Performer Janine Nichols is sort of the quintessential Brooklyn creative artist. She’s got her hands in all sorts of art forms. I enjoy her collage work, which are available as cards at the Community Bookstore or can be viewed at her blog, JazzPaperScissors and in a book of a Pratt exhibition called You Are Here; Mapping the Psychogeography of New York. 

Nichols was originally the Music Coordinator for Saturday Night Live in  its heyday and she also worked on The New Show and has worked with Hal Wilner on his wonderful anthology shows highlighting the music of Tim Buckly and Leonard Cohen.

Tonight she will be performing with her band Semi-Free at Barbes. SEMI-FREE is singer/songsmith/rhythm guitarist Janine Nichols, ; guitarist Brandon Ross(Cassandra Wilson, Harriet Tubman::the band), violinist Charlie Burnham (Steven Bernstein’s MTO, James Blood Ulmer, Medeski Martin & Wood) and, increasingly, Doug Weisselman (Antony, Steven Bernstein, Robin Holcomb, John Lurie) on bass clarinet.

The songs are Janine’s or given her by Hal Willner, her partner in ambitious live shows for 20+ years.

The show will begin at 7PM and there is a $10 charge for the show. If you don’t already know, Barbes (on 9th Street near 6th Avenue in Park Slope) is a small space so get there early and stake out a seat.