jet black pearl
It all started 25 years ago in the back of a thrift store in Prague. Jetty Swart (Jet Black Pearl) stumbled upon a fancy accordion. She smuggled it back home to the Netherlands, stared at it for a couple of weeks before she realized that now she had to learn how to play it, and write songs.
And sing them.
Since then, Jet has performed in big tops, prisons, living rooms, tunnels, gardens sheds, barges and ruins all over the world. She spent many years in France, and just when the French started to give her several French songwriter awards (Mais oui!), she moved to Portland, Oregon. Now she sings in French and English, but always with a Dutch accent.
Her smartly wacky songs sound like a mad hatter’s European tea party with a funky attitude. Before your very eyes, she creates grooves and loops of flute, plastic bottles, rubber pigs, vocal percussion and harmonies, while squeezing her red accordion. She also might do a little dance for you. But watch your own feet... they're already wiggling!
Jet Black Pearl has performed at:
Festivals in USA: Accordion Noir Festival, Utah Arts Festival (Salt Lake City), Moisture Festival (Seattle), Oregon Country Fair,
Trails & Vistas (Lake Tahoe), Festival of Dark Arts, Edwardian Ball (San Francisco), Whole Earth Festival, Rose Festival, Salem Art Festival,
Accordions Around the World (Bryant Park, NYC), Cotati Accordion Festival, Oregon Eclipse Festival, Shift Festival, Sh'Bang Festival...
Festivals in Europe: Le Grand Soufflet (Rennes), Sémaphore en Chanson (Cébazat), Roubaix à l'accordéon, Les Nuits de nacre (Tulle),
La Pamparina (Thiers), Les Vibrations de Moissac, Avec le Temps (Marseille), Festival Convivencia, Festival Voix de femmes (Maury),
Les Oreilles en Pointe (St Etienne), Les Jeudis de Perpignan, Uriage en voix, Les Lundis des découvertes (Mers les Bains),
Festi'Val de Marne, Festival de Rablay, Festival Jacques Brel (Vesoul), Les filles du canal (Espace Jemmapes, Paris), Le Printival (Pézenas),
Fête de l'Huma (many places), La Toile filante (Tarbes), Les Poly'Sons (Montbrison), Chantons sous les Pins, Les voix d'hiver (Gauchy),
A Travers Chants (Valenciennes), Détour de Chant (Toulouse), Les bruissement d'elles (St Pierre de Corps),
Brighton Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
"A formidable force of music, and truly has to be seen to be believed."
Three Weeks, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
"The most eccentric and equally the most talented woman you will see in Edinburgh this month."
Broadway Baby, Edinburgh Fringe Festival