Biography
Jane Getter, a guitarist, composer, singer, and bandleader based in New York, has established a distinctive musical space where jazz, metal, prog rock, and singer/songwriter approaches converge through intricate compositions and an approach to the instrument that she once characterized as "Mahavishnu Orchestra-meets-Led Zeppelin-meets-King Crimson." Across her career she has collaborated with an array of elite players while navigating fusion, pop-jazz, straight-ahead jazz, post-bop, hard bop, funk, R&B, metal, hard rock, and prog. After gaining experience on the road with soul-jazz organ master Jack McDuff, she became a sought-after session and live guitarist. Her own discography under her name remains selective yet widely praised, beginning with the 1999 album Jane on Germany’s Lipstick label. She also serves as a central participant in the projects of her husband, the keyboardist, composer, and producer Adam Holzman, and spent several years as a key member of both Michael Urbaniak’s Urbanator and the Saturday Night Live Band. Her second release, 2007’s See Jane Run, drew strong critical praise, whereas 2011’s Three secured her prominent appearances at rock and jazz festivals worldwide. In 2014 she assembled the Jane Getter Premonition, which issued On the next year to widespread acclaim; the group followed with On Tour in 2017. After additional road and studio work alongside Holzman and others, she brought out Anomalia under the JGP name in 2021. The Jane Getter Premonition delivered its third album, Division World, in February 2024.
Originally from New Jersey, Getter took up the guitar at eight years old. In high school her interests centered on jazz, fusion, and progressive rock, with primary inspirations drawn from Jeff Beck, Allan Holdsworth, and Wes Montgomery. After graduation she relocated to the Bay Area to enroll at San Francisco State University, yet soon returned east and settled in New York, where she began sitting in with local players, forging connections, and honing her technique. Her initial professional breakthrough came in the 1980s when she secured the touring guitarist position with soul-jazz organ legend Jack McDuff. Following that engagement, she demonstrated versatility on club stages and in recording studios by shifting comfortably among fusion, straight-ahead jazz, funk, post-punk, and metal. She studied privately with John Scofield, Jack Wilkins, and Chuck Loeb, and performed with such figures as violinist Regina Carter, saxophonist Joe Lovano, and pianist Kenny Barron. During the 1990s she directed her own fusion and crossover ensemble featuring electric bassist Victor Bailey, Holzman, and drummer Rodney Holmes. Her debut album, Jane, appeared on Germany’s Lipstick imprint in 1999.
After completing her own national and international support tours, Getter performed with drummer Lenny White, singer Urszula Dudziak, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, drummer Mike Clark of the Headhunters, Adam Holzman & Brave New World, and the Saturday Night Live Band. She also appeared as a featured guest at several informal jam sessions organized by the Roots. Her follow-up recording, See Jane Run, came out on Alternity in 2005 with Holzman serving as producer and keyboardist alongside bassist James Genus, drummer Keith Carlock of Steely Dan, and vocalist Thulani Jeffries of United Funk Order; she then took a trio on an extensive tour through the United States, Europe, and Asia. In 2006 she and White contributed the track “Door #3” to Larry Coryell’s Traffic. In 2009 she recorded the guitar-duet project Secret Code with Bruce Arnold for Muse-Eek Records, and in 2010 she worked in Germany on singer and songwriter Twana Rhodes’ Home: The U.F.O. Sessions. The following year she served as featured guitarist on saxophonist Laura Dreyer’s Free Flying Bird.
Getter issued her third studio album, titled simply Three, in 2012. In addition to her own guitars, vocals, and compositions, the sessions included Holzman, Genus, drummer Anton Fig, and a guest vocal appearance by Jimmy Gnecco on the track “Too Much Fear.” While touring in support, she simultaneously assembled her prog and jazz-fusion group the Jane Getter Premonition, whose debut On arrived in 2015. The lineup comprised an all-star cast of bassist Bryan Beller, drummer Chad Wackerman, guitarist Alex Skolnick, Holzman, and saxophonist/flutist Theo Travis, with former Living Colour singer Corey Glover adding vocals to three tracks. The album earned enthusiastic notices for its fluid, high-energy fusion of prog, rock, metal, angular fusion, and distinctive lyricism. The band toured for more than a year, during which fluctuating schedules prompted Getter to enlist substitute players such as bassists Mark Egan and Stu Hamm, drummer John Mader, percussionist Mino Cinelu, and vocalist Chanda Rule. The Jane Getter Premonition released On Tour in 2017, receiving its strongest reviews to date.
