Grammy-nominated vocalist Maysa brought a powerful and emotional message of love to an energized audience at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.
Maysa wowed the sold-out-crowd that gathered for the opening night of the 2024 Pittsburgh International Festival.
Throughout her career, the Baltimore-based singer has collaborated with notable artists like Stevie Wonder. She gained even more fame as the lead singer of the British acid jazz band Incognito.
Maysa spoke with WBGO’s Doug Doyle following her set at AWAACC that was filled with personal stories about her life.
“I want to share my experiences so that people know they are not alone. We are all here to help each other. We’re supposed to love each other.”
Maysa’s son, Jazz, is a very successful videographer and producer and is very close to his super-talented mom. Jazz was born three months early in 1999 when Maysa was on tour with Incognito. Maysa told the audience that her son was only a little more than two pounds at birth and doctors gave her a dim prognosis. Maysa didn’t accept what they had to say. She was right. Her baby boy was just fine. Now her son inspires her music even more.
“He’s just a joy to me. I want to soar in my life to make his life better. He’s so proud of me and I’m so proud of him. He’s absolutely everything I dream of.”
In 2018, Maysa took a significant step in her music career by founding her own record label, BLUE VELVET SOUL RECORDS.
“It feels wonderful that I call all the shots on my double album Music for Your Soul and the sister album Remix for Your Soul. I was in charge of everything. The artwork you see. I did it myself using AI and did all the pictures myself.”
Maysa’s performance at AWAACC on Friday night had the crowd dancing and more importantly relating to her amazing voice and message of love.
Jazz vocalist Vanisha Gould and her trio will perform at 1pm on Sunday, September 22 at the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, co-sponsored by the August Wilson African American Cultural Center and Highmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Timing couldn’t be any better for the singer as she is about to release her new album She’s Not Shiny, She’s Not Smooth (Cellar Music Group).
“A lot of this music I’ve been singing with the band every day for about two years. She’s Not Shiny, She’s Not Smooth is a new concept I developed when I received a commission from the Jazz Gallery. I just love the idea of embracing your imperfections. A lot of the tunes I write, if not a love song, it’s about being imperfect and embracing it. And just life period, life is not perfect. You can try as much as you like to make things work out and something will happen.”
So far, Vanisha has released two of the singles on the album. One is titled “Donovan” and that’s a song she actually sang NPR’s 2018 Tiny Desk competition.
“Now it’s like in my blood. I wrote it during my last year of college and I had it released with this great organization called Apartment Sessions.
I think for this album I was really excited to have my band on it, piano, bass and drums. The feedback has been great.”
Gould, a mainstay of the New York Jazz club scene for many years, also performed live for the passengers on the second annual “Jazz Train” from NYC to Pittsburgh this past Thursday.
Gould comes from a musical family. Her brother Victor is an acclaimed pianist and composer.
The second annual Amtrak Jazz Train to the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival was filled with music, laughter and jazz trivia.
Pianist and composer Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band will be performing on Sunday at the festival, but some members also gave the train riders a taste of their jazzy sound.
Evans and his wife Dawn were hosts of the trip along with Janis Burley Wilson, CEO of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.
Singer Vanisha Gould, who will kick off Sunday’s lineup at the festival, treated the Jazz Train crowd to some wonderful ballads.
The Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival is co-presented by the August Wilson African American Cultural Center and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.