Most of my performances are solo right now. I have been fortunate to record and perform with some of the best however. I'm also proud to call them my friends like: Goliath Flores, Arvid Smith, Andy King, Tropic of Cancer and Rebecca Zapin here in Florida. Abroad I've been honored to work with some of the finest performers in west Africa like: Les Freres Guisse and Pape Niang of Senegal and Jean Luc Maron of France.
Influences
At the moment I'm listening to a lot of Chavela Vargas, Concha Buika and Mariza. My early songwriting inspirations have always been Fleetwood Mac and Bonnie Raitt.
Sounds Like
I have no idea...and feel weird about making those comparisons
Vita
In 1995 Jennifer Chase arrived in Jacksonville’s music scene. By spring 1996 she had received critical acclaim in France and the U.S. for her debut original album kid jail. Jennifer’s highly anticipated second album Famadihana, released in 1998, features collaborations with songwriter and guitarist Gary Smalley. The album explored other themes ranging from racism, animism, mythology and ancestor worship. The album also includes the first of several originals recorded in French.
Subsequent solo tours in France and study of the French language, heightened Jennifer’s interest in International Studies, specifically Francophone cultures. The albums received frequent airplay on public and college radio stations throughout the U.S and Europe.
At home, Jennifer opened for such Grammy award winners as: The Doobie Brothers, The Rippingtons, and Lisa Loeb. She founded and spearheaded, j.a.n.e. (Jacksonville Artists’ Night of Entertainment), a non-profit project boasting two concerts and an original CD that funded child-care scholarships for single parents pursuing a college education. The project was the first and only of its kind in Florida. In spring of 1998, Jennifer was honored with the Annual University of North Florida’s Women’s Leadership Award for her service and accomplishments with j.a.n.e.
In the fall of that year, Jennifer was awarded the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship in recognition of her academic, creative and humanitarian achievements. The scholarship sent her to Senegal, Africa for a semester to share her music and to immerse herself in the Wolof and French languages in the Islamic country. While there she wrote, recorded and performed with Senegalese folk group Les Freres Guissé. In 2000, Jennifer received her B.A. from the University of North Florida in International Studies and returned to Senegal. There she began to write Majigeen, the musical drama of historical fiction which explores the life of a 19th century Senegalese teenager, Anta Majigeen Njaay. In the summer of 2003 Jennifer completed writing the musical in France. Majigeen has enjoyed five successful runs on Florida stages.
In 2007 She performed in, and wrote original music for, the P.B.S. documentary, In Marjorie’s Wake. Her album by the same title is now available.
Recently, Jennifer spent two consecutive summers in Madrid, Spain. There she worked on her newest drama, Handmaid, while in residence to complete her M.F.A. In 2008 Jennifer received her M.F.A. from the University of New Orleans. She is a professor at Florida Community College teaching Creative Writing, English as a Second Language, English. She continues to write perform and travel.
I am sitting here at work listening to a playlist I made for Steph's senior gallery show up in Halifax, and you popped up on my ipod. God I miss you. After your song it went to Helen Reddy. God I miss her.
Jennifer, when renewing the music on your myspace, please do not remove "Basement", which is my favorite and that song is not on the disks that you sent me. Ah, your friend Jennifer Ray has very good music on your page
WELL WELL WELL IM NOT ON UR TOP U MADE ME FEEL BAD AND IM NOT EVEN THE 8TH PERSON ON YOUR TOP....WELL I SEE HOW IT IS...LOOK AT MY TOP NOW....WHO'S NOT ON IT ANYMORE?? HMMMM I WONDER...?? :/
So this weekend we were having some pals over for dinner, as is our custom, and I wanted to use up a bunch of chicken I had in my freezer. I leafed through a few cookbooks and found a recipe for Yassa, which the cookbook described as Senagalese lemon chicken. So I made a huge pot of that, as well as some sautéed greens. Then I made an all-Africa itunes playlist for background music, and for dessert – yep, more Bananas Foster. Damn the only thing missing was you. The chicken stew turned out pretty good, though.
Hey I seen you (i think) in five points yesterday afternoon.. I was trying to chase your car down with baby in hand but you must of been driving by.. We have to link up sometime soon! Sean will be 1 soon..
Last night at our halloween party I served bananas foster to 24 of our friends. And is my ass ever tired. And for some reason I thought of you. Bananas foster....heeheeheeheehee
hey babe so I just checked with UNF...apparently someone's now an official college graduate. Now all I have to do is sit back and let the money roll in... u coming to NYC anytime soon? miss you, talk to ya later
So last night I got home on the later side of the evening, and needed to hear some music, so i grabbed the Magijeen disk (because I've never listened to it in its entirety), and i must say that i really enjoyed it. You write really good songs, and that bassist is to die for...oy-vey.
