Jenefer Zern, Vocalist, Songwriter

zernjen-music @
yahoo.com

JENEFER ZERN
Vocalist, Songwriter

Jenefer Zern is a jazz-trained vocalist and songwriter with over 10 years of recording and live show experience. As the frontwoman of rap-rock riot grrl quartet D-Cup (hailed "the greatest band in NYC" by The New York Press) and her own dark electronica project Jezebel Red, she's graced the famed New York stages of CBGBs, Don Hill's, The Cooler and Meow Mix, to name a few.

In addition, she's performed with Theo of The Lunachicks and other East Village luminaries in all-girl tributes to P-Funk, Prince and James Brown, has lent her vocals to various projects and has appeared in the pages of Village Voice, Details, The New York Press, H/X and a skin magazine that shared her band's name. (She and her band appeared fully clothed, of course.)

She attributes her unique sound to the eclectic blend of music she was exposed to as a child -- hip-hop and soul, punk and folk, jazz and blues, rock n' roll, reggae, 1930s French pop, and the flamenco guitar her father constantly played around the house.

A gifted mimic, she was able to imitate almost any voice and timbre she heard. From there, her own vocal style evolved, eventually prompting one reviewer to call her "the secret love child of Julie London and Chuck D."

She's been compared to Laura Nyro, Chris Connor, Grace Slick and Chrissie Hynde as well, though her truest vocal influences are Deborah Harry, Aretha Franklin, Sarah Vaughan, Prince, PJ Harvey, Betty Grable and long-time mentor Nanette Natal.

After a long hiatus, Zern is back in form and working on a new solo project. She is also available for vocal session work in the Los Angeles area. (See contact email above.)

Below are MP3s of songs featuring vocals (and often lyrics/melody) by this artist. Some are rough mixes or live recordings; sound quality may vary.

Jazz Vocals
Lo-fi recordings of practice sessions and live performances. (More to come...)

Night and Day
Recorded in 1998

From Jezebel Red
All songs co-produced and arranged by Steve Tjaden.
All lyrics by J. Zern. All instruments by S. Tjaden unless otherwise noted.

Radio
© 2001 (J. Zern/S. Tjaden)

Ever and All
© 2000 (J. Zern)

Feast
© 1997 (J. Zern)
Guitars by Yoshiko Hirashige

Freeway
© 2000 (J. Zern/S. Tjaden)

Breathing Underwater
© 2000 (J. Zern)

Whore Baby
© 2000 (J. Zern)
Guitars by Andrew Falk

Follow You
© 2001 (J. Zern)
Guitars by Andrew Falk

I.D.
© 2000 (J. Zern)

Your Bitch
© 2000 (J. Zern/S. Tjaden)

Follow You (Live)
© 2000 (J. Zern)
Guitars by Andrew Falk

From D-Cup/Girl
Guitars: Yoshiko Hirashige, Parker, Angela Babin, Sandy Seymour / Bass: Marni Pickens, Sly Geralds / Drums: Mary Ann Marshall

From Misc. Projects

Photo by Love Ablan