Janet Klein probably should have been born at the beginning of the 20th century, when the "obscure, naughty and lovely" songs she sings were popular. It's the era to which she feels most drawn, and whose spirit and style she so successfully recreates with her music.

The L.A.-based singer records and performs a vast repertoire of long-forgotten material-- songs from the 1910's, 20's and '30's that few people even know exist. "People think of music from the 20's as corny, but it's not... Alot of it is really full of life and bawdy and shockingly "cool", says Klein.

Most of Klein's material derives from obscure 78 rpm recordings and sheet music she and her bandmates collect. Some of the songs are from vaudeville acts that just happened to get recorded on film. Much of it is incredibly rare.

Klein's music goes beyond entertainment--it's also a history lesson, a means of keeping old music alive for a new audience, which encompasses everyone from goth girls and rock fans to people who grew up with the music.

Janet Klein has released five CDs on her own Coeur De Jeanette label.