Born: June 28 Primary Instrument: Vocal
Lisa Hearns is an acclaimed jazz vocalist who has performed at legendary venues and festivals in Boston, New York City, and throughout New England. The daughter of two music professors, Hearns grew up in Massachusetts and is a graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Before attending Berklee she formed and led her own group, playing in New York City for several years and traveling throughout New England, performing together until 2001. She returned to New York City in September, 2001 to continue her singing career. Hearns has made several professional recordings to date including her debut jazz release “I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good' produced by six-time Grammy Award Winner Elliot Scheiner. Scheiner wrote “The first time I heard Lisa Hearns sing, I knew I had to work with her...She is truly one of the most extraordinary singers I have ever worked with. She has a most identifiable voice and an artistic approach to performing unlike anyone I've ever worked with.”
The album features special guest guitarist Howard Alden [Concord Records], upright bassist and arranger Kelly Friesen, pianist Keith Ingham, and drummer Arnold Wise.
Currently Hearns can be seen performing in a variety of venues in and around the New York Tri-State area where she continues to garner critical acclaim for her performances, and is planning a tour in support of her new release.
Last Updated: January 26, 2009
“…a debut that seems to travel very familiar ground but bowls you over when
you least expect it...Hearns has got what it takes to make a session come
alive and stay there in a lasting way....Very much what the doctor ordered for
jaded ears…”
Chris Spector
MIDWEST RECORD
“For her debut release, I Got It Bad & That Ain’t Good, ….Lisa Hearns, has hit
the ground running. Hearns has got a Doris Day, girl next door kind of voice
delivered with a relaxed presentation that is alluring, and seductive... Brilliantly conceived and performed, I Got It Bad & That Ain’t Good
is fresh music by a fresh voice!”
George Harris
ALL ABOUT JAZZ Los Angeles
“Hearns sounds like she could have been transported to the future from an
era when many jazz vocalists were household names...“I Got It Bad & That
Ain’t Good succeeds on all fronts...a rare achievement for a debut album.”
Dan Bilawsky
JAZZ IMPROV NY
”Lisa Hearns isn't quite the newcomer, but she hasn't yet achieved the
national attention that her talent could command. Her new CD reveals a feel
for the traditional but a taste for the eclectic - in other words, she's got
something new to offer. On “I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good” (s/r) Hearns
redefines sultry with her bluesy version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”
and her gorgeous vocalese throughout the album shows the breadth and
depth of her range as a singer...”
Suzanne Lorge
ALL ABOUT JAZZ NEW YORK
“A fine swing singer who has a clear tone, excellent phrasing, and puts
honest feeling into the words she interprets....Lisa Hearns should have a
bright future in jazz.”
Scott Yanow
LA Jazz Scene
“Lisa Hearn's new CD “I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good”
is a winner!...It's brimming with talent and truly swings.
A homerun!”
Bob Collins
The Jazz Cafe, WRHU
