View jean mann's EPK

on jean's live performance:

"...The Music in the Sculpture Garden summer concert series rolls on.
It was a blisteringly hot afternoon.
Our musical souls were soothed some by the wonderful music and voice of Jean
Mann." -John Nordstrand

Look at this nice live show review blog:

Feb 5, 2006
Last night, we joined Jen Forceful and Sunni-V (and wa whole mess of other folks) for a house concert at Linda S and Mike's place with Jean Mann.
Otis and I had gone to a previous house concert by Jean last June. That was a great time, and this time was just as big a treat. Jean played guitar and sang, and was accompanied by her sideman-sidekick Bill on bass, mandolin, slide guitar, and accordion. Jean performed mostly original tunes, including two numbers (that will appear on her new CD) that got their "world debut" perfomances last night; she also covered some songs by the likes of Steve Miller, Bonnie Raitt, and Joan Osborne (and I think Jean's version of "One of Us" is just fantastic).

The music is what I would call folk-rock if I had to put a label on it, but that's a bit reductive: the song "Pink Clouds" has a haiku-like elegance in the lyrics and some vocal bits that are reminiscent of the best of Tracy Chapman; "The Dance" is a haunting waltz which could easily have been lifted from the soundtrack of a French art film. Whether opening with a playful rendition of "Space Cowboy" or introducing her ephemeral "Daisies and Fire," Jean's vocal control and evocative phrasings were captivating. I'd certainly sit her at the same table with Sarah Harmer and Nekko Case at my musical cafe.

Check out Jean's website and pick up one of her CDs. It's good stuff that has earned its place in our rotation.

a recent CD review:

Jean Mann
" Seasons "
Genre: pop
reviewed by Annette Warner -July 2005
Raw, earthy, captivatingly honest. The lyrical tales of Mann’s release, Seasons, digs into a past that leaves a nice taste in my mouth. Jean Mann captures a sound that, while simple, delivers an emotive-filled and unbridled honesty with a ear catching bag of melodies. Sweet vocals.
I like it and want more…..: )

Concert Reviews:

Check this out! My first Blog! review (after our house concert performance, Sat June 4, 2005)

Seattle Duo Brings Fresh Music to Lander
-Julie Hwang, Lander (WY) Journal April 20, 2005

Talking about Jean Mann's "artistic side" would take an awfully long time. In addition to her music that will bring her to Lander at the end of April, this singer/songwriter lives her art through cooking, glass working, drawing with pastels, and creating light strands.

But for the past few years, music has proven her favorite outlet. "I can't explain it. I never wanted to stop," Mann says of the first time she picked up a guitar in 15 years. "And I knew that. Even though my fingertips hurt like crazy."

Mann, who will be joined by Bill Corral to form Bohemian Blue, has
released two records since 2000: Blossom and Seasons. This singer/songwriter has been compared with Ani DiFranco and Joni Mitchell, but plays a unique style she's dubbed "alterna-folk."

Rather than rules, Mann writes based on sound and pure emotion. "You don't need to be a virtuoso on the guitar in order to start writing," she says, citing Neil Young's simple two-three chord songs as a huge influence. As an artist more about sharing than performing her music, she finds opening her life to the audience easier than physically sitting in front of them. "People come up and tell me, 'Thanks for putting a voice to what I was feeling,'" Mann says. "I know how lucky that is to have an outlet like that."

"She's completely self-taught," Corral says, "and I like that because it lends an innocence and freshness to her music." He adds years of guitar experience, harmonies, and a myriad of instruments to Mann's honest music. Between his full-time job, operating a small recording studio (Froglips), playing with his contradance band Les Pieds Chauds and the Jean Mann Trio, Corral holds a pretty full plate. But at least it's balanced. Corral works his nine-to-five as an engineer, a profession that addresses the technical side of his brain. "And it
keeps me in clean underwear," he says, laughing.

The two Seattle artists met while driving to a musical conference in San Diego last year. "We're sharing the expression of my music," Mann says of their performances, which she sees as a collaborative effort. "It's a great gift if someone is willing to do that." Corral refers to it as a type of call-and-response. "I like having the freedom of expression, and that's what Jean allows me to do," the jazz and classical musician says. The two recently started writing music together. "By the time we get to Wyoming, we may have some new songs," Mann says.

