TYRHA performs Wednesday March 7 at the Hyatt

 

NBJP: What quality do you like least about yourself?

TL: I’m rarely satisfied.  Hence, I keep on pushing myself in both my personal and professional lives.  Sometimes, I wish I could just be satisfied and relax. Perhaps one day.

NBJP: What’s your favorite non-jazz tune?

TL:  “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”

NBJP: If you could be a performer at any time in history, when would that be?

TL: The Harlem Renaissance

NBJP: Finish this sentence: If I can, I try to avoid _____”singing Aretha Franklin songs (ie “Respect..).” When I lived and worked inHollywood, at EVERY audition, you just were expected to sing an Aretha Franklin song! UGH!

NBJP: What musical instrument would you like to be able to play?

TL:   Violin

NBJP: What musician has influenced you the most …thus far?

TL:  Dianne Reeves- Through the years (I was first introduced to her during my college days at Northwestern), I have studied her phrasing and song choices to her stage performances. Truly would love to have a long and successful career like hers.

NBJP: What living musician do you admire most? Why?

TL:  Barbra Streisand/vocalist-I listened to Barbra Streisand while growing up.  Even during my training at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio, I sang many of her songs from “Yentl” to “Hello Dolly.”  I love and admire the versatility of her voice and her career.

Jonathan Butler/instrumentalist-I opened for Jonathan in 2003 at The Kentucky Derby gala.  I love his story and journey from South Africa to the U.S.  Once I met him in 2003 and since then, he has been a consistently wonderful and gracious human being which is so refreshing for a man if his stature.