Lady Zen

Lady Zen began performing with her backing band, The Lazy Suzans, in September of last year. Since that time the band has made had amazing strides; taking home a “Best of Portland” Award for best Jazz Act 2011, performing on the historic Center Stage in Central Park, opening for the core members of Parliament Funkadelic in Boston, as well as releasing a five-song EP.  Lady Zen was also featured WCSH Channel 6 for an episode of 207 where she discussed her motivation for forming the new band and her vocal training. < insert Link here>

Lady Zen has had the opportunity to live on every coast in the United States working in Jazz, Hip- Hop and Gospel Music.  It all began when she was singing in church and revival meetings, when she was discovered by an opera coach who gave her the basic tools to continue training in opera which eventually led to a Fulbright Award in Opera Performance at age 18. She became interested in writing and arranging standard Jazz compositions and formed her first band, Liquid Blue. Liquid Blue toured all over the South performing in Jazz Clubs and releasing five full-length albums together before Lady Zen moved to the West Coast.

While on the West Coast she performed with her accompanist the acclaimed Joe Bach, who was the pianist at the historic Copacabana and other well known female vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald. Later she pulled together a full band which featured, Ryan Taylor on Guitar,  who went on to play for Maceio Parker. As a regular at Jazzbones, she was also seen at Tula’s, The Sky Church, Limelight Club, and Jazz Alley where she got to hang out with great legends of Jazz like Jimmy Smith, Oscar Peterson, and Regina Carter. During this same time, she began working as a session and hook writer in the West Coast Hip- Hop scene where her influences added a live sample feel to some great recordings that are scattered throughout the West Coast. After nearly 10-years of success she moved to Ohio where she became part- owner of a music venue and restaurant called Casa Nueva. Young bands found a home at her place like the Avett Brothers and Jollie Holland. The Travel Chanel took interest in Casa Nueva and was featured on Mark Decarlo’s, Taste of America. In her spare time Lady Zen was a founding member of two community groups: The Hip-Hop Shop and The Ki-en Crew that provided opportunities to learn the basics of Dj-ing, Slam Poetry, hook writing and rapping. While working with Ohio University’s Hip- Hop Congress where she was asked to sit on a panel with Russell Simon’s and led a workshop on, Misogyny in Hip-Hop. It was through these experiences that she began writing slam poetry.

After moving to Maine in 2008, she has not stopped adding to the music scene and a commitment to working with youth as a participant in the Telling Room, adding her voice to recordings, producing her own shows, and being interviewed on numerous local radio shows. In 2009, she released a self- published book of her poetry and opened for Gil Scott Heron at, Poets in the Park, in Baltimore and later that year as an opener for Kurtis Blow at Port City Music Hall. In May of this year, she was invited to Europe for a 14-day solo tour of the Netherlands, France, and Belgium.

Her current project focuses on writing funk and soul riffs under her slam poetry. The Lazy Suzans are in residency at Sonny’s Restaurant every Thursday Night from 10-midnight.  The show at Carmen Veranda will include original pieces, jazz/funk arrangements, and ending the night with some of her favorite old school hip-hop tunes.   “ We are really excited to meet our new fans in Bar Harbor! See ya’ll very soon.” Become a fan on Facebook: Lady Zen.