In addition to their easy musical communication, Mann and Corral connect visual art and music. "That's the way my music feels to me, the way my art looks," she says. Corral, who mostly writes instrumentals, sees music in terms of painting visual textures with sound. He tries to add this texture to whatever Mann plays. "When she writes her songs," the mandolin player says, "she has a palette of musical notes, and she's creating a visual image."

Despite a consciously flexible, go-with-the-flow type of mentality, Mann holds a definite vision for the future. On top of continuing her other pursuits, she soon starts recording her third album. She'd like to build a home recording studio and do some film soundtrack work.
Mostly, though, Mann simply seeks to continue living her art. "I want to keep creating and feel vibrant about it," she says. "And learning. Always learning."

Recent performance at Skagit River Resorts, show review:
Jean's lyrics, drawing on her love of nature, friendships present and past, and life in general convinced us that she will always be in demand in our corner of the Pacific Northwest. We especially appreciated her new song "the dance." She'll be back in the summer to give an outdoor (barefoot) concert!

Recent concert-goer's comments:

"This is Kelly from Littleton, CO. Met you at the show
in Denver. Bought both of your CDs and listen to them constantly!!! You have
such an incredibly lovely voice! Would love to see you again this way...." April, 2005

"I am enjoying the CD (Seasons) I purchased at the lavender fest on Saturday. It was a good thing my downstairs neighbor was out that night. I was blasting your CD and dancing with my cat at one in the morning." July, 2004
-Anneliese

a few radio quotes on jean's Seasons record:

"I'll give you a quote when I can get the CD back from my daughter. She LOVES it!" Carlos Alden, KPBX (currently playing the heck out of title single, "seasons" on Nacho Celtic Hour)

"The moody, ethereal quality of Jean Mann's title cut, 'seasons', was just the thing for a cold gray morning with rain threatening to turn into snow." Susanne Millsaps, KRCL Salt Lake City, UT

"The songs of jean mann offer the listener wonderful melodies and insightful lyrics."
-Michael Dickes, KOHO, Leavenworth, WA

The following interview appeared in the Bainbridge Island Review.
For the archive edition, please go to Bainbridge Island Review and type in "Jean Mann" under (story search Keyword)

Chords of color, palette of sounds

By DEE AXELROD
Staff Writer

June 23, 2004
Singer/songwriter Jean Mann looks to both music and painting for creative expression.

Jean Mann is shy, but her music isn’t.
The Seattle-based songster – a familiar artistic presence here for her pastels and glass lamps, as well as her music – says she must overcome stage fright each time she sings, but has no qualms about opening her life to scrutiny in her self-revealing songs.
“The challenge of performing in front of people is a big one for me,” Mann said. “It’s interesting, because the lyrics are personal and putting myself out there that way, that’s my gift.”
Mann delivers her original material with a voice that’s been compared to a cross between Joni Mitchell and Edith Piaf – although she cites as influences like contemporary folk artists like Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake.
A self-trained musician, Mann finds a new composition by strumming desultory chords until a musical phrase catches her attention. She may find lyrics on the spot, capturing the new song on tape.
Her style, which she dubs “alternafolk” ranges from the driving beat of “The Dance,” to the haunting “In the World,” written in the wake of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and intended to be an upbeat personal statement in the bleak aftermath of the terrorist attacks.
“We need to look at things with a peaceful and hopeful eye,” she said. “That’s all we can do.”
The lyrics reflect that message:

“You’re not alone in the world,
though you feel at times well so does every one else
when you really come down to it.
Well I’ll admit, some days it’s harder than others
to get out of bed and face the day.
It’s always easier for me when the sun shines bright
and the sparkles lay across the water.
Hey, I figure if they can dance so, just think what I can do with the day.
One day you’ll look around at what you’ve done for yourself,
and you’ll see you did what you could, and you should be proud, so proud.”

