Bio

Lisa Yves began playing piano at age seven. She was ten years old when she first discovered she could play and sing at the same time. From then on she spent hours at the piano daily trying out new songs and learning as much as she could about chord progressions and standards. By age twelve, Lisa had decided that she wanted to be a musician. Lisa grew up in Queens, New York. She devoured the trade papers every week and dragged her willing dad to every audition in the city that fit her description. At age fifteen, Lisa landed her first paying gig at the New York Improvisation in mid-town. Meanwhile she starred in every camp and high school play that she could. Always a natural at teaching, Lisa would help her fellow singers by accompanying them on the piano and instructing them on their technique. In high school Lisa won honorable mention in the vocal category by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts foundation and performed for New York's mayor Edward Koch who commended her vocal abilities.

At New York University, Lisa became the first woman to major in vocal jazz and was instrumental in the hiring of more jazz vocal professors. Lisa studied jazz improvisation with saxophonist, Joe Lovano. It was at an NYU vocal workshop that Lisa first met rising star Harry Connick, Jr., who invited Lisa to perform with him at a Greenwich village nightclub. Lisa also performed at many clubs with her own trio, The Yvesdroppers, and was well received. In 1993, Lisa was a featured vocalist on the Robert Miller album Child's Play, also featuring vocalist Jon Lucien and drummer Anton Fig. Lisa was also a featured songwriter, along with Jeff Franzel on the Kathy Kosins release, All in a Dream's Work Lisa also sang on the Honey Nut Cheerios national jingle.

Lisa moved to Massachusetts in 1995 and started to work with young vocalists. In 1998, Lisa produced an album called, Jazz For Kids, Everybody's Boppin'. She hired Boston's best jazz musicians and recorded with her young students at a Westwood recording studio. Jazz for Kids has since won the Parent's Guide to children's media Award, has been featured in the Boston Globe, Jazziz Magazine, Parenting magazine and has been played all over the world. In 2000, Lisa released her second Jazz for Kids release, Vocalese which has received the same enthusiastic response from jazz musicians and educators.

Lisa also released a solo album called Sweet Symphony, a collection of love songs and spirituals, which Lisa produced with Brad Hatfield and a single, Icarus, in remembrance of John F. Kennedy Jr.

Lisa is a member of the New England Jazz Alliance and has performed with her students at the Roxbury Jazz Festival and the Winthrop Jazz Festival. She will be conducting a series of presentations and performances in April 2002 for NEJA on exposing kids to jazz standards, rhythms and harmonies.

Lisa has been featured on the Bose children's compilation CD Whirligigs which is avalable in the Bose stores.

Lisa is currently recording her third Jazz for Kids release, On the Road and working on her album debut as a singer/songwriter. She performs regularly at The Blackthorn Tavern in South Easton, MA. She is also a great mom to two young vocalists and teaches vocal jazz to kids.

Said one admirer of Lisa's teaching style, "Lisa not only teaches music, she teaches her wisdom!"

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Jazz for Kids
PO Box 762
South Easton, MA 02375
1-877-4-BOPPIN
Email: lisawinner@comcast.net

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