Naomi Jean is a composer, singer and percussionist who also plays flutes and various invented instruments that she co-creates.
Her original music is an alchemy of eclectic influences and lateral creativity, incorporating textural sounds, elliptic melodies and asymmetric rhythms. Naomi leads the ensemble, Alice Orchestra, where a changing cast of musicians twist strands of folk, jazz and psychedelic-rock into expansive instrumental journeys layered with evocative voices.
Born in the Antipodes, Naomi has lived between Australia, the UK and Europe, traveling more or less constantly since childhood. At the age of 8 her first ever all-night jam with ‘rhythmagician’ Greg Sheehan set a life-long passion in motion and he later became her mentor. Greg's worldly rhythms, taught via body percussion & 'magic numbers', augmented a love of experimental, community and traditional musics from around the world.
In 2009 Naomi was invited to create, compose for and play an instrumentarium for street theatre co. Pipototal. Set on a 12-ton rotating metal sculpture, alongside three other french musicians. The resulting spactular, Basculoscopia, is an apocalyptic tale told with acrobatics and live music that has featured at numerous festivals including: Chalon dans la Rue, Mimos, Tours Circus: FR, Mawazine: MA, Sziget: HU & Kuldiga: LV.
With electronic group Moodswings, Naomi supported Billy Bragg on his UK tour in 1996, then joined family band Kangaroo Moon for a European stint before returning to Australia, where she formed body percussion group Hands of She with Greg Sheehan.
In Melbourne, 2000-2006, Naomi was propelled into the world of high-octane ensemble improvisation with ‘genre-liberated’ Twelve Tone Diamonds, whose kaleidoscopic, Zappa/Miles Davis influenced mayhem can be heard on the album Unofficial Winner. In soundscape trio Shima, Naomi joined harpist Natalia Mann & singer Emma Bathgate and together they developed storytelling improvisation techniques for acoustic & multi-media performances entitled *Aural Geography. Other projects during this time include: Miso *Human Spaces, City City City *Perimeter Motor Show, Sunwrae Ensemble *Eavesdropping, Epiphany & Red Eyes. ( *=recording )
Since 2006 Jean has worked with: Daevid Allen of Gong, La Force Molle, Leda Atomica Music, AxisOrCa (Carola Ortiz & Landy Gana)* Gamelan Bintang Tiga, Jacques Dudon/Fotosonix, Sona & BikiMel*. In 2013 Naomi was invited to play in a series of Fluxus events with Kenny Wollesen, Dalius Naujokaitis, Sean Francis Conway, a traditional women's choir & others at the Fluxus Ministerija in Lithuania.
Her original music is an alchemy of eclectic influences and lateral creativity, incorporating textural sounds, elliptic melodies and asymmetric rhythms. Naomi leads the ensemble, Alice Orchestra, where a changing cast of musicians twist strands of folk, jazz and psychedelic-rock into expansive instrumental journeys layered with evocative voices.
Born in the Antipodes, Naomi has lived between Australia, the UK and Europe, traveling more or less constantly since childhood. At the age of 8 her first ever all-night jam with ‘rhythmagician’ Greg Sheehan set a life-long passion in motion and he later became her mentor. Greg's worldly rhythms, taught via body percussion & 'magic numbers', augmented a love of experimental, community and traditional musics from around the world.
In 2009 Naomi was invited to create, compose for and play an instrumentarium for street theatre co. Pipototal. Set on a 12-ton rotating metal sculpture, alongside three other french musicians. The resulting spactular, Basculoscopia, is an apocalyptic tale told with acrobatics and live music that has featured at numerous festivals including: Chalon dans la Rue, Mimos, Tours Circus: FR, Mawazine: MA, Sziget: HU & Kuldiga: LV.
With electronic group Moodswings, Naomi supported Billy Bragg on his UK tour in 1996, then joined family band Kangaroo Moon for a European stint before returning to Australia, where she formed body percussion group Hands of She with Greg Sheehan.
In Melbourne, 2000-2006, Naomi was propelled into the world of high-octane ensemble improvisation with ‘genre-liberated’ Twelve Tone Diamonds, whose kaleidoscopic, Zappa/Miles Davis influenced mayhem can be heard on the album Unofficial Winner. In soundscape trio Shima, Naomi joined harpist Natalia Mann & singer Emma Bathgate and together they developed storytelling improvisation techniques for acoustic & multi-media performances entitled *Aural Geography. Other projects during this time include: Miso *Human Spaces, City City City *Perimeter Motor Show, Sunwrae Ensemble *Eavesdropping, Epiphany & Red Eyes. ( *=recording )
Since 2006 Jean has worked with: Daevid Allen of Gong, La Force Molle, Leda Atomica Music, AxisOrCa (Carola Ortiz & Landy Gana)* Gamelan Bintang Tiga, Jacques Dudon/Fotosonix, Sona & BikiMel*. In 2013 Naomi was invited to play in a series of Fluxus events with Kenny Wollesen, Dalius Naujokaitis, Sean Francis Conway, a traditional women's choir & others at the Fluxus Ministerija in Lithuania.
Left: Extracts from the show Basculscopia, featuring Naomi Jean playing drums & original instruments - France (2013)
Right: From 'Bubbaly', composed and performed by Naomi Jean, accompanied by Natalia Mann - Spain (2012)