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I
was only 18 when I married. But I was in LOVE and nothing
and no one was going to stop me, not even my desire to
be a famous musician. I was already one year into my studies
of classical flute at UCLA. This was the instrument I
had finally chosen after playing the piano and guitar
for years. The voice? Why study voice when it came so
naturally to me? It was always something I took for granted.
But then the pressures of marriage, two little babies
and finally, a divorce, catapulted me into the jazz world
at San Jose State University. "I'll study voice,"
I thought, since it was such an easy instrument for me.
"That way I'll be able to complete my degree and
get on with my life." Boy was I in for a surprise!
Studying voice was one of the most wonderful challenges
I had ever encountered-all thanks to Patti Cathcart (Tuck
& Patti)-my teacher and spiritual musical mentor.
She literally kicked my butt and woke me up to an entirely
new world where my voice was the messenger. "Sing
your truth" she would tell me. That's when I learned
there was so much more depth to the voice than just the
"sweet" sounds it could produce. There are stories
to tell, heartaches to share and love to spread. The power
of music is a gift that I never want to take for granted.
I have performed all styles of music: R&B, Motown,
Blues, Top 40 and jazz. But it is Latin Jazz that calls
to my soul more than anything. All these styles have brought
me to the place where I now am, helping to shape my music
in a much fuller way. Since I have a facility for languages,
I am drawn to music from all over the world. (I sing in
Spanish, Portuguese, Ladino and French.) But it is the
music of the Spanish-speaking countries I most closely
associate myself with. My focus is on Afro-Cuban, Afro-Peruvian,
South American folklore, Sephardic music of the Spanish
Jews and some Brazilian music, with a few standards thrown
in for good measure. When all of these styles are thrown
into the pot, an amazing Jazz Soup is brewed that is exciting
and enthralling to listen to.
I had the fortune of performing for 4 1/2 years with a
group called Charanga 9. There, I was able to hone my
skills as a salsa singer. And not only did I get to perform
with a group of wonderful musicians, but I was also given
the opportunity to open for some of the top salsa groups
of today: Celia Cruz, Los Van Van, Cubanismo, Las Perlas
del Son, and Paulito FJ. I have also opened for Charlie
Hunter, TJ Kirk and Cold Blood with Lydia Pense and have
had incredible opportunities to perform in New York City,
Chile, Cuba and all over the San Francisco Bay Area.
Now the time has come to completely devote myself to my
music. I have successfully completed the job of raising
two amazing sons and now it's my turn to go out into the
world and do what I have always been meant to do: SING! |
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