Ada Jane

Ada Jane is the latest manifestation of the musical efforts of Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter Matt Marka. The band also includes Charlie Wilson (drums), David Strahan (lead guitar), Collin Neugebauer (bass), and various other guests, musical and non-musical, on various nights. Ada Jane delivers a varied sound style, ranging from moody dirges similar to the darker moments of Wilco or Bruce Springsteen, to rollicking, rousing rock ‘n roll that has been compared to Hüsker Dü. Ada Jane's new LP, Under, is quite a departure from the Minneapolis rock sounds of their 2009 LP, Again...Again. Under is a raw, dark song cycle with moments of beauty and clarity peeking through the periphery, loosely about life in North Minneapolis, financial struggles, and the passing of time and people. Recorded and mixed in late 2011 and early 2012 at Matt Marka's home studio, and featuring a guest appearance on trumpet by Dan Eikmeier (Davina & the Vagabonds), Under is followed by the Over EP (December 2012 release).

In the 9 years since the band’s inception, Ada Jane has taken its high-energy, jumping and back kicking, Springsteen-on-speed live show on tour in Canada (including an invite to the 2006 Canadian Music Week in Toronto and an invite to the 2009 NxNE festival), The United Kingdom, Ireland, and throughout the US including an invitation to perform at the 2005 Midwest Music Summit in Indianapolis, IN. Ada Jane has also shared bills with numerous national acts, including Centro-Matic, The Heartless Bastards, Evan Dando, Jolie Holland, and Dave Pirner and Dan Murphy of Soul Asylum, Maritime, Bound Stems, Ha Ha Tonka, and Eagle Seagull.

In 2009 the sophomore LP by Ada Jane, Again…Again, received radio airplay on over 200 radio statios across the US and Canada and has had music used in the MTV show, Real World San Diego. Marka has also recently branched out beyond strict music shows and worked with local choreographers Jennifer Mack, Sharon Picasso, and Ashleigh Penrod on movement/music shows as well as recently completing a photography/music collaboration with local photographer Leslie Ostrander titled, "The Pauses Between." Under his own name, Matt Marka has self-released three albums over the past several years: One Less Ruth (1999), Repeat Pete Repete (2001), and Good-bye Gracious (2003).