What first got you into music?
When I was in my last year at Brooklyn College a very good friend of mine noticed my singing voice because I was always singing all the time. I thought everyone could sing and didn’t think it was anything special until I started singing out loud in a record store and was approached by the music director of the local opera company and was asked to audition. I auditioned, got into the chorus and never looked back.
Who inspired you to make music?
Ella Fitzgerald inspired me to sing and make music because during her time it was incredibly difficult to be a black woman in America (to put it lightly) you ever heard that in her voice or demeanor. Her passion and perseverance and joy is a constant inspiration to me
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
I create music that draws on all my inspirations. I love classic cinema and I am a huge fan of The Great American Songbook and I write with those songs in mind. For example my song, “ CHASIN’ RAINBOWS “, was inspired by the songs of the 1920’s, 1930’s and 40’s.
Can you discuss a career achievement you’re aiming for?
It would be a career achievement for Idris Elba to produce the house remix of my version of Duke Ellington’s, “ CARAVAN “.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
Should I have writer’s block I put the song aside and do something to take my mind off of the project like for instance visit a gallery, go to the Met Museum, watch a classic movie, read the latest edition of Vogue Magazine.
What album do you recommend everyone should listen to?
Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane, AIDA- 1961- Leontyne Price, Jon Vickers, Rita Gorr
Can you share one of your favorite music-related memories?
I recently went to see Kathleen Battle in retail at The Metropolitan Opera and it was an absolutely euphoric experience, to see a living legend perform.
What’s your go-to song or artist when you need a boost?
Ella Fitzgerald and Leontyne Price both of whom I am listening to while writing my answers to these questions.
Do you have a favorite venue to play at or attend concerts?
I really do enjoy playing at Scarlet Lounge which is a new jazz lounge on the upper west side in NYC opened by Michael and Victoria Imperioli. It is the perfect venue for the type of jazz I sing which is The Great American Songbook.
Who would you swap lives with for a day in the music industry?
Barbara Streisand. Because she sings, acts, directs and produces. She is groundbreaking, and created an indelible mark at a time when many doors were not open to women.
What’s your favorite music decade and why?
I love the 1920’s and 1930’s- when Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Sergei Rachmaninov and more all vied at the same time and these are all composers that I sing and perform.
What’s a truly unforgettable concert you’ve attended?
Lee Musiker with The New York Pops playing George Gershwin’s, Rhapsody in Blue at Carnegie Hall, truly sublime.
Tell me about your most recent released song
CHASIN’ RAINBOWS- is a song when I was at my lowest, it’s a song to motivate, uplift and inspire.