Jennifer Batten

Jennifer Batten

Batten on stage in 2010
Background information
Born (1957-11-29) November 29, 1957
New York City, New York, United States
Genres Instrumental rock, jazz fusion, hard rock, electronica
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, visual artist
Instruments Guitar, guitar synthesizer
Years active 1980–present
Labels Voss, East West, Lion
Associated acts Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck
Website jenniferbatten.com
Notable instruments
Washburn JB-100
Parker Bronze Fly
Line 6 JTV-69 Variax

Jennifer Batten (born November 29, 1957) is an American guitarist who has worked as a session musician and solo artist.[1] From 1987 to 1997 Batten played in all three of Michael Jackson's world tours, and from 1999 to 2001 she toured and recorded with Jeff Beck. She has released three studio albums: her 1992 debut, Above Below and Beyond (produced by former Stevie Wonder guitarist Michael Sembello), the worldbeat-influenced Jennifer Batten's Tribal Rage: Momentum in 1997, and Whatever, which was released on CD and DVD in Japan in September 2007 and worldwide in April 2008.

She authored two music books: Two Hand Rock (published by Hal Leonard) and The Transcribed Guitar Solos of Peter Sprague.

Away from music Batten enjoys creating stained glass art.[2]

Early years

Batten began to play guitar at the age of 8 when her father bought her a "killer red and blue electric". Her early influences came from The Beatles, BB King, Lightnin' Hopkins and Jeff Beck.[2]

Batten started to experiment with "2 handed tapping technique" from classmate Steve Lynch while attending the Musicians Institute in 1978.[2]

Musical career

Batten has appeared on recordings such as Jeff Beck's Who Else! (1999) and You Had It Coming (2001), Michael Sembello's Heavy Weather (1992), Bret Helm's "Doc Tahri" and the debut of The Immigrants. Her music video appearances include Jeff Beck (Live in Japan), Michael Jackson (Moonwalker-"Come Together"), Natalie Cole-"Wild Women Do", Sara Hickman and Miguel Mateos's "Obsesión".

Batten played lead and rhythm guitar on Michael Jackson's Bad (1987–1989), Dangerous (1992) and HIStory (1996–1997) world tours, and on his 1993 Super Bowl half-time performance, which was aired to 1.5 billion people in 80 nations (the largest audience in television history).

She was in British guitar legend Jeff Beck's band for three years from 1999.

Between 1994 and 1999 Batten worked with Dave Rodgers and Domino as featured guitarist on the eurobeat songs "Sun City", "Music For the People", "Fly" and "Woa Woa Woa." Her writing and performing is uncredited in several other songs under the A-Beat C label. Her live Eurobeat appearances were limited to playing at the Tokyo Dome with Rodgers and Queen of Hearts.

In 2010 she recorded a solo for the song "Bad Girls" by Polish singer Doda.

In November 2011, Batten was featured on BBC Radio 4's series "Joan Armatrading's More Guitar Favourites".

Discography

Solo albums

Guest appearances

References

  1. ↑ Saulnier, Jason (23 July 2008). "Jennifer Batten Interview". Music Legends. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "Jennifer Batten Interview". Guitarhoo!. October 23, 2005. Retrieved March 10, 2013.

External links

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