Jennifer Leonhardt: press

"The arrival of a major new talent? From the sound of the trenchant folk/blues of Gods & Nations, and the driving, impassioned emotion at the heart of "Patron", Leonhardt is a gale force to be reckoned with."

[Gods & Nations] "is as raw and genuine as you're going to find."

"A stirring songwriter, Leonhardt plays blues with vivid modern lyrics and harmonies. For her latest album, she wove the influence of her family of artists and musicians and the impact of Katrina into flowing Americana ballads."

"Gods & Nations comprises a mix of acoustic and electric-textured songs, evoking folk and blues in ways that sound contemporary, relevant and, most importantly, compelling.
Weaved seamlessly through the record is Leonhardt's voice, a striking and soulful instrument, which deftly varies in tone to suit the architecture of each song."

"Jennifer Lion-hearted sings big songs. They sneak in and swallow me up."

Great songs, great singer, great soul. I spin the record often.

"Gods & Nations is packed with the genius I've come to expect in her work."

"An up-and-coming unique artist out of Austin."

"Fantastic, heart-felt album. Leonhardt's music is totally unique, and totally moving."

Hard Times Two review, Oct 2005 (Indie Release)

Hard Times Two is a much better CD than I was expecting. Leonhardt has a beautiful voice that is somewhat of a cross between Rickie Lee Jones and Allison Krauss. All the songs are minimally produced, a lone acoustic guitar and Jennifer’s vocals are all you get but that gives the album a very intimate feel which works well for her. I really like what I hear and the songs are interesting and thoughtful. This isn’t just a lot of fluff. My personal favorites were “If Nobody Was Lookin” and “Thanksgiving”.

[Received 3 Lightening Strikes: Moments of brilliance]

Jennifer leads the Whalers with a Joni Mitchell songbird quality tempered by Carole King’s songwriting style and a delivery touching on everyone from Chrissie Hynde to Edie Brickell.

"Why this girl is not one of the top acts in the country is beyond me--her singing is like throwing a lit cigarette out a car window, she's an absolute runaway wildfire. Her band's live show wais some of the hardest, rootsy-est rhythm-n-blues-'grass ever."

Jennifer sings with what I could only describe as a "controlled howl" -- very free and spirited, and reflective of time spent with old jazzmen and young dreamers.

Jennifer was our musical guest for the April 4th broadcast. She did a couple sets for the show- some of her songs are soft and soulful while on others her voice emphasizes a raw, ragged and howlin' blues-rock-folk-urban pathos, but the tunes are tremendous. [She's] a real original up there with Norah Jones or Joni Mitchell, but she rocks out like only a person with the talent and vocal soul of Janis Joplin could deliver. She's a music phenomenon who's star is rising -very much one of a kind."

Aeliot Boswell-Havington
The Aeliot Show
KPAS Channel 56

"Jennifer makes music with so much abandon and passion and still with such delicacy and finesse that her performance both mesmerizes and invigorates."

"The first time I met Jennifer was onstage. On her latest CD cut 5, which is [her cover of Billie Holiday's] "Strange Fruit", jumped out at me. As I plugged in I knew I was in for a deep experience. Ive checked out her website and earlier music since: if she ever runs for office, she's got my vote."

Music Draws Siblings Together for the Holidays

When Leonhardt repeatedly received alarming weather reports from her sister during Florida's punishing hurricane season of 2004, the singer-songwriter sat down to put her sister's feelings and words to music. She sang those songs in a little bar in New Orleans just 10 days before Katrina hit the following summer.
The storm and its immediate aftermath reminded Leonhardt of Sept 11th. "The effects [of both events] were so widespread," she said in a phone interview. "There was such a feeling of helplessness. We were all in it."
Naturally, Leonhardt put those feelings down in song, which became her third album Gods & Nations. She's in Venice this month, touring in support of the record...