Lisa Bauer

Lisa Bauer, originally from Gauteng, South Africa, graduated from the South African College of Music at UCT in 2004 with a degree in Jazz Performance in vocals and drum kit (with a distinction in singing).

Lisa started singing harmonies to her father's LP's of Classical Music, Musicals and Jazz artists such as Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet, Oscar Petersen and Ray Brown, from age 4. She sang as a soloist in her primary school choir, performed professionally as a guitarist/singer/drummer during High School, studied the violin from age 12 and drums from the age of 16. It was in 1998 while studying classical piano and violin at Stellenbosch that Lisa joined Gavin Fullard's Jazz vocal group Track Five (in the style of bands such as Manhattan Transfer and Take 6) as an alto. Lisa recorded two albums with Track Five who also performed with Big Bands Jazz Attack, UCT Big Band, The Glenn Miller Orchestra South Africa and the Jonny Cooper Big Band.

She has also performed, recorded and has been a member of projects and artists that include The Glen Miller Orchestra South Africa, Mamavox (with Amanda Tiffin, Monique Hellenberg and Mimi Ntenjwa), The Rudimentals, Souled (with Melanie Scholtz, Raghnild Tveitan and Shane Cooper) and released an EP with electro-lounge group Nightlife Conspiracy in 2008. Apart from her own Quartet, she currently works with groups such as Baobab Three, One Sky (with Matthew Rice & Max Starcke) and LMR Trio (with Max Starcke & Ronan Skillen). Her Jazz Quintet performed at the Silvertree Restaurant Winter Concert Series in 2008.

A highlight for Lisa in 2007 was being a finalist and receiving the runner-up and Merit Awards in the prestigious SAMRO Jazz Singing Overseas Scholarship Competition. She then travelled to New York and San Francisco to study with the legendary Kitty Margolis and Dr. Gloria Cooper in July 2008 and again in 2009. The Lisa Bauer Quartet album Finding a New Way, featuring top South African Jazz musicians and said to be the 'greatest Jazz vocal album to come out of South Africa in the last 10 years'(Eric Alan Radio 2000), was inspired by her musical experiences in New York and was released in early 2010.

Lisa Bauer Quartet FINDING A NEW WAY is available for purchase via www.jassics.co.za

Awards

Runner-up SAMRO Overseas Scholarship competition 2008. Numerous scholarship awards at UCT (South African College of Music) Jules Kramer Award, University of Cape Town 2008, 2009 & 2010 during Masters in Jazz Vocals studies (which enabled Lisa to travel to NYC and San Francisco for lessons/meetings with Jazz vocalists Dr Gloria cooper & Kitty Margolis.

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