Lisala

Interview 29 January 2004

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Let's start with a bit of background. Where you from, where do you live, how old are you, what's your background. Are you full time in music?

I am from NYC and have always lived here. I grew up in Brooklyn, raised by my Mother and Grandmother. I lived in Philadelphia, PA when I was in college and I live in Brooklyn again now. I'm in my 20s and have been focused on my music and a few other projects to pay the bills while I get the word out about "Get It".

You came from a household where 'classic' soul abounded. Were your parents musical. What kind of stuff and who influenced you, growing up. You were the kind of girl that was always singing eh?

My mother is a real music lover and kept good music on in the house. She didn't sing but loved dancing. My father had gone to a performing arts high school and was into theater. I guess I started singing as a small child around 3 or 4 years old and I used to sing songs by the Emotions and others which my Mom encouraged. I loved Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Stevie, Ashford&Simpson, Michael Jackson and all the usual favorites as a small child. I loved pop singers too, and remember loving Duran Duran, Barbara Streisand, Phil Collins and others. It was great growing up with diverse music around me all the time.

Jazz and Gospel too?

I don't remember how old I was when I started focusing on Jazz music, but I studied Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn hard. My love of gospel music happened a little later in my life in my teens.

Did you kind of know or realise at quite a young age that music was to be your destiny, and you trained yourself in that direction?

I was really inspired to take singing more seriously when Star Search (talent content TV show) started featuring kids and I saw kids my age really blowing, I wanted to seriously work to get my voice together. So probably around age 7 I started working everyday on singing my favorite songs and mimicking great singers. I started getting more formal training in high school and college.

In high school, you formed an a cappella quintet. Tell me about that. Was that just good fun or did it give you a taste.

Myself and 4 other female friends were in various choirs in High School and we were dissatisfied with the repertoire. We approached our choir director and she started working with us after school and introduced us to the music of "Sweet Honey in the Rock". We performing their music and went on to do over 200 performances in NYC and throughout the Northeast. We called ourselves "Revelation" . I learned so much about harmonizing during those years and it's been invaluable to me as a songwriter now.

At what point did you start writing material....and performing it. "'Take My Hand' was an early song wasn't it.

Take My Hand was an early composition of mine when I was in college. A good friend of mine, Brian Peterson was a DJ and had some recording equipment and he and I never composed before but we started experimenting. We collaborated on alot of music, and I started writing my own stuff on the side. Take My Hand came out of that. I didn't perform it for years though. I didn't have the confidence to perform my own stuff yet.

Tell me about Burnt Sugar - what is it, how do you fit in and how has it helped you. Have you finished with it now?

I still perform with Burnt Sugar. It's an improvisational collective of musicians who perform "Conduction" which was developed by Butch Morris. Our conductor is Greg Tate and we've been performing in NYC for over 4 years. We were fortunate enough to perform at Royal Festival Hall in London in March 2003. You can get more info about Burnt Sugar at www.burntsugarindex.com

You've also performed with fellow Angela Johnson, Leanin' 6, and Tamar Kali. Tell me about that. I've seen Angela over here and she's been interviewed twice for the site.

I've been privileged to know and work with other independent artists in NYC that have unique talents and styles. As you know Angela has emerged as an exciting solo artist with her CD "They Don't Know." "Leanin' 6" is a band led by Kevin Webb and Russell DeLacour and they have a really nice blend of rock and soul in their music. Tamar Kali is a phenomenal artist also out of NYC who was pivotal in my decision to pursue my own music again. I've backed her on vocals for years and she is known as the "Geechee Goddess of Hardcore Warrior Soul" and has a great following. She has an EP out independently know and will be coming out with a full CD soon. I enjoy singing backup for artists I respect and admire.

You worked with India Arie and are heavily involved in the New York scene. Tell me about that.

I haven't had the privilege to work with India Arie directly. I opened for her in 2001 on the day her first CD dropped and it was an exciting night in NYC. It was the largest audience I had performed for as a solo artist. I have done alot of gigging in NYC over the years and I'm excited about the prospect of bringing my music to other areas. That's a focus for me now.

Tell me about how you put down a song and build it. At what point do you 'see' a finished product in your head. And what do you draw from.....personal stuff or more worldly.

I write the music for the track first and rely on instinct in that process. I mean that I don't hear he song as a finished piece in my head first. I start our with a drum beat and chords or bassline first usually. I get the chorus/hook together and build from there. The last thing I usually do are vocal arrangements and harmonies and there as well, I tend to go with the first words that come out of my mouth and build from there. That's how the "Get It" album was done. In the future I may try different approaches but this has worked for me for now.

And the album, tell me about how it all came together, how long it took. Who helped you, tell me about the 'team' around you.

"Get It" was a project that took me about 2.5 years to complete. I really didn't know anything about producing or dealing with things in the recording studio at all. I did all of my writing and production at home and for the live tracks, I rehearsed with the musicians and laid those tracks in the studio. I was pretty secretive about the project and only let those close to me hear it as it was developing. I prayed, cried, and struggled through most of it because so many things happened, good and bad in the recording process and many many times, I felt it may not get done. I don't really have a set "team" around me in terms of management or producers, but my drummer, Trevor Holder provided another set of ears I trusted in the studio much of the time as well as my best friend Imani Wilson.

Are you happy with the finished product, and how's it going down. Getting any reaction from overseas. Any particular tracks getting attention or you particularly feel for.

I am really happy with the finished product. I still feel some things could be better but as a first album, I feel proud and blessed. I am starting to get positive feedback overseas and in the US which is great and I'm still working hard to get the word out. I think it will be a very gradual process. I've had lots of response to "Have to Say", "Independence" and the "Tell Me Something Good" remake.

You're fusing together a bit of the old and the new ...is that what you feel. You talk about 'grit' also. Explain?

The sound I'm trying to develop is one I call "Grit Soul" because I've tried to make my music unique and surprising. I love really good music that catches me off guard and so I think of "Grit" as personality and individuality in music that inspires. Basically, "grit" to me is funky and daring.

Who out there right now are you feeling.

Right now I listen mostly to gospel music and I'm a huge fan of the Clark Sisters. In terms of R&B/Soul, I really respect Ledisi, Jill Scott, and R. Kelly. I've always been a big fan of Faith Evans and Brandy as well. I also love a woman named Jane Child who had some big hits in the early 90s. She's one of my favorites though she's more on the rock/pop/funk tip.

What are you doing to promote, are you giggin? Do you have a band. What's your show like?

I have a fantastic band with musicians who have worked with Roy Ayers, Angela Bofill, and Kelly Price among others. The live show is fantastic and really captures the essence of the CD but we really fun with the songs and get funky the way you really can only do in a live situation. I have been gigging in NYC and am working starting to travel with the band over the next 6 months.

You looking at coming over here? What's on the agenda. Keep me posted

I definitely plan to make it to London to promote the CD. I'm looking into distribution in London now.

Anything else you want to say.

Thank you so much for your interest in my music and plugging "Get It". I'm working to continue making music that isn't just the usual. I hope everyone will start to "Get It." Much love for your support!

Good luck and thanks for your time.

Mike

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