The Band
Not just any band will work for a bunch of fusion dancers, so we made our own. We grabbed a few of the best musicians around and told them what we wanted.
And they liked it!
Check Missy Andersen out at MissyAndersen.com or take a listen at myspace.com/missyandersenlive.
Missy Andersen
"Something about soul speaks to me. And if you dip it in some blues, it's even better. It has nothing to do with the notes; it's about the story and the feeling. It isn't always pretty, but you can always feel it when it's done right. That's all I want to do. I want to sing my story in a way that both the listener and I can feel." - Missy Andersen
Born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Queens, New York, Missy's first real memory of singing is at age six. Her mother entered Missy in a child talent contest and everyday she practiced with her after school. It was her favorite thing to do. For some reason the contest was cancelled and her afternoon practice sessions stopped, but Missy was hooked from then on. "Singing would always be my friend and I would turn to it whenever I needed to express something I couldn't find the words to say," says Missy.
Her parents had an extensive music collection that included lots of soul, R&B, blues, jazz, and gospel. Her favorite songs were always the ones that told a story. It wasn't always the most popular song on the album, but she would play them over and over and over. She listened to Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, The Staple Singers, Teddy Pendergrass and a host of others. And like many before her, Missy mimicked other singers until she found her own voice. Later she would discover Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn, and Billie Holiday and that eventually lead her to O.V. Wright, Bobby Bland, Little Milton, James Carr, Ray Charles, Ann Peebles, and Irma Thomas.
Although singing is her love, she had her first stab at the music business while in her teens with the rap single, "Be For Real" under the moniker, Denyce "Flip" Isaac. Although the record's success was small, it still led to her being the opening act for Cissy Houston in a string of club dates. It wasn't long before Missy turned back to singing, honing her skills fronting local bands as well as doing studio sessions as a background vocalist.
Moving to San Diego, California, she met local blues man, Earl Thomas in the late 90's. It was then that she became one of the original Juke Joint Jezebelles, a gospel, blues, and soul quartet, who provided backup vocals for Earl's stage show. She played and toured with Earl for several years hitting festivals and venues in the U.S. and Europe. Earl Thomas and the Jezebelles shared the stage with Ray Charles, B.B. King, Robert Cray, John Hammond, Keb' Mo', Kenny Neal, and The Meters.
After fronting San Diego-based band, Tell Mama, Missy felt it was time to strike out on her own. Her self-titled debut album, Missy Andersen, released on Main Squeeze Records, is an organic mix of soul and blues from another era with a healthy dose of today. She displays her talents on 8 tunes, including two originals - 'New Feet' (track 2) and 'Stand Up and Dance' (track 8). Missy Andersen (vocals) is joined by her husband and bandleader Heine Andersen (guitar), Asmus Jensen (drums), Jeppe Juul (organ) and Søren Bøjgaard (bass). Additional musicians include Nathan James playing Dobro slide guitar on track 8. Missy Andersen serves on the board of Blues Lovers United of San Diego (BLUSD) and is a lead presenter in its sponsored Blues in the Schools (BITS) program.
"I have always loved Missy's voice and style. She has a truly original sound and her phrasing of the melody is creative, intelligent, soulful and, in my humble opinion, puts her in the league with Irma Thomas or any of the great contemporary female (or male for that matter) soul/blues vocalists. Her version of O. V. Wright's 'Ace of Spades' is priceless! The band is tight, right on point and perfectly complements her vocal delivery. I give this one 5 stars!" - Earl Thomas
Check her out at MissyAndersen.com or take a listen at myspace.com/missyandersenlive.
Sandra Stram
Sandra Stram teaches strings in the San Diego Unified School District and performs on Baroque violin and viola da gamba throughout the San Diego area, frequently performing for the San Diego Early Music Society Old Masters series. In addition, she is a dynamic fiddle player with a sound straight from a backwoods zydeco dance club. Whether she’s playing fiddle or washboard, Sandra’s energy will turn an ordinary function into a fais do do.
Previously performing with the band Zydeco Patrol, Sandra now plays fiddle and washboard with The Bayou Brothers, Billy Lee and the Swamp Critters, and Judy Taylor’s Wild Oats.
Billy Watson - Harmonica
Billy is an entertainer extraordinaire, capable of throwing down a blues show that can be infectiously hilarious and convincingly nasty. His energy both as a sideman and fronting his own band is relentless, his vocals inspiring, and his harp work musically outstanding. Watching Billy perform reminds audiences that blues music can be lowdown, but that in the end it's all about having some fun, dancing, and forgetting about your worries. |
Walter Gentry - Saxophone
Walter Gentry is a saxophone virtuoso. His playing on alto, tenor and soprano saxophones is commanding and entrancing. He is a San Diego native, whose music has taken him cross country and around the world. In New Orleans, he was the featured player in several bands. Walter also toured and traveled to Brazil, where he wowed audiences nightly with his incredible playing. His travels took him to the Midwest, where he was a staple on the Blues scene in Chicago and Indiana. Now he’s finally back in his home town where he can be seen fronting his own band or as a highly sought after sideman in various projects. |