An old friend goes away

on October 3, 2008 a great vocalist, educator, entertainer and friend passed away from us. Perhaps you knew him. Maybe you heard him sing somewhere and his voice tugged at you. Maybe you were in church or a jumping Brooklyn hot spot or at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. If you were fortunate to have been in the way of, nearby or at the crosswalk of the tornado that was Ulysses Slaughter then you knew that his voice tugged at you, hell, reeled you in. Made you stand at attention and if you were even luckier to have had him as a vocal teacher, which I was, then you learned untold riches of the trade from a soul so generous with his talents and advice, you BELIEVED you were great. When he chastised you for work not done or music not done just so...you took it knowing the place it came from was a pure, pure heart. In spirit and in life. Ulysses was the gift that kept on giving. He had a way of making everyone, individually, feel like a million dollars. To me, he was the teacher and friend I met first whom I trusted with what little I had in me to say with song. He told me the truth and he practiced what he preached. I saw with my own eyes the power of a strong performer, confident and comfortable in his shoes whether he was wearing a dashiki or a tuxedo. His person always shone through. This was invaluable information to a budding vocalist like myself and he was simply invaluable.

Ulysses was there. At the beginning.

A long time ago...I befriended the branch stockbroker of a bank I briefly worked at in NYC. We'd chat from time to time and one day we had the most bizarre conversation that got me off my feet as vocalist. The subject of me loving to sing came up and before I knew it, he kept pointing out all the wonderful things that could happen if I sang and became successful. The stockbroker practically sold me on the idea of investigating this. This conversation TRULY started everything.

The strange thing, besides the fact that he was a near-stranger, was I wasn't involved with music at all at this time. I was in a phase pf my life where I was figuring things out. Finding my way after dealing with the loss of my mother. So his far-fetched plea seemed timely. What did I have to lose? He said "Look I knew a few places that have live music in the neighborhood. We can go check some of it out if you like." I said OK.

Sheila's Restaurant was walking distance from where I lived although I didn't know it existed. One dreary Friday night in February we went to hear this singer the stockbroker couldn't stop talking about. It was a duplex and upstairs in a dimly lit corner was this Grand gentleman - portly, handsome, with great carriage - in a dashiki with a keyboardist and a trombone player. This was Ulysses Slaughter SANGIN' "Ain't Misbehavin". I sat there with my stockbroker friend and was in awe! Ulysses could sing! He flung his warm energy out at you through his voice and his song . He was playful, shrewd and he was confident. I wanted to know about all of it.

At the break, my friend introduced me Ulysses and told him that I could sing but was just starting out and if Ulysses could give me any advice. Ulysses looked me over, slowly smiled.

"You can sing?" He said.

"Yes, I think so." said I.

"Let me hear you sing something." He said.

I didn't expect that. I froze then realized that I knew no music, no nothing. Oh my God! Then I remembered a tune I learned by ear from the closing song from a radio program here in New York City. It was "Moody's Mood for Love" and I knew it by heart. I waited for the song most nights since I was 14 years old. I sang this for Ulysses as best I could.

"You have a nice voice!" He said. "Come back next Friday and sit in with a song."

I was shocked. He looked right through me and told me he was serious. In that moment, I knew he saw something. I went back next Friday and bombed! But he still saw the potential and not too long after this, he became my teacher and my guide. For a couple of years we were thick as thieves. Frequently accompanying him to this and that gig or just hanging. Going to the Jazz Vocal Workshop he took me to in the beginning. Making that workshop my home. Sitting in gaining invaluable experience and all along being told the TRUTH about what I was doing. He introduced me the best he could and had the confidence from the very beginning that I could be something special. I loved him for it. Then life intervened.

After a time...I didn't see him too much. My personal life was about to crash in on itself and I was dealing with that as much as trying to work out my place in this music and what I wanted to say as a vocalist. At this very same time, I started traveling too and broadening my horizons. First to Japan and then to Europe. So much was going on for me: excitement, determination, loss, heartache and the vision to keep plowing on further and to eventually make Europe my home for a long period of time...I had little contact with Ulysses then. I had heard that he was ill and that he had a serious cancer scare but came back from that and was doing well.

When I returned Stateside a few years back, I ran into Ulysses and he told me how upset he was that we didn't keep in touch like old times. He said it hurt him. I thurt me to hear that and I told him that I was just pretty messed up and needed to get myself together all those years ago. Last spring I spent the most time I had spent with him in years, He was at the JazzMobile Jazz Vocal competition and one night we hung out the whole night and talked about old times he looked great. He got me up to date on what was going on with him. All he had been through with his health and how much he still loved music. I got to hear him sing for the first time in years. He sounded wonderful. He heard me sing. He was impressed and God, it still mattered that he did. After this we spoke alot by phone for awhile but slowly the contact eased off again.

On Tuesday, September 30th, just 3 days before he died, I saw him at a jam session in the neighborhood. I was taking a student of mine to her first jam session and as we were leaving he came in and we stood outside and spoke for awhile. I hugged him and kissed him on his forehead and told him that I loved him. A week later I heard that he was gone.

I went to the packed funeral on Friday, October 9th. He was so loved. People who knew him well recounted aspects of Ulysses' big spirit that I realized I knew too. He was an inspiration and he showed me the way when everything was wobbly and new. When music began to take on a new dimension. But no matter the distance between us, he was and is instrumental in my development as a singer and he deeply informs how I tell a musical story. He told me I had good ear. He told me I could sing. He routed for me! He'd holla when I'd hit it and let the whole room know he was proud. He was scathingly honest but with a love and compassion that made you take the words with pure honey because Ulysses was very sweet and loving. He had the talent to have been a household name.

and yet it didn't work out that way but he lives on in me and all the people - many, many people that he touched along the way to where he is now. I also know that Ulysses felt things very deeply and suffered in this life like many of us. I know that he is somewhere where his spirit can run free and be the big huge positive force that it is. But now that force is for everybody. I swear saw him yesterday dusting off a star...

