February 21, 2010

VINTAGE VOCALIST | UKULELE MUSICIAN - This week our guest is JANET KLEIN. Bearing an ever-expanding repertoire of obscure, lovely and naughty songs from the 1910's, 20's and 30's," Janet Klein is a musical archeologist hiding in the body of an F. Scott Fitzgerald heroine. With her sleek bob haircut, vintage fashion sense, strikingly beautiful looks and artfully customized ukulele, Janet Klein might seem at first to be a simple novelty act. Possibly a 21st-century hipster "ironically" recreating the subtly naughty looks of a fin-de-siecle French postcard. Once Janet opens her mouth to sing...there's no Betty Boop hiccups or Mae West-style brassiness in her charmingly original voice. And when she starts to play her ukulele, it's clear that this oft-ridiculed cousin of the guitar is neither prop nor gimmick, but a delightful and under-utilized musical instrument.