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Elizabeth Mis
I want to take smooth jazz in a new direction!
About Me
Not so fast, James Brown--Elizabeth Mis has a little something to say about your searing
mid 60’s declaration that “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” Inspired by the not too cool
reality that the contemporary urban jazz genre has been male dominated since she grew
up listening to favorite artists like Grover Washington, Jr., Dave Koz and Kirk Whalum, the
21-year-old saxophonist bursts onto the scene with an infectious and danceable, party-
ready new single whose title says it all from here on out: “It’s Uh Girl’s World.”
Released to radio in mid-September 2012, “It’s Uh Girl’s World” is one of ten explosive,
soprano driven tracks on her Trippin N Rhythm debut that collectively mount a major
Breakaway (the title of the new album) from the same ole, same ole and forge a dynamic
new direction for the genre. Keeping it all about the newly emerging generation, Mis invites
three other rising young artists to put their stamp on the set, including keyboardist
Nicholas Cole and Trippin N Rhythm labelmates Julian Vaughn (bass) and Cindy Bradley
(trumpet). Guitarist Tim Bowman appears as a guest on “Sax Appeal.”
Breakway was produced and largely composed by another labelmate, keyboardist Nate
Harasim, who won a BET Award and earned a Grammy nomination for his role as composer
and keyboardist on Dave Koz’s Hello Tomorrow and has also worked with Darren Rahn and
Steve Oliver . Mis, a native of Cleveland who started playing clarinet around age nine before
switching her focus to sax a few years later, vibed with Harasim immediately when the two
got together at the suggestion of Trippin N Rhythm President and Founder Les Cutmore.
Cutmore was intrigued by Mis’ potential upon hearing Forever & Ever, the first album she
had recorded several years earlier—which was produced by guitarist Paul Brown, one of the
top artists and behind the scenes names in modern urban jazz. Mis had hooked up with
Brown as an ambitious teenager in 2007, asking him if she could sit in with his band when
they played at a club in Cleveland. When he said yes, she ran home and got her horn and
jammed with them that night—a performance which inspired Brown to agree on the spot to
produce her debut. Paul is an awesome producer and I love his old school approach
because I’m a big fan of old school jazz and R&B, and it was great to have the opportunity
to work with him at such a young age.
“Les liked what he heard from me,” Mis says, “but the process of being signed started out
with me doing a song first with Nate, who has a production as well as an artist deal with
the label. “The first song we worked on was ‘Breakaway,’ and soon after Les heard it, he
offered me a deal.
“Nate brought a new energy and helped me create a new sound that’s what this next
generation of players should be,” she adds. “He has a unique vibe and technical
background and has a synth flair like I’ve never heard before. I never properly marketed
that first CD, so for many people Breakaway will be their first opportunity to hear me play.
The album shows a lot more maturity and confidence, and reflects a lot of the excitement
of the live performing that I have done these past few years. Since early on in my career,
one of my goals was to be one of first who would change the way smooth jazz is heading.
The genre needs something fresh and new. And I feel that Breakaway represents all of that.
It’s exciting to have the opportunity to bring something new to the table that goes against
the stereotype of this genre being strictly for middle aged or older fans. I want to show
young fans from my generation that contemporary jazz is really fun and cool.”
Mis fulfills her mission statement from the opening notes of the title track, whose easy
rolling clapping funk groove and bubbling synth flow lays the perfect foundation for her
soaring sax energy. The next track is truly “Flyin’ High,” starting with a swirl of dense
percussion and trippy cool ambience before amping up for a whimsical and fiery burst of
melodic soprano intensity. After the joyously danceable “It’s Uh Girl’s World,” the multi-
talented musician offers a clever riff on her last name on “Into the AtMISphere,” a laid back,
in the pocket soulful ballad with touches of jazz piano harmony by Nicholas Cole and other
hypnotic sprinklings. Harasim brings a soul-jazz styled Fender Rhodes flavor into the mix
on “Buggin’, a sly and swaggering ballad that evolves into a loose infectious jam.
On the opposite emotional extreme, “Slow Burn’ is a sensual and ambient ballad featuring
Cindy Bradley’s bright, wistful trumpet solo complementing Mis’ soprano sweetness. On
“Not Too Late,” Mis engages in some delightful moodswings, bursting through with
aggressive horn doubling and deep rhythms on the sizzing chorus, then easing into verses
colored by dreamy ambiences. She goes for the full throttle disco effect on “MisBehavin’,”
making her emotional soprano lines dance over an irrepressible old school funk beat. Tim
Bowman’s snappy electric guitar solo complements Mis’ lush sax to bring out the next
track’s big time “Sax Appeal.” Breakaway closes with the sweet candelight of “When I’m
with You,” a soaring ballad that increases in emotional intensity as it flows by.
While she is still based in her hometown of Cleveland, Elizabeth Mis has come a long way
since she was that wide eyed, Kenny G loving home schooled kid who devoted all her spare
time to practicing her music and performing around her community – from churches to
mall openings. “My tone pretty much came to me,” she says. “I had no idea it was unusual
or special. It was just what I did – a God given gift that I could blow like I did the very first
time I picked it up. Sometimes I did two performances in one day – and learned quickly that
mixing the horn out of my favorite Dave Koz and Kenny G songs, and playing them myself,
was a big crowd pleaser.”
In more recent years, Mis has brought that same passion – but with original material – to
much higher profile performances, including the all-star KSBR radio station bash in
Southern California and the Bob Hope Theatre in Stockton, California, where she opened
for Gentlemen of the Night (Marion Meadows, Michael Lington, Paul Taylor).
While in many ways, Mis is still an emerging artist, she still takes the time to give back to
others through work with charitable organizations such as African Aid (to which she
donated her publishing proceeds from the song “Akwaba” on the first album), Invisible
Children and many others. One she has worked with for a while now is Wigs for Kids. “At
14, I started doing things to raise money for the organization which is based here in
Cleveland. People from all over the country cut off their ponytails and donate the hair to
kids with cancer so they can look like themselves again.” She has also been putting her
creativity and computer savvy to other extracurricular challenges such as creating a multi-
media, music based marketing campaign for her favorite perfume, Angel.
“The music business is a tough path to go down and to be successful at,” the saxophonist
says. “My whole concept in doing Breakaway is that I just want people to know that this is
what I live for, I love this genre and the music. It's my life. And I hope that people can see
my confidence, passion, and feel the emotion I put into the music I play. I may not be a
vocalist, but the soprano sax is my voice. The music isn't just about me, it's about the
journey I've been on.”