Monica Chapman
Sep 11, 2011 Today's Stars
On September 10,
We caught up with the beautiful and talented Canadian Jazz Vocalist and Song Writer, Monica Chapman
Monica is always a joy to talk to. She is so full of life and happy because she is living her dream. Monica was trained as a classical vocalist and pianist. She credits her husband with convincing her that her voice woud lend itself well to Jazz. We here are glad he did. Monica is current working on her full CD. It’s all being kept under warps right now but Monica did tell us that she going to be doing standards from Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Billie Hoilday. We can’t wait to hear it. Take a listen to the interview and then go like her Facebook Band Page.
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Tags: happy, independent, Jazz, music, performer, piano, singer, Talent, Vocalist, writer
Tommy Brewster
May 12, 2011 Beyond The Music, Stars with a Pen, Today's Stars
In the last 4 years or so I have met many musicians, singers, writers, composers and arrangers, but every now and again, I have come across a soul in it for the sake of the music. The most recent being Tommie Brewster.
Tommie began her musical life before the age of 4, playing piano and later several other instruments. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London where she had begun a life long love affair with the works of Frederic Chopin!
However, musical influences at home were many- from jazz to ragtime, blues to rock, reggae to swing – and it was the blues that spoke loudest to Tommie’s heart and soul.
It was her dream to write, perform, arrange, record and produce her own distinctive music and this has now been achieved.
All musicians absorb so many influences, but Tommie does not knowingly imitate, replicate or emulate anyone – Tommie’s music in many different styles – just is what it is.
Tommie is into the music, completely, Tommie is the music. She says she writes everyday and judging from the abundance of tracks she sent me, I believe. Tommie is delightful, but you needn’t take my word for it. Have a Listen for yourself.
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Let’s hear it for Queen of the Blues of New Zealand Ms Tommie Brewster
Tags: arranger, blues, composer, funk, independent, independent record label, music, musician, performer, piano, poet, singer, singing, smooth, songwriter, Soulful, Talent
Liz Lysinger
Apr 11, 2010 Beyond The Music, Today's Stars
Liz Lysinger
Liz Lysinger is a NYC-based composer/music editor/sound designer for film and television.
Originally from Detroit, she has been playing music since a very early age and after training to be a concert pianist and attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, moved to NYC. She toured as both a solo piano/vocal artist and member of the electronic band ZIA while composing and doing music production for film and television.
She splits her work between NYC and LA and has worked with such clients as Universal Music Publishing Group, Blue Man Group, 4Kids Productions, UniverSoul Circus, Big Time Picture Company, Riptide Music, and the Rose Center at NYC’s American Museum of Natural History.
Her music has appeared on such albums as Rude Remix Revolution, She-A Female Trip-Hop Compilation, Transylvania Rocks, The Distillary, Crystal, and her solo album “Falling Off My Bench…” She edited the music for Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s, F-Zero, Funky Cops and As The World Turns. Her music has appears on such shows as the multiple Yu-Gi-Oh! series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, David McWane’s “Gravedigger,” Alexandra Cousteau’s “Expedition: Blue Planet – Blue Legacy,” “High School Confidential,” and “The Best
Years.” Her music also has appeared in the movie trailers for “The Forgotten, “The Libertine” and “Awake.”
She has done remixes for Boston-based ska/punk band Big D and the Kids Table and Seattle’s
electro/industrial band Endless Sunder and has worked on the Katja Esson films “A Season of Madness”, “Hole in the Sky” and “Latching On’, the multiple-award winning “Billy The Kid” by Jennifer Venditti, “We Gatta Eat!” by David McWane, “The Same Side of Rejection Street,” by S.G. Collins, “Thicker Than Water -The Vampire Diaries Part 1″ by Phil Messerer which she won a 2007 B-Movie Film Festival award for Best Music and “All The Wrong Faces” by Michael Gongora.
Her work has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and has aired all over the world. She is currently working on the French Spy World War II Documentary, “Operation Sussex” by Bonnie Friedman and is editing music for Saturday morning cartoons while composing a slew of electronic and orchestral tracks.
Check Her Out on Her Website: LizLysinger.com
Fake Books at Sheet Music Plus. Improvise and jam with our great fake book selection - all styles, all keys, lots of artists. Go now!
Tags: arranger, composer, movies, piano, preformer, sound design, sound scoreing, soundtracks, Talent, tv
Luther B
Feb 28, 2010 Today's Stars
Luther B, whose full name is Luther Earl Baker, was born in Baltimore, MD October 1, 1955 to Emmett and Kathleen
Baker. Luther B has always been influenced by music. As a little lad he could remember the Gospel Quartet singing by his father and uncles.
They used to sing songs by The Mighty Clouds of Joy, The Dixie Hummingbirds, and The Five Blind
Boys. Many times Luther B and his brothers Ervin and Kenny, along with his sister Erma, were asked to join in with all that good singing. Those memorable moments in his life taught Luther B the art of harmony singing, timing, and rhythm.
Singing all of the latest Motown hits with his brothers also enhanced his singing ability.
When he was just nine years old, Luther B began playing drums and singing tenor in the choir at Unity Bible Way, a local
church in Baltimore. He developed the interest in playing the piano at the age of eleven.
While at Unity Bible Way Church, he asked the preachers to pray for his hands so that he would receive the gift of playing the piano.
That same year, Luther B’s father purchased his first piano for $20. One of those big, upright, spaceship pianos. Luther B then purchased a record player and began a collection of records. He would practice sometimes nine to fourteen hours a day, listening to every style of music he could get his hands on. He listened for chord progressions, phrasings, and improvisations of all kinds. His fingers became sore and achy from so many hours of practice. He would often become frustrated, but his determination to learn to play grew stronger.
As a result of his hard work and practice, Luther B has toured extensively with groups and bands that he had formed. He has performed many concerts, venues spanning from New York to the Bahamas. For a while, he relocated to Nashville, TN where he played for Dr. Bobby Jones and Derrick Lee of BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel. He worked with Donald Lawrence, and was apart of several television show tapings, including Christmas and New Year’s programs.
He has performed in shows with Joe Lagon of The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and played for the incomparable Pastor
Shirley Caesar. He has performed for the legendary Andrae Crouch in California, and played for the late Danniebelle Hall, a former lead singer for Andrae Crouch.
Luther B was music director for a Larnelle Harris concert in Baltimore, MD, and has opened for artists such as Hezekiah
Walker at the Morris Mechanic Theater, and the New Jersey Mass Choir.
He also performed with Diana Ross at
Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. They did a special rendition of the classic “I Will Survive” with a 30 voice
choir which he directed. He has produced hundreds of music tracks for singers, songwriters, and other artists.
All of these great experiences are a result of Luther B’s dedication and hard work at perfecting his craft. He has studied
Classical Piano at Morgan State University, studied Jazz at Essex College, and even now Luther B continues to cultivate his talent through private Classical lessons at Peabody Conservatory of Music.
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Tags: arranger, composer, Gospel, Jazz, music, piano, singer, smooth, Vocalist
