DVD available now at http://www.jenchapin.com Strange days indeed: these years have brought us torture, wire-tapping, and a patriotism based on wearing lapel pins, shopping, and ignoring the constitution. Fear (or just the fear of fear) has made our thinking flat and closed and has perverted our national decision-making into something unrecognizable. We resign ourselves to powerlessness and fall into the arms of the strongman. We wait for answers to fall out of the sky. We keep our defiance safely contained to our blog screens.

Or we remember to make some noise. We reclaim our own sparkling power and responsibility, and remember to seek the truth, to protest, to create a real future individually and collectively, and to dream.