Originally
from New Orleans, Louisiana, Ledisi and her amily moved
to Oakland when Ledisi was 10 years old. Being conceived
and raised by an R&B Singer and a guitar player and
her step-dad being a drummer, there was no doubt that
Ledisi, having been raised around all this music, would
turn out to be a singer. She smothered herself in anything
that had to do with music and/or singing.
She
studied Opera and piano at U.C Berkeley's Young Musicians
Program leaving her classical trainer and crafting her
skills in Gospel while attending high school. Jazz ran
through her veins while attending college. Having that
background definitely paved the way for this now liberated,
highly charged singer. Ledisi performed in San Francisco's
Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon for eleven years.
Her theatrical experience encouraged her to use some of
her other talents such as song writing, producing and
teaching. She made her debut in television by landing
a nationwide commercial for Sprint's "Time is On
My Side" campaign, and has gone on to do many more
commercials.
Albums:
Ledisi has worked on numerous recording for other artists
and has released two albums of her own independently;
Soulsinger and Feeling
Orange but Sometimes Blue. Soulsinger
was well received in the US and in every
market that the band toured in and they continue to get
International acclaim for it being the best soul album
of the new Millennium. The attention and fan base caught
the attention of Tommy Boy records. A national release
of Soulsinger, now called Soulsinger, the
Revival will be distributed by Tommy Boy
Records in stores everywhere in the USA on 4-22-03. A
new song added to the LP, “Hold On To Love”
features MeShell Ndegeocello on bass.
Production:
Currently, Ledisi manages a production company with Sundra
“Sun” Manning under the name, LeSun Music.
Sun co-wrote and co-produced all three albums with Ledisi.
Move over Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. This two-woman production
team are literally doing it all. Creating beats, melodies
and writing lyrics, then recording and engineering in
their own studio. Besides their own material they have
made numerous tracks for major films, television and other
artists projects. The music that comes from LeSun Music
is enjoyed by people of all ages and all demographics.
They are in fact “Innovators of Modern Timeless
Music.” And the production doesn’t stop after
recording. Thousands of CD’s are sold independently
by them working the “rock band” approach.
LeSun Music does the business of a record label on behalf
of the albums and Ledisi. Sun and Ledisi are trendsetters,
paving a pristine example for other talented musicians
to follow.
Ledisi
live: Mix the energy of Tina Turner
and with the chops of Ella Fitzgerald, fill the songs
with emotion and sincerity, and you get the sensational
LEDISI. A dynamic performer who uses her voice like an
instrument, she joins the stage with her band Anibade,
who are all accomplished musicians in their own right.
Words could never accurately describe the power of Ledisi’s
live show. It is an experience, it is true entertainment,
and a celebration of music. Ledisi rejuvenated the San
Francisco club scene with a band called Slide 5 in the
acidjazz scene in San Francisco. After 2 years she left
the group with a hunger to write songs that matched the
energy she gave on stage. After finally freeing herself
from old bonds she decided to form her own band and call
it Anibade (pronounced a-nee-bah-day). Quickly the band
became popular for its soulful energy and seductive mixture
of R&B, Jazz and Funk. The band has opened for D'angelo,
The Roots, Rachelle Ferell, Eric Benet, Incognito, Dionne
Ferris, Groove Collective, Omar, Morris Day and the Time,
and shared the stage with Angie Stone, Norman Brown, The
Average White Band, Tony Toni Tone, Carl Thomas and Joe.
She continues to sell out venues both nationally and internationally.
The critics are raving about a recent performance in the
UK - comparing the excitement as the second coming of
the Beatles. India.Irie told Vibe magazine, “I went
to see her in New York and was more than just blown away.
I just had to bow down to her expertise.”
Awards:
Ledisi is nominated for Three California Music Awards
(5-25-03) for Outstanding Female Vocalist, Outstanding
Jazz Album and Outstanding R&B album. Ledisi won a
Goldie Award for Best of the Bay by San Francisco's Bay
Guardian. She also won an Award for Best local artist
by citysearch.com. Ledisi was voted #2 out of the 10 most
influential African American People by Oakland based magazine
City flight News Magazine. Her and the band has also been
nominated three times for Best Acid Jazz and R&B Band
by the San Francisco Weekly.
Ledisi
teaches voice lessons privately and also at The Jazz School
in Berkeley. She has worked with The Stanford Jazz Workshop,
Young Musician Program at U.C. Berkeley, and the Oakland
Youth Chorus. She taught at various Oakland public schools,
Oaktown Jazz Workshop, Jazz in the Schools and at Jazz
Camp West sponsored by Rhythmic Concepts. Ledisi also
created her own style of teaching and has called it, Sing
Soul Mind Emotion which she teaches currently around the
San Francisco Bay Area.
With
numerous awards under her belt and rave reviews from fans
and critics, Ledisi, along with her band Anibade, continue
to move forward and give one of the most energetic shows
audiences have seen. She rocks the stage as if the world
is ending and she's taking us all out with a bang. She
continues to sell out venues both nationally and internationally.
The critics are raving about a recent performance in the
UK - comparing the excitement as the second coming of
the Beatles. India.Irie told Vibe magazine, “I went
to see her in New York and was more than just blown away.
I just had to bow down to her expertise.” With the
new album, Soulsinger, the Revival, release date 4-22-03,
Ledisi and the band will be heading out on a US tour.
This is an album and a live show you do not want to miss!
Ledisi
– Soulsinger, The Revival brought to you by LeSun
Music
