Janet Metzger: Artist Bios

Janet Metzger

A native of Pittsburgh, Janet Metzger earned her music degree at Florida State University and taught for 7 years before embarking on a performing career. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Metzger has performed in hotels and supper clubs including Libby’s: A Cabaret, Paris On Ponce, The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation, Sambucca Jazz Cafe, Churchill Grounds, and Martinis and Imax at Fernbank Museum. In 2006 she appeared at the Sarasota Jazz Festival. In 2002, she sang at the Kennedy Center (Millennium Series) in Washington, D.C. Her debut CD, “So Many Stars,” is available at CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, iTunes and other internet sites. “Small Day Tomorrow: Janet Metzger Live At Churchill Grounds” will be released in September ‘06

Janet’s love for both cabaret and jazz has lead her to create and perform shows which blend both styles: Get Happy; Red Hot, based on 40’s pulp fiction; Thou Blind Fool Love and One Foolish Heart, both of which are based on Shakespeare sonnets; An Evening of Duke Ellington, and Reel Jazz: Songs from the Big Screen. She entertains at corporate events and presents her solo cabaret act at private parties. In addition, Janet tours the Southeast as the zany torch singer “Bambola”* with The DeLuxe Vaudeville Orchestra.

Janet’s professional theatre credits span two decades plus in the Atlanta area and include many memorable productions. Favorite roles include Mistress Page in Merry Wives of Windsor and Mephistopheles in Dr. Faustus at the Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern; Louise in Always…Patsy Cline and Joan in The Guys at Stone Mountain’s The ART Station; Sylvia in Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass at Seven Stages; the Nurse in a Kabuki version of Medea and The Tennessee Williams One Act Festival at Theatrical Outfit; and at The Center For Puppetry Arts, puppet shows for adults: Anne Frank: Within and Without, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Don Quixote, and Tales of Edgar Allan Poe.

On television, Janet has appeared on Jeff Foxworthy’s Blue Collar TV and the premiere episode of Foxworthy’s Big Night Out. For five years Metzger was the voice of Headline News, during which time she also promoted features and news stories for CNN and CNN International.

In addition to her musical and theatrical talents, Janet is an adjunct professor at Emory University Law School, where she uses theater techniques to teach law students how to become more confident and persuasive in the courtroom.

* That’s pronounced BOMB–bo–lah, as in “blonde bombshell”

...her Killer Combo!

Most Atlanta jazz musicians know one another, having played with each other in different groups for years. It is no surprise, then, that even though this combination has played as a group since 2004, Janet Metzger and The Killer Combo sound as if they have played together for years. Formed in January 2004 to back Janet on her debut CD, “So Many Stars,” the quartet was aptly described by Kathy Janich, AJC reviewer, as a “killer combo.” Hence, the name.

The combo consists of Bob Shaw, jazz guitar; Moffett Morris, bass; Omar Martinez, drums; Don Erdman, tenor and saxophone. (The original drummer heard on So Many Stars is another great player and band leader, Bernard Linnette).

The Artists:
BOB SHAW earned his degree from the Hart College of Music at the University of Hartford and was principle guitar instructor at the Hartford Conservatory of Music for seven years. He has performed and recorded with artists such as Maxine Sullivan, Bobby Haggart, Sam Wilhoit and the late Rosemary Clooney. His greatest influence is Johnny Smith. Bob is a contributor to “Just Jazz Guitar” magazine.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, OMAR MARTINEZ toured and recorded in that country with Latin, traditional jazz, big band and bop bands before coming to the U.S. in 1982 to continue his career here. Omar is renowned for his stylistic range and passion for music.

Arriving on the Atlanta scene that same year, DON ERDMAN became a freelance musician working in recording studios, pit orchestras and various local bands before forming his own band, Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz in 1990. Over the years he has toured with many name performers. Don has regularly been the featured soloist at Denny’s Swing Club in Hamburg, Germany, and has had numerous international tours. He studied with jazz greats, James Moody and Eddie Daniels.

Hailing from Rochester, NY, MOFFETT MORRIS began playing electric bass at the tender age of 13 and performed with local R&B bands before relocating to Atlanta. Here he began playing upright bass and has performed and recorded with Bill Brannon and the Positive Energy Big Band, Gary Motley, Dwight Andrews and Deborah Brown. He was sideman on the Grammy-winning hip-hop CD, “The Love Below/Speaker Boxx” by Outkast.

Upcoming performances can be found here on the Calendar. Their CD's “So Many Stars” and "Small Day tomorrow" are available on this site and nationally at CDBaby.com, amazon.com, iTunes and other digital music sites.