In contrast, “The Dance,” penned in just five minutes, turned into an impromptu collaboration about the joy of moving to music.
“My mandolinist lived next door at the time, so I called him as soon as the song came to me,” she said. “He turned it into a gypsy song.”
Now when she performs “The Dance,” Mann scans her audience to enjoy the sight of listeners swaying in time to the music.
“I look out into the audience and men, in particular, are swaying side to side. I never wrote a song, before, that did that to people.”

Mann took up the guitar seven years ago, but didn’t start composing until her mother’s terminal illness in 2001.
While the songs she wrote weren’t directly about her mother’s imminent death, her creative impulse was triggered by the trauma, she says.
“The death of my mother brought an experience I didn’t have an outlet for,” she said. “The art started at the same time. I’ve been exploding with creativity.”
Choosing to emphasize her creative side would have pleased the mother, who, Mann says, had always championed her daughter’s artistic pursuits.
The two media – music and visual art – have served distinct purposes, Mann says.
“The art was a way to focus on something else, a positive distraction,” she said. “The music helps me get out the feelings of what was challenging me.”
But both creative expressions must flow from deep within to touch an audience, Mann believes.
“When the door (to creativity) is open, then the expression feels very natural,” she said, “and that’s the only way I can be, I realize: totally myself.”
* * * * *
Musician and visual artist Jean Mann returns to the island to perform 7:30 p.m. June 26 at Pegasus Coffee House. Her pastel drawings and her glass lamps will be on view at the show. A $4 donation is suggested. Information: 842-6725.


SOUND AFFECTS ONLINE ZINE REVIEW

Jean Mann: Seasons
April 2004
By: Sara Zeno ©2002-2004 SoundAffects.net

The airy music and vocals of Jean Mann's Seasons offer a welcome simplicity in our world of continuous noise. Her songs live in a world inhabited by the constant and enchanting presence of the moon, sun, water and trees. Without interruption or flourishes, Mann's lilting (and sometimes haunting) voice muses over the undiluted structure of acoustic guitar.

The Dance, a waltz that invokes visions of the old world, opens the album. It includes the evocative sounds of mandolin and cello, performed by Beau Gordinier and Kim Blanchard, respectively. Their talents pepper Seasons with nostalgia-flavored sounds.

Mann's perspective distinctively colors her songs. Blue Trees, written in remembrance of a friend, allows spirit to shine through loss: I always know where you are / In mountain mist, a breeze on high carries you home / A drop in the river, in the vein of the earth / Ever flowing on. And all is at peace in your world.

In The World, which Mann refers to as her "love note to the world," gently nudges, It's always easier for me when the sun shines bright / And the sparkles lay across the water / Hey, I figure if they can dance so, just think what I can do with the day.

Seasons jingles and meanders with possibility: Spring springs ahead, and still the snow is falling down on my head / But wait a minute, that's pink petals scattered on the ground / Outside, the season of love abounds. In lieu of silence, Mann's music exudes a quiet peace. Seasons is as soothing as a forest stream.

Victory Review Acoustic Music Magazine
-Michael Guthrie
“Seasons”, is a wonderful new CD by jean mann accompanied by: Kim Blanchard on Cello, Beau Gordinier on mandolin and co-produced by Brendan Hill (Blues Traveler). Engineered by Brendan Hill, mastered at Ironwood Studios and duplication by Oasis, this CD is audio pleasure!
The first track, ”The Dance”, an old world style waltz drew me in like a siren's song and I was hooked. jean’s passion for visual art somehow comes through in her music, as if she were painting beautiful landscapes of her life experience. Thoughtful lyrics, passionate vocals and love make up a style of her own, like “Blue Trees” which she wrote for Wally, a dear friend for whom this CD is dedicated. From the first song to the last jean shows that she is an accomplished guitar player and excellent songwriter who has managed to capture her own magic on this fine collection of songs.
(Michael Guthrie)

jean mann
A Renaissance Woman: CD Release Party
By Michael Guthrie, Victory Review Acoustic Music Magazine

