Janet Feder

Janet Feder is a guitarist from Denver (Colorado), trained in classical technique but fascinated by non-western music, who specializes in lengthy jams for "prepared guitar" and dobro, either solo or with a few chosen collaborators. She debuted with Icyimi (Brainbox, 1994).

The mostly solo show of Speak Puppet (ReR, 2001) is certainly rooted in the folk-blues tradition, halfway between John Fahey's metaphysical pensiveness (the dreamy raga Shouting Valley, the vortex of Red Drum) and Leo Kottke's jovial naivete (the introductory, breathless fugue Puppet, the honkytonking Leaving Light), but also adds a repertory of rich harmonics, repetitive figures, middle-eastern and Indian scales, that paint mind-expanding soundscapes (I Hear Voices, Lightning Strikes). A couple of remix tracks with drum machines and synths almost spoil the show, but overall Feder has established herself as a promising heir of the "progressive folk" movement that was devastated the recent death of John Fahey.
But limiting herself to shorter compositions, Feder can never truly fly on the sound of the instrument. One wishes she let herself drift in the magical sounds of her guitars and dobros the way John Fahey used to.

Ironic Universe (ReR, 2006) was a collaboration with Fred Frith, juxtaposing Feder's country-derived pseudo-melodic fantasies against Frith's expressionist noises.

Janet Feder sang on Songs Without Words (Brainbox, 2013), recorded in 2010.