Jan Preston


Classically trained pianist and former Zealand rock musician Jan Preston is one of Australasia’s finest exponents of boogie-woogie and rhythm and blues piano and a sought after composer of film and documentary soundtracks.

The one time member of the Red Mole theatrical troupe, Midge Marsden’s Country Flyers, pop group Coup D’Etat and Australian group The Tribe, Preston has recorded more than 10 solo albums since she moved to Australia in 1981.

Coup D'Etat - No Music On My Radio (1980)
Coup D'Etat's Heart Attack, the B-side to Doctor I Like Your Medicine.
Jan Preston with Tribe in the early 1980s
Jan Preston covers Reckless by Australian Crawl, ABC TV Spicks & Specks (2011)
Jan Preston - The Piano Has The Blues (2012)
Jan Preston - Driving In The Rain - Goulburn Railway Bowling Club, Australian Blues Music Festival, February 2013
Jan Preston
Jan Preston with Coup D'Etat
Jan Preston with Andrew Farrell (“The Wizard”), Doc Span, James Clark & Mike Korman. Recocos Restaurant, Noosa Jazz Festival. 7 September 2014.
Jan Preston discusses Winifred Atwell on TV One Breakfast, 2011
Jan Preston, 1993
Red Mole On The Road (1979 - clip two of six)
The Red Mole Troup Oct 1979. Coney Island. New York. L to R: Alan Brunton, Neil Hannan, Deborah Hunt, John Davies, Jan Preston, Martin Edmond, Sally Rodwell. 
Photo credit: Photo by Joe Bleakley
Jan Preston and Paul Hay - Barossa Valley, South Australia, 20 September 2009
Jan Preston - Stop the Fight (1993)
Red Mole On The Road (1979 - clip one of six)
Jan Preston
Photo credit: Jan Preston collection
Jan Preston performing at the 2013 Illawarra Folk Festival
Jan Preston plays Wellington, 2003
Jan Preston - Honky Tonk Blues (2013)
Jan Preston performs Rockin Pneumonia at Blue Wave Camp, Germany 2009
Jan Preston's post-punk band The Tribe - Angel of the Junkheap (1984)
Coup D'Etat: Jan Preston, Paul Dunningham, Harry Lyon and Neil Hannan
Coup D'Etat - Doctor I Like Your Medicine (1981)
Jan Preston - Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On (2014)
Jan Preston - In The Mood (live on TVNZ Good Morning, 2011)
Jan Preston - Crossover Boogie (2012)
Red Mole - A Romance - documentary trailer (2023)
Coup D'Etat: Jan Preston, Harry Lyon, Paul Dunningham and Neil Hannan
Jan Preston and Harry Lyon with Coup D'Etat, 1981
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Jan Preston at Noosa Jazz Festival, 2010
Jan Preston - Boatshed Boogie (2012)
Jan Preston with Bob Malone - Broadbeach, Queensland (2006)
Trivia:

Prominent New Zealand filmmaker Gaylene Preston is Jan Preston's sister.

Whilst Jan was playing in a restaurant in Australia she ended up playing for British comedy legend ( and jazzer) Spike Milligan. On the first night he really enjoyed her performance. Spike came back to eat the following night. Jan wasn't playing so Milligan asked if she could be contacted to come in.

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