We headed out the back door; the frozen wood cracking under our feet, suddenly the reality of 20 degree F hit us as we tried to open the driver door. Upon failing, I snaked through the passenger door and we were finally on our way to “jean mann: Seasons”, with special guest Kym Tuvim.
On the way I couldn’t help but wonder if jean would be barefoot, with toe rings sparkling against little puffs of snow.
Entering Richard Hugo House, we are greeted with its warmth and the presence as jean’s love is flowing through the air, a relaxed atmosphere welcomes us to enjoy the evening in this wonderful venue. Hugo House has a really hip cabaret area where you can have coffee or a drink and lounge around. In the center is a sweet little stage, raised and equipped with sound and lights. The main theatre is well equipped and flexible, providing a neutral space where jean and crew set up a very beautiful stage with a large carpet accented with candles and flowers. jean could not have picked a better venue.
Contemporaries arrive in support of jean: Nancy Dillon, Shannon Beck, Brendan Hill, and Wes Weddell...a community of music lovers gather together to nurture each other and celebrate the release of a fine CD, “Seasons.”
Earlier in the day I was listening to jean’s CD and I was filled with pastoral scenes, renaissance impressions and chanting grooves. Then jean made my vision a reality with a slide show of her pastel paintings accompanied by Kim Blanchard on cello, who improvised, blending sound with light.
We were all suddenly on a journey through beautiful, soft, peaceful landscapes and close ups of the beauty around us. Now I know why I had these visions when hearing her music. From a multimedia vision to a multimedia event by the artist who inspired the vision, what a treat, thank you jean mann!
I was excited to see in my email from jean, that Kym Tuvim was making a special appearance, having seen her name popping up all over I was suddenly going to watch her play.
Kym showing real class starts off with a gracious thanks to jean for friendship, love and support, calling her a renaissance woman, then in her relaxed and firmly rooted style she showed us what the buzz is all about, powerful vocals with tasteful/dynamic guitar accompaniment. Kym invites jean up to join her on “I Will”, which she wrote for her mother who recently passed away and tells how she met jean who had also lost her mother and was thankful to find a contemporary she could relate to about it. Their harmonies blended with their shared understanding of life’s cycle, their mothers wisdom carried on in friendship through their art. Everyone was moved by their love. Kym does it all from tender songs like this to gutsy blues numbers, she keeps it real, makes you feel welcome and is a solid, passionate performer fit for any stage!
Congratulations to Kym Tuvim on her CD “On The Mend”, A Top 5 Pick of 2003 by: Drew Pearce, Acoustic Music Magazine.
After an awesome set by Kym Tuvim and intermission everyone settles in for
“the jean mann trio”: jean mann on Acoustic Guitar and Vocals, Kim Blanchard on Cello and Beau Gordinier on Mandolin (just coming off their live radio show Friday on KBCS 91.3 FM). With Special Guests: Brendan Hill (Blues Traveler), Arni Adler (Uncle Bonsai), Adrian Moore and Melet Whinston, a stellar line up, just to sparkle things up a bit.
jean, bare feet on her magic carpet, surrounded by flowers and light, describes the experience as “a nice light feeling”, like the newly fallen snow a few days earlier. She felt as though she was giving birth to her CD after the long 2-year journey from conception to birth, an experience of release.
The jean mann trio starts off with Adrian Moore sitting in on Guitar. They start to weave their magic spell on us, drawing us in to their bliss, a magic carpet ride. Then “Blue Trees”, a song for Wally her long time friend, “a nature boy all his life.” Joined by Arni Adler on Accordion and harmony and Melet Whinston on harmony and bells. The ensemble paints a picture of a friendship that lives on as jean sings soulful poetry of Wally, a friend passed on whose spirit is still in the natural world all around her. Changing the groove a little, Brendan Hill joins jean on shaker and they funk it up on “Swimmin'”. Is this shades of jean to come? After a magical set all the guest artists join in on my favorite tune on the disk, “The Dance”, an old world waltz that carried us away to another time and place. jean was glowing as the room filled with beautiful music, a superb finale to a fine evening of music performed by a great cast of musicians in celebration of her music.
All this from a woman who wrote her first song 4 years ago and started playing guitar 7 years ago. Quite an accomplishment and one I’m sure she is proud of, as she should be.
Kym later said, “there was so much love in that room”, and there was! As I learn more about jean I see that love is her favorite recipe, using music to cook up love, and boy can she cook!
Wes Weddell did a fine job as emcee, keeping the night flowing. Wes is one of those musicians who doesn’t wait around for it to happen, he makes it happen, he started the “Puget’s Sound Concert Series” at Meadowbrook Community Center the second Friday of each month featuring NW songwriters. Wes reminds us that this is what independent music is all about, a community of players and writers working together to enhance their own music and the music of others. Kudos to Bill Corral for a fine job on sound!
By the time this article goes to print the fans in Bellingham will have experienced the return of this Bellingham native with her CD release party at The Whatcom Museum, where she learned about the NW and was first inspired to be an artist.
We never did get the driver's door to open but enduring the cold was well worth being a part of jean mann: “Seasons”. (Michael Guthrie)

