"The new single A Life That’s Lead is my electric quartet composition, reflecting my continual musical journey of reinvention as a jazz artist. I wanted to challenge myself as a vocalist/drummer in studio, which is a concept that has always come naturally to me. The A Life That’s Lead project started in 2012 and features me on drums, friends and collaborators Chantal Willie on electric bass, Andrew Lilley on keyboards and Lee Thomson on trumpet. I am passionate about and started studying the drums privately since age 16 completing the advanced diploma at the Tony Rothschild School of Drumming in Johannesburg at 18 years, alongside guitar from age nine, classical piano from age seven and violin from age 12. I continued to study the drums during my undergraduate vocal jazz degree with Efrain Toro at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The single was co-mixed with my partner Max Starcke at Ronan Skillen’s studio in Kalk Bay and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York City with Steve Fallone, who has worked with notable artists such as Die Antwoord, Avishai Cohen, The Strokes and Lionel Loueke.
The title refers to the sense that one’s path is, especially at times of high focus, determination and inspiration, being led by other ‘forces’. I travelled to New York three times from 2008-2010 to study with my vocal mentors and attend jam sessions at jazz clubs around Manhattan. It is an amazing city for following ones calling and especially exciting for jazz musicians to connect with other musicians from around the globe. I went there solo, with an open mind and was so often in the perfect place at the perfect time without a fixed plan. It was as though my ‘gut’ instinct was on overdrive resonating with the city buzz and oozing music history, finding that wonderful strangers would be waiting there for me, supporting my mission. At times, the life of a full-time musician can be heavy, yet golden and there are many challenges on the journey, hence the pun on the word ‘lead’ in the title.
"I have always loved traditional jazz, but since my teen years, funk and motown bands/artists such as Kool and the Gang, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Jamiroquai, and later on neo-soul artists such as Jill Scott, Robert Glasper and drummers Billy Cobham, Harvey Mason and others, changed the way I listened to music and being a drummer, a prominent rhythm section always attracted me. I wrote this tune over two years ago and have been performing it with my quartet at various jazz venues in Cape Town, sculpting and changing my approach to it as my rhythm section interpreted it live, until I was finally ready to go in to Sound and Motion Studios to lay it down with the perfect group. My debut 2011 SAMA nominated album Finding A New Way was also recorded there."
- Lisa Bauer
credits
released June 27, 2017
PERSONNEL:
Lisa Bauer - vocals, drums, composition
Andrew Lilley - keyboards
Chantal Willie - electric bass
Lee Thomson - flugelhorn, trumpet
Produced by Lisa Bauer.
Co-produced by Maxim Starcke.
Recorded at Sound and Motions Studios, Cape Town.
Mixed by Ronan Skillen with Lisa Bauer, Kalk Bay.
Mastered by Steve Fallone at Sterling Sound, New York City.
