Lisa Markley's music is an exuberant blend of Jazz, Folk and Blues--her diverse style defies labels. A multi-instrumentalist, Lisa graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Music Composition. In 2000 Lisa received "Honorable Mention" in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest for two of her songs (in both the jazz and in the folk categories). She went on that same year to win the B.W. Stevenson Songwriting Contest. Lisa was a semifinalist in the Wildflower! Festival Performing Songwriter Contest in 2003, and was one of 10 "regional" singer/songwriters chosen by the Kerrville Folk Festival in 2001 and in 2004. A former member of the band Akoustik Nerve, Lisa performs locally with her jazz trio and with her husband, Bruce Balmer as Markley & Balmer. She also tours internationally with the eclectic folk trio The Malvinas. Her solo projects include Goddess of Groove, and The Sky Is Blue and Sometimes Cries.

Listen to The Sky Is Blue and Sometimes Cries in the Soona Songs store

Listen to Goddess of Groove in the Soona Songs store

Artist Census

Name: Lisa Markley

Instrument(s): vocals, guitar, banjo, piano, trombone, kazoo...etc.

Discography:

Oval Window, Akoustik Nerve, 1991
Live at Club Dada, Chattervox, 1999
Goddess of Groove, Lisa Markley, 2000
i'm not like this, The Malvinas, 2002
Love, Hope + Transportation, The Malvinas, 2004
The Sky Is Blue and Sometimes Cries, Lisa Markley, 2007

Influences: Sarah Vaughan, Louciana Souza, Joni Mitchell, Patricia Barber, Carlos Jobim, Joe Pass, Randy Newman, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Paul Simon, Rickie Lee Jones, Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, George Rochberg

In your CD player now: Bossa Jump Waltz Blues + 4, Bruce Balmer; Akoustik Band, Chick Corea; Greatest Hits, Roy Orbison; A Girl Like Me, KJ Denhert; Something Cool, June Christy; Brazilian Duos, Louciana Souza

Guilty pleasure: Soundtrack from anime series Cowboy Bebop (Yoko Canno, composer)

The first song you learned to play: on piano (age 6) “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” on trombone (age 10) “I Love You Truly” on guitar (age 17) “American Pie”

Current projects: My new jazz album--some old standards, some new originals, and some songs that should be standards.

Upcoming shows: listed at www.myspace.com/lisamarkley (opens in new window)

Favorite candy: Dark Chocolate (the more bitter the better)

Best old movie: The Marx Brothers' Night at the Opera

Best new movie: Mirror Masque

Current hometown: Dallas, TX

Previous hometowns: Mount Vernon WA, Seattle WA, Denton TX

Webpage: www.myspace.com/lisamarkley (opens in new window)