"Seasons" CD release concert, and what a few guests had to say post-show:

I thoroughly enjoyed your concert at the museum. Your music is so sweet and very relaxing, I actually closed my eyes for awhile, a rarity...-Cindy Minkler

The concert was sweet...the woman coming up to you stating that she had ADHD and felt calmed and unaffected by it during your gift of tuneage. Many times an artist 'touches' another human and they never learn of it. Getting such feedback is lovely, not just from the kudo dept, but in that it often fuels further creation.-Ben Mann

It was a wonderful evening, full and complete in the combination of musical styles and harmony (in more ways than melodic!) It is a joy to experience yourself through various artistic mediums ~ thanks for sharing so much of yourself! -Sarah McEvoy

Bravo! Bravo!
Truly a magical evening...well thought out, planned and presented...you've evolved into a real showwoman...style, presence, performance and the inimmitable YOU! Thank you for sharing...and what a turnout! What a perfect evening! -Helen Tanzer

Listener's reviews on jean's new record,"seasons", as posted on CDBABY:

Treat yourself right and buy this CD!
Reviewer: Brian Hernandez (N.Hollywood, CA)
Jean's melodies are hauntingly sweet & clear, her lyrics gentle, yet profound. I've had this CD for several months now...I listen to it fairly regularly & it continues to touch my heart and soul in a new way every time I hear it.


Lovely, lilting, and dark
Reviewer: Alexis (Berkely, CA)Jean's voice is what grabbed me first, a delicate but full throated joy emerges, but there is a sadness that underlies it. I find this combination quite irresistable in singers -- in the same way Joni could do it. You know...when you smile but wonder why you feeling so damn melancholy at the same time. These songs are about love, loss, and change, the stuff of the day to day, but all told in an extremely honest and intimate way. Jean also approaches her guitar playing with a wonderful freshness. Its as though she looks at it as a rare and undiscovered music box with strings, not a guitar. Nothing about it is conventional. This is a first rate CD, definitely worth the money!


A gift for all music lovers
Reviewer: Giancarlo (Roma, Italy)
The new work of Jean Mann is a gift for all music lovers. It recalls her favourite themes: desire and memory, feeling of loss and joy, love and melancholy, anxiety and possession, soul and body... all surprisingly intertwined with colours, movement, dance and nature (seasons, trees, sky, see...). Themes, colours and notes blend together to form beautiful songs that have the capacity of permeating the spirit and heart of those who listen and respond to them. It shows a progression and, at the same time, a continuity with the previous work (Blue Flower Friday: Blossom). When you listen to other singers you wonder sometimes: "Who does this resemble?". The question doesn't rise in the case of Jean Mann. Jean Mann resembles only herself.

hauntingly beautiful music and vocal
Reviewer: Cal (San Diego, CA)
Very occasionally you run across a musician who touches you deep down in your soul. Jean is one of those rare artists. Consider yourself lucky that you've tripped across her. One day, soon I predict, you'll be saying, I discovered Jean early...before she was widely recognised for her special talent. Those of us who've watched her develop her art know that what you're hearing is as real as it gets...and there's a lot more where this album came from.



BLUE FLOWER FRIDAY Reviews:

Songsalive artist of the month January 03
Please go to Songsalive! feature then click on my name...cool!!

