On "Opportunity Please Knock": Ron Blake, Sax; Carlton Holmes, Piano; Nicki Parrot, Bass; Tom Dempsey, Guitar; Dion Parson, Drums
Influences
Gosh....everybody? Johnny Hartman, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughn, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Shirley Horn, Irene Kral, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie (I'm not scared to admit it!), Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Cassandra Wilson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Barry Harris, Sheila Jordan, and of course every musician with whom I have the pleasure of playing.
Some musicians take the road less traveled on their creative journey, and vocalist Teraesa Vinson has a unique perspective on following one’s bliss. The St. Louis native actually completed a B.A. in Psychology at Spelman College and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Florida before deciding to pursue her musical aspirations. After a time teaching other students to follow their dreams, she decided maybe it was time she heeded her own advice. Since landing in New York in 2003, Vinson has embraced every opportunity to improve her craft. She found mentors in two greats—pianist/composer Barry Harris and vocalist Sheila Jordan, and got valuable experience on stages in the area.
After a relatively short stint in the city, Vinson got the chance to record for the first time in 2004. That debut, Opportunity Please Knock, was an occasion to record with some outstanding musicians: Ron Blake, Tom Dempsey, Carlton Holmes, Nicki Parrott, and Dion Parson. The combination of well-loved standards, less recorded gems (Moon Ray) and a pop favorite (I Can’t Make You Love Me) attracted both traditional jazz enthusiasts and a more mainstream audience. Moreover, the album was critically well-received and earned airplay on radio stations across the globe.
Yet another great opportunity came Vinson’s way in 2005. That January, Vinson became the resident vocalist at Langans in Times Square. Singing alongside the phenomenal young drummer Quincy Davis and his trio, Vinson continues to perform at Langans weekly in addition to other venues around the city.
2007 promises to be an exciting year, as Vinson plans to record her follow-up project in Spring. Aiming for a more intimate feel, the recording will be a duet album with good friend and stellar guitarist Tom Dempsey. The two have collaborated since Vinson’s first performances, and Dempsey was also featured on her debut recording. The easy chemistry between the two, which frequently enchants their audiences, should lead itself to a notable sophomoric effort.
Here in New York, you can primarily see Teraesa on Saturday nights as the featured vocalist with the Quincy Davis Trio at Langans.
You should create your own MySpace Layouts like me by using nUCLEArcENTURy.COM's MySpace Profile Editor!
yea, the bread thing kinda killed me... I feel like I'm adding so much maturity to your character. Next thing you know you'll be an Ultimate Surrender commentator...
Hello, Hows it goin'? Love the new song...and i didn't have a song on my page but i had to add yours.....diggin' it. N e whoo....are you still teaching at bcc?
MY BAD! This island living has me ignoring calendars. I thought it was the 21st yesterday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY (I'll spare you my singing). Where you at man? I called last night.
Tell my P.O. you've been helping me get past the urges and I've repaid my debt to society with numerous nice deeds(i.e. volunteering my time for students with speah impediments)
Welcome to my humble space in this corner of the galaxy and I wish for you and yours many blessings of love, joy, peace, happiness, success and above all good health. Thanks for friendship.
The real world awaits its true identity which is hidden in the creativity of all our human family. "ARTISTS" musicians, painters, poets and writers. I hope that, that part of all humanity will become awaken, and come alive to live the true meaning of our "CREATOR'S" purpose. The force which is bigger than all of us, in whom all truth exist.
THE RESOLVE
I recently shared this information with some friends on my space and all express surprise. They respond favorably, saying that they have never heard it put like this before. Overwhelmingly they advise me to put it up in my blog area for all to see. In other words for more people to have access to it. With this support, I wish to share it with you.
Attention: To all musicians, singers, players of instruments, and Friends!
Did you know that there are colors in music?
The notes you play creating your music, giving it the texture needed to make it unique. This is the same vibration and color the painters use to interpret their works of art. What you interpret as sound and tones, we the visual artists use to create the expression on canvas or what ever medium we choose for expression, in tones and shades of colors.
SAME EXPRESSION DIFFERENT MEDIUM.
The next time you see a visual artist page, take a moment to browse through; you may be surprise, if when you leave that site you could easily come up with a new song or some inspiration for your next musical expression. There are some beautiful, and fantastic sites out there that proves my point. Feel free to visit them, and my site as well and see for yourself.
* The brain and all its body parts (Human) is only a machine which the mind manipulates. Everything else comes from within as (energy). The different functions only interpret the energy in its own unique capacity for which it was developed. Art, Science, Philosophy and Spirituality..... are the result of the mind concept, from its interpretation of the energy field. The interpretations are only the impression from what is gleaned by those instruments.
A MOMENT FOR REFLECTION
What a terrible way we humans are using these functions. We totally lost the abilities to use them to serve the all, as the universe had intended. It is up to us as artists, to turn that around, teaching the masses how to used them; the way they were meant to be use. They were meant to serve the better cause of humanity and to sustain all life force and not just the chosen few who use them for a greedy cause.
Hi Teraesa Vinson, just a quick hello from the Jazz Pistols - hope you are doing fine and have a nice christmas season. Thanks for being our friend and good luck for the things you do. Best regards - Christoph
Our Live-DVD will be released on the 1st of February 2007!
