After receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Toronto, Lisa took her leave of classical music to explore world music. Singing and dancing in groups of West African and Latin American genres, she found that though she enjoyed performing in this way, she was hampered by the challenge of being heard over lots of drums. She loved the rhythm of world music, the harmonies of classical and the musicianship of both. She found a near-perfect blend of the two in jazz. Here she could be enveloped in rhythm and harmony, and know that the voice was heard and appreciated throughout.
 

Sample Selections

Two Sleepy People

You'd Be So Nice
To Come Home To

If I Were a Bell

Though she has found much happiness in the jazz idiom, Lisa still sings whatever comes her way. Since moving to Halifax from Toronto with her fabulous husband Dennis Connelly (who, by the way, created this mighty fine website and takes care of most of her photography), she has performed both in a jazz and Latin context with the Jeff Goodspeed band and has sung an Afro-Cuban arrangement to Yemaya at the ever-popular DrumFest run by Mattieu Kaiser. Lisa also tours with Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe and has a lot of fun in the Vinyl Cafe Orchestra with John Sheard (music director and pianist), Dennis Pendrith (bass), and Chris Whiteley (guitar, vocal, harmonica, trumpet ...).

Lisa has been featured on many recordings in many styles of music. You can hear her in Latin American, classical, R&B, folk, pop and jazz recordings. Lisa has been involved in many interesting musical projects including tours with Jane Siberry, Fritz McIntyre of Simply Red fame, Boo Watson and Her Fabulous Band, Maza Meze, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale in performance for Nelson Mandela, and with Diego Marulanda and Pacande for the Dawson City Music Festival and PanAm Games in Winnipeg. She had a brief return to classical singing with the part of Deal in the opera Beatrice Chancy which aired on CBC Television's Opening Night in February 2001.