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Barbara Reed
I'm a vocalist and songwriter, as well as a keyboard player. Love Jazz, fusion, Pop, Blues, all those great rhythms that draw us in, and make us happy. Can't ever hear too much music!
About Me
Like all life long musicians it seems that I never really decided to become a
musician, but that the decision was natural, and therefore automatic. I simply had
to do it. We had a baby grand when I was a toddler and I'd crawl up on the bench
and make what I thought was wonderful music for hours at a time. I'm pretty sure
that singing was the medium through which I pictured myself communicating
musically, and that too seemed to be automatic. That's not to say that there weren't
lessons and studies along the way, but only that I felt as if these things were
stepping stones to that fabulous world of making beautiful sounds. I went to
Berklee because I wanted to learn how to turn those sounds inside my head into
something I could share with others. Years later, I look back and realize I've had a
lifetime of performing as vocalist and/or pianist throughout the U.S. and Japan,
recorded two CDs of original songs plus several for other artists, and still get
excited when I've got a nice jazz gig coming up!
Fast forward another decade after Berklee, and with all of life's experiences and
changes, I found myself wanting to stretch the writing chops a bit, so I began to
write a Suspense-Thriller novel series based in the music business. I wasn't setting
out to correct the common image of musicians as flakes, druggies, or self- serving
egomaniacs, but I discovered when I started developing the Liz Hanlon Series, that
my characters were addressing just that. Times have changed over the years, and
today's musicians—and all creatives—must be savvy and adaptable if they're going
to survive, and balance personal lives with their music. So while the series starts
out with Liz being a jazz singer-songwriter, you know what's going to happen...she
get a deal if only she'd make a few musical concessions! On the other hand, she's
got to be true to herself.... So far, the first two books in the series are out...to be
continued!
Music: https://www.Reverbnation.com/BarbaraReed • Under “Featured Songs, click
on “All Music.”
Live Video with a combo of jazz/blues/pop
http://www.youtube.com/v/nNQukdZuCxI?version=3&autohide=1