Confidence and the voice

The other night I, I took part in a jam session here in New York City. It wasn't the typical sort of jam where the tunes are predetermined. This was a free jazz jam and there were a bunch of horns: Trumpet, alto and tenor saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn and flute. Later came a guitarist too.

The drummer at the jam asked me to sit in, alongside all the horns. It made me a little nervous because I've performed at myriad jam sessions over the years but never in this way. I didn't know if my voice would cut through and if I'd be able to say something. The drummer said "Oh, come on...!"

I walked with him downstairs and let the horns + rhythm section start. A few minutes later, he looked my way and I took a deep breathe. I walked to the stage and I decided...just go for it. What the hell. I grabbed the microphone and let out a wail in my high register and threw in a rhythmic line in complete contrast to what they were playing. It turned the music around. Everyone went my way...and we started to make music. The horns accepted me and sometimes gave me some space and when they didn't I asserted myself when it felt right to do so.

It was a liberating experience. I threw myself outthere and it felt great. I'll never be afraid to to try this again and experiences like these, each time I or we push ourselves just a little bit more - we find out what we can do. I discovered again that when I make a strong statement, people tend to listen. Shake them awake. Let the chandelier rock off the ceiling. Let it crash. It's OK.

Singing at it's Best - Sister Rosetta Tharpe

This lady is one of my all time favorites. I discovered her reading an article in MOJO magazine some years back and couldn't believe a life lived without knowing her, her music and her guitar. It was truly a life deprived because if this lady doesn't have the HOLY GHOST then that just don't exist! Her spirit and voice leap out at you, grab you by the throat and you just can't move. She had style and sass too - checkout her look in the first video. Listen in moderation now - because she is HOT!!!



one more...

Questions for Your Artistic Self - #4

Why would other people want to hear/listen to you?

I ask this question to look inward. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in developing our craft/sound/repertoire/performance skills and opportunities that we rarely stop and ask this question to ourselves. Perhaps it’s far too confronting. Nonetheless, I think it is important to take a look at the reasons people may want to hear you, assuming they do. The answer may take awhile to come but I feel this questions puts us in touch with what we convey and what we feel an audience gets from what we communicate to them.

It’s humbling to look at how an audience benefits from hearing and/or experiencing us. Many times we feel that the mere fact we’re expressing ourselves artistically deserves merit alone. Sure it does but if that were all - we'd simply perform for ourselves - yet we want to be heard by others. Is the world truly waiting for your particular form of artistic expression? Probably yes and maybe no. Looking at this question once past the mere confrontation of it can help bridge the gaps between you and your current or potential listening audience.

Questions for your Artistic Self - #2

Are you making a statement with your performances?

I’d like to address the importance of this question: too often if we’re honest, we hear, see, and take in performances that puzzle us due to lack of imagination amongst other things. From time to time, I've seen performances where I've been blown away and swept up in the experience. Then there are times when I wonder why that person is standing there at all. I usually feel that way when I sense the performer isn't showing me themselves somehow - however I perceive that.

Now mind you, I don't think it's bad to lack imagination. This too is valued and has it's place. I’m not so sure it works in the realm of creative output, though. In other words, why choose to listen to a Bob Dylan copy when I can just go home and listen to him, himself on a CD.

What are we trying to convey in our performances? What do we want to evoke? How do we want our audience to feel after experiencing what we do? Why are we standing up there?

Questions for your Artistic Self - #1

This is the start of a series of questions I've posed to myself and some of my students. I believe these questions inquires us ask ourselves about our why and what we express creatively. Today is the first one and every week, a new question will be posted for you to ponder. Since this is a forum focused on the voice, some questions will have that as a starting point yet most of the questions could used by anyone involved in producing art of whatever sort. Feedback is welcome.

Why do you sing and/or play a musical instrument?

This is a simple question on the surface and look at it from as many angles as you can and feel your reaction to what comes up. The question is asking you to look at what drives you to create and your intentions as a creative person. It may help better inform artistic decisions down the road you. The answer can be what ever comes up and feel “right” to you. As you develop your craft/art/voice more, you surely will be tested on your beliefs and convictions…I believe it is a strong force in creative people to confront issues such as these and transform what they discover back in their art to show again, one more perspective on any given theme. It broadens and deepens the human experience.

WELCOME!

A few weeks ago..I finally got around to something I've wanted to do for a long time. Start a blog on the voice. My ideas about it. Technique vs. expression, inside vs. outside music, band leadership, repertoire, Mike technique, CONFIDENCE, styles and most of all the unique tool of expression the voice is. How I came to understand and know what I do now and how much more there is for me to learn, hopefully along with you. I don't know how steady this will be. How frequent the posts. How geared the focus will be. What I do know is that I'll will write and include only what I believe to be true and honest.

The Visible Voice is just about that. Through our voices making our intentions strong, transparent and uniquely our own. We get to share a unique human trait that's universal at the same time. Half the world can carry a tune...well! Yet we're drawn to unique voices, in song, in speech, in content. We never tire of hearing someone sing, say, articulate the same old thing in a new way. That's the magic and that's what I intend to explore here. Getting to that place in you...