Ledisi

The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley presents two-time Grammy nominated neo-soul vocalist, Ledisi, touring in support of her latest CD Turn Me Loose (Verve). Band members joining Ledisi are Anthony Walker (keyboards and Musical Director), Lorenzo Johnson (keyboards), Steven Walker (guitar), Ken Friend (bass), Jason Holt (drums), Nicole Caldwell (background singer) and Sara Williams (background singer). Set times Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are at 7:30PM and 10:00PM, and Sunday at 7:30pm. Doors open at 6pm on Thursday, 5:30pm on Friday - Sunday.
Ledisi wanted to make a few bold artistic changes this time out. But just before she started work on her sophomore Verve release, Turn Me Loose, she hit a wall. The singer-songwriter had a bad case of writer's block that stretched for six months. Ledisi was petrified as she tried to figure out how to follow up her 2007 Verve debut, Lost & Found. The album garnered strong reviews and two Grammy nominations, including one for best new artist. "It was the pressure of coming back after all the success with Lost & Found and trying to figure out, 'Who am I? Who is Ledisi now?'" says the New Orleans native. "Before, I wondered do people get me. Now it's like, 'Ok, we know you. What are you gonna do now?'"
A friend gave Ledisi an album to check out, hoping the music would start the creative juices flowing again. It was Buddy Miles' 1970 soul-rock classic, Them Changes. "I had never heard it before," Ledisi says. "Once I heard it, I wanted to be able to be free on the new album. "Inspired by the freewheeling music of Buddy Miles, Ledisi now had a direction. But she decided to push herself even further by reaching out to different collaborators, something she hadn't done before. For Turn Me Loose, Ledisi didn't want to play it safe. With help from the four other producers (Ivan & Carvin, Chief Xcel, Chucky Thompson & Fyre Dept), the artist braided brilliant strains of different sounds; rock, blues, classic soul, funk and hip-hop are all fused together.
Lost & Found may have been Ledisi's well-received introduction to the mainstream, and Turn Me Loose is sure to break even more ground. But she is far from an overnight sensation. Born in New Orleans, Ledisi Young (her given name meaning "to bring forth" in Nigerian) has been singing professionally since age 8, fronting the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. Her mother, also a singer who performed in local bands, was an early inspiration. Ledisi's family relocated to Oakland, California, and it was there that she seriously pursued a career in music.