About
Jayne's musical education goes back to a childhood studying Conservatory piano and singing in every choir she could find. More recently she studied guitar privately with Joel Schwartz and Eve Goldberg. She's passed Royal Conservatory Music Theory examinations and taken lyric writing through Berklee College of Music.
She's a devotee of music camps including the Swannanoa Gathering, The Woods Music and Dance Camp, The Americana Song Academy and Nashcamp Bluegrass Camp where she has taken a wealth of songwriting workshops from such contemporary folk artists as Peter Mulvey, Kate Campbell, David Wilcox, Anais Mitchell, Martha Scanlan, Danny Ellis, Sara Hickman, Katherine Wheatley, Rosemary Phelan, James Hill, Jeni and Billy, Jon Vezner, James Keelaghan, Don Henry, Lori Yates, Murray Foster and Jonathan Byrd.
She's taken guitar workshops with blues guitarist Brooks Williams, celtic guitarist Steve Baughman, bluegrass guitarist Jim Hurst, fingerstyle guitarist Dave Clarke and jazz guitarist Pat Donohue. She's studied voice with Kathy Mattea, Siobahn Quinn and Rita di Ghent and performance with Roland White, Raymond McLain, Brooks Williams, David Wilcox, Vance Gilbert and Ellis Paul.
Most recently she has taken up ukulele, studying with James Hill and Gerald Ross. She's a proud graduate of the James Hill Ukulele Institute, a 3-year Ukulele Teacher Training program.
In addition to performing, Jayne is writing songs, providing harmony vocals on other musician's projects, and teaching guitar and ukulele.
As Prodigal Daughter, she also performs with Taivi Alexander (vocals, guitar, mandolin, piano) and/or Mary Bennet (vocals, guitar, banjo).
Quotes
"Jayne Mitchell sings with honesty in a pure, yearning voice that conveys a range of emotions from longing and sadness to feisty determination. Her songs come from her experiences and are written with an aim to create an understanding and compassion between herself and her listeners -- a clear and true voice singing about things that we always need reminding about: love, loss, time passing and finding your way once again."
Jeni Hankins and Billy Kemp, Jeni & Billy
"There are very few people I know who immerse, marinate, themselves in music as she does. And there is no missing the passion in the sounds and words that emerge from her hands and her voice."
Steve Baughman, Celtic Guitarist
"With a beautiful voice and the heart to match, Jayne’s sweet spirit is clearly heard in her songs."
Amanda Walther, Dala
"Her singing is beautiful, the songs are great and the recording is first-rate. What more could you want?"
Paul Mills, Producer
, The Mill Stream
"I have heard Jayne singing song after song out into the night air in the midst of a gathering, and it was as timeless as anything. This is what music is for."
Peter Mulvey, Singer-Songwriter
"Jayne Mitchell's solo alto voice sparkles all on its own when she's digging in to the country-flavoured ballads she loves to write and to borrow ... and hey, watch out for that same lovely alto in the midst of several exciting duos and trios ... it's no wonder they love this Canadian girl in the Swannanoa Valley!"
Joanne Crabtree, Singer-Songwriter