Meet Your Musician: Jen Mack
Get to know your Vail Valley musicians
Josh Nielson/Courtesy photo
Editor’s Note: The Vail Daily is showcasing area musicians in a series called “Meet Your Musician” so you can learn a bit more about the voices behind the tunes. If you’re a local musician and would like to be a part of this series, please email Tricia Swenson (tswenson@vaildaily.com) and Sean Naylor (snaylor@vaildaily.com).
Q: What is your stage/band name?
A: My name is Jen Mack.
Q: How would you describe your style of music?
A: I would describe my music as soulful, listenable, organic, acoustic originals and multi-genre covers with a unique twist influenced by Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, Sade and Billie Holiday.
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Q: What instrument(s) do you and your band members play?
A: I play acoustic guitar and sing and am normally a solo act.
Q: How long have you been performing in the valley?
A: I was raised here and have been playing music locally since I returned five years ago.
Josh Nielson/Courtesy photo
Q: Where in the valley have you performed?
A: I have performed at the Ford Amphitheater, Beano’s Cabin, Vista/Country Club of the Rockies, Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, the Alpine Club at Arrowhead, Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek Village, SunsetLIVE in Avon, the town of Minturn’s Throwdown, Eagle ARTwalk, Grand Ave Grill, The Tavern at The Arrabelle, Minturn Market, festivals, weddings and private parties (among other places).
Q: What’s your dream venue (in the valley or otherwise)?
A: My dream venue would be Red Rocks.
Q: What other styles of music do you listen to?
A: I listen to electronic music, soul, jazz, reggae, classic rock, old-school hip-hop, punk and post-punk music.
Q: How does the Vail Valley music scene compare to other places you’ve played?
A: We are fortunate to have major support for the performing arts at all levels in our valley. Some towns may only have one to three venues but we have many places where musicians play.
Josh Nielson/Courtesy photo
Q: What can the crowd expect from one of your performances?
A: The ambiance I create is like sitting in your favorite chair, wearing your most-comfortable clothes, hearing songs that transport you and just relaxing while you hang out or talk with your friends. It’s a familiar, organic, unpretentious vibe delivered with unique phrasing and vocal style.
Q: Where can readers see a list of your upcoming shows?
A: My schedule, bio, music and venue reviews can be found at JenMackMusic.com.
Q: Anything else we should have asked, anything else:
A: I would just like to encourage people to express themselves through art, dance, music, writing, cooking, etc. Creativity is therapeutic and oftentimes a great way to find balance from the demands of everyday life. It can be in the way you dress, the way you garden, the way you interact with strangers and friends. The world doesn’t always tell you to go paint something. I mean, we don’t always give ourselves permission to go create, so we don’t. Music has been there for me in high and low tides, in all seasons. Thanks for your support and for listening! And here is your permission to go make something.
