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Lisa Maxwell

The crystalline clarity and sincere organic honesty of Maxwell’s voice is a signature trait in her delightful jazz standard album.

About Me

A 30 year love affair that begins anew every day...that’s how Lisa describes her relationship with music,especially jazz. Music was present everywhere in her childhood home–from her mothers’ lovely singing voice to the constant playing of Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, Quincy Jones, and so many countless other greats by her jazz-loving father. Her creative energy was directed toward fine art as a child which led her to art school in New York City and a job in advertising as an art director.. But her passion to sing directed her to start voice lessons, musical performance classes and hours and hours of working with coaches and accompaniests from whom she gained a huge and rich repertoire. Being in New York City allowed her to see and study all the greats who had influenced her so deeply, such as Peggy Lee and Carmen Macrae, Rosemary Clooney and Maxine Sullivan. The training gave her the confidence to start her decade-long stint in the New York cabaret scene, playing at all the known spots– Don’t Tell Mamas, Jan Wallmans, Mr. Sams, Tatou, Nells, Danny’s Skylight Room. She worked with many of the same great musicians that she does today, Keith Ingham on piano, Frank Tate on bass. By 2009, after a hiatus to raise her young son and a serious setback due to vocal chord paresis, to test her chops she recorded two duets with jazz great Bob Dorough, at the famed Nola studios in New York City, along with Bill Goodwin on drums and Frank Tate on Bass. Lisa’s husband, George Newall is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger and the co-creator and executive producer of ABC’s Schoolhouse Rock. Together, they have recorded and tweaked, recorded and tweaked for almost ten years, and now in 2010 we can finally hear the outcome of their loving collaboration– Lisa Maxwell, “Return to Jazz Standards”