The Global Muse, Michael Allison, editor
Featured Indie Performer November 2001
By listening to the debut album "Blossom", one would find it hard to believe that jean mann wrote her first song only three years ago. Using the artist name of Blue Flower Friday, jean embarked on a musical journey that has only taken her a few years down the road, but holds a bright future. The songs are simplistic yet very intelligent and deep. The music is a sort of alternative folk style that jean has dubbed alterna-folk. "I am moved by the simple brilliance of song structures of musicians like Neil Young, the passionate use of words of John Hiatt, and the vocal finesse of among others, Rickie Lee Jones and Jeff Buckley," jean explains.
Though the name Blue Flower Friday seems like somewhat of a strange name for an artist to be identified with, there is a rational explanation for it. "Blue... Flower... Friday. Basically, those are my favorite things... you might as well start with something that you like," say jean. The music that jean creates has a very soulful and real aura to it. The music doesn't take on too much of the frills and fills of your everyday music. The simplistic voice, guitar, and occasional violin create a style that jean utilizes, and is what has made her stand out in the sea of artists in my mind. The beauty behind her lyrics is the normalcy of them. While jean is quite poetic and deep at times, her lyrics tend to have that average human aspect that almost everyone can easily relate to. "As to my own 'voice', my music is my truth. That's the best way to describe it. Happy or sad as the tales may be, they are from my soul, and what pours out is just that. I WISH I could write a song about ice cream...well, maybe not," says jean. "On my first album is a song which was written just after the death of my mama, to whom I was very close, and one of my best influences on how I wanted to be in the world. 'Take flight' was written to sing just as we tossed her ashes into the bay of my hometown, where she swims once again with my dad who went 13 years before her. I was in a quandary as to whether to include it on the album, personal as it is, but in the chronology of events it was certainly a pivotal point in my life, along with the other experiences that came from that time, so I had to honor that. Most of the 30+ songs I've written started at that point 2 years ago."
Songwriting is not the only quality that is worth mentioning about jean mann. The music and the voice are also held in high regard by this music editor. jean's voice has a purity and innocence to it that I do not hear often enough. This adds to the beauty of the songwriting as well. The music is simplistic in design, but sparks of inspirational feeling and moods that even complex musical arrangements have a difficult time doing. I've always been a believer that the heart and soul speak in simple languages. That includes the languages of music as well. jean mann proves this to be true by the brilliant design of her music. As you'll notice throughout time, the most inspirational and thought provoking music has been simple in nature, but true to the heart and soul. That is the best way I can describe the music of Blue Flower Friday. That is the best way I can describe jean mann.
jean is currently working on her second album in Seattle based Isabella Studios with friend/producer Brendan Hill. Blue Flower Friday has now become the name of jean's independent label, and jean has decided to market herself with her own name. "This album continues the story of jean in all my seasons of life (hence the planned album title 'seasons') I write for the complete expression of my soul. I also write at times just to be a storyteller, but hopefully with purpose," explains jean. If the next album is anywhere near the beauty of the first, jean is sure to turn a great many heads. If you're in the Seattle area, you may want to stop by one of the many clubs, cafe's, or open mic spots and hope to catch jean mann performing. Better yet, stop by the link below and pick up a copy of the album. With music this real, you're sure to be happy that you did.
Soundbytes at: www.cdbaby.com/blueflowerfriday


