MAYSA LEAK

Interview 19 September 2001

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Maysa Maysa's Website

Starting chronologically you mention in you bio a first single - State of Confusion - with Jay Holmes. What was this like is it available; presumably it was only cut locally. More importantly this must have helped define the direction you wanted to go in because even by then it seems pretty clear that music was to be your vocation?

Jay Holmes was my first boyfriend. We both had music in common, so
we made this record. He wanted to be a record producer back then
when it wasn't such a popular idea. State of Confusion was the first
song I had ever written, so he produced and we sold it around town. I
believe he still has about three thousand 45's left in his closet!
hahahahaha.....he has threatened to sell them when I become a huge
star!(And I will sue him!)

Then came Stevie Wonder - how did that come about? That must've blew you away at that stage of your career. Are you still in touch?

My best girlfriend, Kim went out to LA and started singing with
Steve. When he was looking for new singers, she asked him to
audition me. After a very scary audition, (after all Stevie Wonder
was playing the piano and telling me to sing these difficult
melodies), he told me that I had a beautiful voice and would I join him
in LA to record the Jungle Fever Soundtrack to Spike Lee's new
movie. I asked him if I could finish my degree and then come to LA and
he said sure. So I did, and I moved to LA almost a year later. I sang on
three or four songs on that CD and toured the US with him and Spike
Lee. I speak to Steve probably once every 2 months or so...he is still a
good friend of mine.

What made you accept the offer with Bluey to join Incognito. In hindsight it proved to be the right move but after working with Stevie and getting some media exposure why England, why Incognito?

I accepted the offer with Bluey for many reasons.

1.My spirit told me that this adventure was the answer to my dreams.

2.I KNEW that I would love the music just from the conversations I had with
Bluey.

3.I wanted to experience living in a foreign country.

4.The money they offered sounded great. And most importantly, I had a
return ticket!

How long were you in the UK that first time? What did you think, what did you do?

I lived in the U.K. from December 1991 to July 1994.At first I was
afraid, and I ate McDonalds everyday for a month before I ventured
out to try U.K. food. I did a lot of walking, I learned how to use the
tube and I called my family and rang up outrageous phone bills.

Tell me something about those first days with Incognito, leading into the Positivity album. You still feature some of this material so it must have made a lasting impression.

Wow, my first days with Incognito were pure magic, and that is the
best total description I can give.
We actually recorded Positivity in the same residential studio
where we recorded Tribes, Vibes and Scribes, and I tell you that is an
awesome experience. It was like recording in a hotel.

You then moved back home. Say something about the Baltimore scene, who was around and how this led into the 'Maysa' album?

The Baltimore scene is really quiet musically, but so many famous
musicians live here. Gary Thomas, Gary and Greg Grainger, Gary
Bartz, Dennis Chambers, the list goes on and on....I mean Baltimore
has a great musical community, but for the most part many musicians
leave Baltimore to pursue their dreams.

The Maysa album came about because Carl Griffin who is the
president of my record label N-Coded Music, was then the V.P. of A &R
at GRP records and he came up to me after an Incognito gig at the
North Sea Jazz Festival and asked me to sign to his company.

Your first hit - what did that feel like?

I think Deep Waters was my first hit, and to hear it on the radio
constantly was of course a dream come true. What About Our Love
and Can We Change The World great surprises, I am very happy with
the popularity of those songs even though they didn't make top
twenty.

You appear to have a long standing relationship with Gary and Greg Grainger : tell me something about this.

Gary and Greg Grainger will always be dear friends of mine because
they gave me my first start back in 1987-88 when the let me sit in for
Jenelle Fisher and that gave me my first experience singing in front
of an audience at a night club. And when I returned to
Baltimore, they put my band together for me.

You then worked with George Duke and Jonathan Butler. Who are your heroes and influences?

My heroes are mostly female vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah
Vaughn, Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle, Phyllis Hyman. Melba
Moore, Carmen McRae, Nina Simone, Diane Reeves, Rachelle
Ferrelle, Shirley Bassey, and groups from the 70's like The Gap Band
,Earth Wind and Fire,....I mean I grew up in the 70's when the best
music in the world was made.

There were long periods of life on the road . Do you enjoy this?
I enjoyed my time on the road, but now after having my son, I really
don't want to tour a lot, although I still want to do a European
tour.

What do you think of the UK soul scene?

I absolutely am a mega fan of the UK soul scene. My favorite artists
are Omar, Tony Remy, Hill St.Soul, Lewis Taylor ,Chris Ballin, The
Young Disciples, D-Influence, Ray Hayden.....I'll stop here..(long
list)......and I like this new guy Craig David too...

Then it was more 'Incognito', including a tour. What was it like going back to them and how do
you feel when they use other vocalists?

Going back to Incognito is always a homecoming. I miss everyone
terribly when I am not with them even though I know that Bluey and I
need to take breaks. I have to be totally honest and say that I get
jealous when I hear other vocalists only because I wish I were
singing those songs. I love the talent of these new singers though
because I am a big fan of Incognito and Bluey's production.

Your 'links' include people like Karen Bernod, Dawn Robinson, Will Downing, Lalah Hathaway.
How do you all hang together

We don't really hang together because we live in different
cities, but they are good friends. I do hang with  Dawn
Robinson, because she sings with me in my band. That link is not to the
ex-Envogue Dawn Robinson......

Then came 'all my life' .... to huge critical acclaim. Tell me about this, what you tried to achieve and
the satisfaction you got?

All My Life was very special to me because Bluey was great fun to
work with. He was a different producer for this record and he
really listened to what I had to say and what direction I wanted to
go in. He really encouraged me when I wanted to do the classical
thing.

The record is still selling very well but I believe that it was wasted
in the sense that it was not promoted well and it is strong enough to
stand along with the top CD's of last year that were so highly loved
by so many people.

Do you prefer the jazzy side, the soul side, or may be even the operatic?

I love every aspect, every style I recorded on this record. It
showcases my versatility and my training.

What are your favorite cuts on the album?

I cannot choose. I love the whole CD.

What does the future hold? Do you have any particular projects at the moment?

I am now working on my third solo CD....I was in LA a month ago and
my new producer Rex Rideout and I had a great time writing and
recording.

After the terrorist attacks in the States last week, I have become
afraid now and I have mixed feelings about travelling to finish the
record. It seems that I may have to drive 3,000 miles to do it.

Any more comments?

Well.....all I want to say is...ONLY LOVE IS REAL.