The Pulse of Entertainment: Maysa Releases Exceptionally Fresh Holiday Album, ‘A Very Maysa Christmas’

“People asked me,” simply said Maysa, a Grammy Award nominated Contemporary Jazz singer, when asked why she recorded a Christmas album. The album is titled “A Very Maysa Christmas” and it features Gerald Albright and Will Downing. “My record company said, ‘we’ll put it out.’…and after 20,000 sales ownership comes back to me!”
The album is on the Shanachie imprint where she received a Grammy Award nomination for her 2013 project release “Blue Velvet Soul.” The Maryland native has released 11 albums, seven on Shanachie Entertainment.
“It has great arrangements,” Maysa said about the Christmas project. “My producer (Chris “Big Boy” Davis)…is really good at arranging. I’m proud of him. I think we did good Jazz R&B and Gospel.”
“A Very Maysa Christmas” is an exceptionally fresh Christmas album. My favorites on the project include “The Little Drummer Boy” because of that Jazzy spin on an old choral, I like that African flavor too, and the horn support gave it that “cherry on the cake” feeling; “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” featuring rap support from Jigz; “Jingle Bells” because she kept it traditional, but gave is some scat at the end to give it that Jazz feel; “Christmas Time is Here” is simply lovely – and I love the keys on this one; “The First Noel” sounds like if there was a sound for snow it would be this song, and “Silver Bells” featuring Gerald Albright for his voice, and Maysa taking off at the end scatting as a true Queen of Jazz should.
“Since I was a little girl I wanted to sing… since 6 years old,” Maysa pointed out when I talked about her tremendous career and contribution to Contemporary Jazz. “Each step I know God had me in his hands. He gave me things I never thought of…I relax and pray and things come to me….God diffidently heard.”
After college Maysa moved to California to work as Stevie Wonder’s backup singer in his Wonder Love Group. Later she had a phone audition for the British group founded by Bluey called Incognito, and became the face and voice of the already well known London based band. Three years later she would release her solo debut and top the Billboard Charts, as well as garner a Soul Train Award.
Maysa is touring with “Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour”. You can log onto www.Maysa.com for more information on “A Very Maysa Christmas,” or dates on the “Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour.”
Quincy Jones executive produces debut of girl group Blush, single ‘Every Woman’ benefiting breast cancer research

*“He came on after we were together. He came on as executive producer,” said Victoria one of four members of the Pop group Blush. Victoria was referring to 27-time Grammy Award winner Quincy Jones when I asked them if he discovered the group. “Blush was formed in late 2010… in the ‘Project Lotus’ competition.”
“Project Lotus: The Search for Blush” was a reality show about the forming of the group by FarWest Entertainment. They wanted an Asian group to sell big in the U.S. The members of Blush are Victoria (China), Natsuko aka Nacho (Japan), Angeli (Philippines), and Alisha (India).
“It was six weeks of singing and dancing,” Alisha added about the experience on the “Project Lotus” reality show.
“We come together through music,” Victoria stated. “Some of us have never been away from home.”
The girls have been together for four years now and fitting in together very well it seems. Their debut single off the upcoming debut album is titled “Undivided” featuring Snoop Dogg. They released a debut EP of the same name in 2012. The second single off of the upcoming debut album is titled “Dance On” which reached #1 on Billboard Charts. Blush is currently promoting the October, 2014 single release of their third titled “Every Woman.” Proceeds from then “Every Woman” single will go to benefit the Dr. Susan Love Breast Cancer Research Foundation.