Shock Value Webzine Artist of the Month March 2002
By C.J. Cauley
jean mann

Singer/Guitarist jean mann (all lower case), a Seattle transplant originally from Bellingham, Washington, is making a name for herself in the independent music scene. Although she's played piano since the age of 14, mann didn't start playing the guitar regularly until 1995. Her leap to songwriting came in 1998 and within two years she released her first album, Blossom. Blue Flower Friday, mann's do-it-yourself label, is now getting ready to launch her second album.
Citing Neil Young, Rickie Lee Jones and Jeff Buckley among her influences helps explain the soulfulness of mann's voice and the versatility of her music. On her self-written six song demo, mann has a simple, straight forward attitude that fosters her music. The first cut, Home to my Heart, features superior harmonies by mann and superlative violin backing by Eric Martin. A love story, Home to my Heart has a gentle, flowing guitar while track two, Fly, ups the tempo quite a bit. Fly was originally featured on mann's debut album. It is an in-your-face tune reminiscent of Michelle Shocked's Short, Sharp, Shocked days. Like Shocked, mann subscribes to an alterna-folk sound. Both philosophize intelligently with eloquent metaphors and subtle innuendo.
Seasons continues mann's poignant story telling with a melancholy, blues feel. Her richly textured voice aches with every emotion. Color of Your Soul starts off on a quiet path but soon erupts with powerful guitar licks and sassy, sturdy vocals. The next track, Truth Is, slows it back down. One of the more placid ballads on this demo, Truth Is demonstrates mann's knack for sweetly plaintive vocals. That spirit is carried over in Tell Me. A sentimental, romantic tune, Tell Me has both grace and passion just like the artist who sings it. Look for mann to sing tunes from this demo at Blue Flower Cottage Concerts, her house concert 'venue' in Seattle.
It's clear that jean mann has a soaring spirit that is divinely evident in her music. She is a true artist, not only in the musical world, but also in the art world. She paints, draws and does glassworking. Her work has been exhibited all over the Seattle area and her music is next in line. Listening to mann's music transports you to the folk grotto of the mind where affecting metaphors and stark arrangements intertwine to form a soul-stirring compilation. Blossom, mann's debut CD, may be purchased at "http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/blueflowerfriday". Check out "http://www.jeanmann.com" for more information.


Victory Music Review Magazine, Richard Middleton
This is the debut CD from Seattle singer-songwriter and guitarist Jean Mann. She's a strong, versatile vocalist with a lovely, bittersweet voice that draws us in from the start. Her vocal tone is hypnitic and mercurial, breathy and open one moment, edgy the next, soaring sweetly on long open notes, then deftly negotiating tight rhythmic turns. She wisely keeps her focus on her voice, accompanied only by her own acoustic guitar and by Eric Martin on violin. Mann's songwriting is impressionistic and open-ended, with intriguing images and well-chosen words that paint vivid pictures in the mind.
However, her lyrical and musical themes would be better served if the songs were shorter, fcusing their expressive power more intensely and leaving us wanting more. More dynamic and tonal variety in the instrumental arrangements would also bring out the unique qualities of each song. As Mann's guitar skills develop to match her vocal ability, her accompaniments will become more fully realized and highlight the unique qualities of her songs.
Martin's violin is a welcome second voice, but his playing is often tentative; he may be trying not to crowd the vocals, but the resulting lack of definition is distracting in it's own way. Despite the few instrumentsl "rough edges" the album is rich in emotional imagery and energy, and Mann's voice really shines through. Favorite cuts were "Two Friends", "Need to Say", and "Again." An enjoyable debut by a promising new artist.

cdbaby.com (listener review)
I heard Jean perform songs from this album at an in-store performance; while I started out trying to browse the shop while I listened, I ended up parking myself cross-legged right in front of the stage. I had to give in to the nostalgic pull of the honesty that can come only from somewhere deep within a woman's soul. It's that kind of integrity that commands attention quietly, because it stands on its own two feet and sees no reason to shout about how important it is. Thus, it is not background music. Which is why I had to eventually just plant myself somewhere and give it my full attention. When I was little, my mother sang to me. Taking her place in my adulthood are artists like Jean Mann.

cdbaby.com (listener review)
Not only BLUE, not only FLOWER, not only FRIDAY
Reviewer: Giancarlo (Roma, Italy)
Curious the "name" of the artist, isn’t it? And what could you expect but songs that reflect thoughts and affections and feelings, the vision of the singer? And so it is. But they are something more. Not only BLUE: they have all the shades of the colours of the rainbow with which to paint the daily life. Not only FLOWER: they have the freshness and the fragrance of the pure air, of the spring and of the autumn, of the grape and of the wine, the sweetness of the honey, of the life that pulsates in each corner of the universe. Not only FRIDAY: they have inside the toil of each day of the week that people live, they have the longing of the eve, they have the joy of the feast of the children and of the adults, when there is love. I am sure that also Jean Mann is like that. One cannot write music if one has not life and joy and love inside. One cannot write music like that of Jean Mann if one IS not life and joy and love. Thank you, Blue Flower Friday. Thank you, Jean Mann.