Jan Holmgren began writing music at age ten. After a tour of duty in the Swedish Army, he received musical education in Sweden and immigrated to the United States in 1965. He worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines for 25 years.

In 1980, Holmgren became lovers with the Haitian-American poet, writer and performer Assotto Saint (born Yves F. Lubin) (1957-1994), who also died of AIDS. Together they collaborated on a variety of artistic creations. Holmgren wrote songs for all of Saint's many theatre pieces on gay black life which they produced themselves for their Metamorphosis Theatre. They formed a "techno pop duo band," Xotika, for which Saint was lead singer. Xotika's dance song "Forever Gay" was released on the CD Feeding the Flame by Flying Fish Records in 1990.

Holmgren is usually credited as a composer under the names: Jaan Urban or Jan Urban.

Jan Holmgren died of AIDS in New York at the age of 53 on March 29, 1993.

—Joseph Dalton

WORKS:

THEATRE

Block Fog
Coupon Queen
New Love Song (1987)
    Score and sound design: Jaan Urban
    Text and lyrics: Assotto Saint
    Choreographer: George Bellinger, Jr.
Risin' To The Love We Need

SONGS (all in collaboration with Saint)

Forever Gay
Songs performed at Holmgren's memorial service:
    Light
    Someplace
    Tears Of Laughter

UNCOMPLETED WORKS:
Unknown

WRITINGS:
Unknown

DISCOGRAPHY:
"Forever Gay" by Xotika on Feeding the Flame: Songs by Men to End AIDS, Flying Fish Records CD (1990).

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• Death notice, New York Times, April 1, 1993

PERFORMING RIGHTS AFFILIATION:
N/A

RESOURCES:
Unknown

MUSICAL EXECUTOR:
None

OTHER CONTACTS:
Mace Anderson (friend)
959 East 230th Street
Bronx, NY 10466
(718) 654-0258
MAA675@aol.com

Marie Lubin (mother of Assotto Saint)
224-10 Jamaica Avenue Apt. 5H
Queens Village, NY 11428
(718) 468-3807