Over the subsequent two years the Premonition stabilized its personnel while on the road. Getter and Holzman returned to the studio and completed Anomalia, issued in March 2021. The rhythm section settled around alternating bassists Hamm and Egan together with drummers Wackerman and Gene Lake; vocalist Randy McStine appeared on “Alien Refugee” and Vernon Reid contributed guitar alongside Skolnick and Getter on “Dissembler.” The same configuration remained intact for 2024’s Division World, even as the artistic emphasis changed: Paul Frazier joined as permanent bassist and backing vocalist, Getter focused more heavily on songwriting and vocals, and the eleven-track collection contained only a single instrumental. Prog guitarist Randy McStine, also known as LoFi Resistance, guested as vocalist on the closing track “Waiting for the Light.”
Originally from New Jersey, Getter took up the guitar at eight years old. In high school her interests centered on jazz, fusion, and progressive rock, with primary inspirations drawn from Jeff Beck, Allan Holdsworth, and Wes Montgomery. After graduation she relocated to the Bay Area to enroll at San Francisco State University, yet soon returned east and settled in New York, where she began sitting in with local players, forging connections, and honing her technique. Her initial professional breakthrough came in the 1980s when she secured the touring guitarist position with soul-jazz organ legend Jack McDuff. Following that engagement, she demonstrated versatility on club stages and in recording studios by shifting comfortably among fusion, straight-ahead jazz, funk, post-punk, and metal. She studied privately with John Scofield, Jack Wilkins, and Chuck Loeb, and performed with such figures as violinist Regina Carter, saxophonist Joe Lovano, and pianist Kenny Barron. During the 1990s she directed her own fusion and crossover ensemble featuring electric bassist Victor Bailey, Holzman, and drummer Rodney Holmes. Her debut album, Jane, appeared on Germany’s Lipstick imprint in 1999.
After completing her own national and international support tours, Getter performed with drummer Lenny White, singer Urszula Dudziak, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, drummer Mike Clark of the Headhunters, Adam Holzman & Brave New World, and the Saturday Night Live Band. She also appeared as a featured guest at several informal jam sessions organized by the Roots. Her follow-up recording, See Jane Run, came out on Alternity in 2005 with Holzman serving as producer and keyboardist alongside bassist James Genus, drummer Keith Carlock of Steely Dan, and vocalist Thulani Jeffries of United Funk Order; she then took a trio on an extensive tour through the United States, Europe, and Asia. In 2006 she and White contributed the track “Door #3” to Larry Coryell’s Traffic. In 2009 she recorded the guitar-duet project Secret Code with Bruce Arnold for Muse-Eek Records, and in 2010 she worked in Germany on singer and songwriter Twana Rhodes’ Home: The U.F.O. Sessions. The following year she served as featured guitarist on saxophonist Laura Dreyer’s Free Flying Bird.
Getter issued her third studio album, titled simply Three, in 2012. In addition to her own guitars, vocals, and compositions, the sessions included Holzman, Genus, drummer Anton Fig, and a guest vocal appearance by Jimmy Gnecco on the track “Too Much Fear.” While touring in support, she simultaneously assembled her prog and jazz-fusion group the Jane Getter Premonition, whose debut On arrived in 2015. The lineup comprised an all-star cast of bassist Bryan Beller, drummer Chad Wackerman, guitarist Alex Skolnick, Holzman, and saxophonist/flutist Theo Travis, with former Living Colour singer Corey Glover adding vocals to three tracks. The album earned enthusiastic notices for its fluid, high-energy fusion of prog, rock, metal, angular fusion, and distinctive lyricism. The band toured for more than a year, during which fluctuating schedules prompted Getter to enlist substitute players such as bassists Mark Egan and Stu Hamm, drummer John Mader, percussionist Mino Cinelu, and vocalist Chanda Rule. The Jane Getter Premonition released On Tour in 2017, receiving its strongest reviews to date.
Over the subsequent two years the Premonition stabilized its personnel while on the road. Getter and Holzman returned to the studio and completed Anomalia, issued in March 2021. The rhythm section settled around alternating bassists Hamm and Egan together with drummers Wackerman and Gene Lake; vocalist Randy McStine appeared on “Alien Refugee” and Vernon Reid contributed guitar alongside Skolnick and Getter on “Dissembler.” The same configuration remained intact for 2024’s Division World, even as the artistic emphasis changed: Paul Frazier joined as permanent bassist and backing vocalist, Getter focused more heavily on songwriting and vocals, and the eleven-track collection contained only a single instrumental. Prog guitarist Randy McStine, also known as LoFi Resistance, guested as vocalist on the closing track “Waiting for the Light.”
Albums
