Lisa Sokolov

Lisa Sokolov is a contemporary New York City-based jazz vocalist, composer, music therapist, and professor. She is known for her dynamic improvisational vocal style and wide vocal range.

Lisa Sokolov was born in 1954 in Manhasset, Long Island, right outside New York City, to parents Bernard and Helen Sokolov. She was raised in nearby Roslyn. She was exposed to jazz from a young age through her father, who played stride piano and listened to recordings of jazz artists including Art Tatum, Mabel Mercer, and Stan Getz. She began singing from a young age and soon took up piano, which she studied for many years.

In 1972 she began attending Bennington College in Vermont, where she studied with musicians including Milford Graves, Bill Dixon, Jimmy Lyons, voice teacher Frank Baker, and composers Vivian Fine and Louis Calabro. While in college, she was exposed to vocalists Betty Carter and Meredith Monk, both of whom are considered influences for Sokolov's own style. She was a double major in music/black music and minored in philosophy. While at Bennington she became heavily interested in free jazz, which she incorporated into her vocal style along with avant-garde jazz and other modern styles.

After graduating from Bennington College in 1976, Sokolov moved to New York City and subsequently spent several months in Paris, France before returning to the United States to pursue graduate work in music therapy. She continued to sing, using her work in music therapy to supplement her performing career. In New York, Sokolov met vocalist Jeanne Lee, through whom she met and began her decades long collaborations with bassist William Parker. She was part of the Studio Henry scene, a cooperative performance space, along with musicians John Zorn, Wayne Horvitz, Robin Holcomb, Elliott Sharp, and Dave Sewelson. She continued to sing and compose while she worked as a music therapist and began teaching in NYU's graduate music department.

1990s

in the 1990s, Sokolov began recording music. In 1993, she released her debut album, angel Rodeo, which featured notable Bangladeshi tabla player Badal Roy. The album, along with all albums released by Sokolov, features a mix of original compositions and re-interpreted standards from a variety of genres. The album has received praise in a variety of publications, including the Allmusic Guide and Cadence Magazine, the latter of which declared the album Editor's Choice Best CD of 1993 and called the album "most adventurous" and "never less than excellent."

Her second album, titled Lazy Afternoon was released in 1999, and was also very well received. It received three out of four stars in a Los Angeles Times review, and the critic stated that Sokolov "stretches the envelope of jazz singing" and is "courageously adventurous."

2000s

Lisa Sokolov appeared as vocalist on jazz composer and percussionist Gerry Hemingway's 2002 album Songs. The recording also featured jazz musicians Ellery Eskelin, Herb Robertson, Kermit Driscoll, James Emery, John Butcher, Thomas Lehn, and Wolter Wierbos. In 2001, she was featured on William Parker's Song Cycle.

In 2004, Sokolov released her third album, Presence. With Presence, Sokolov included original compositions but also further expanded her source material for her interpretations, including songs by Don Covay, Cole Porter, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. As with her previous records, the album was generally praised by critics. It received a five-star "masterpiece" rating from DownBeat Magazine, who also declared it the best CD of 2004. Additionally, the album received a five-star rating from Don Williamson of jazzreview.com and received a four-star rating from Scott Yanow of Allmusic. The Down Beat magazine review stated: "as far removed stylistically from the reigning royalty of female jazz vocalists as John Coltrane is from Grover Washington, Lisa Sokolov fills every moment of Presence with just that." The review called the album "ecstatic", "compelling" "masterful," and "life affirming."

Sokolov's most recent album, A Quiet Thing features a range of material; this release includes original compositions, jazz standards, Jewish liturgy, and some of her poetry. Donald Eldfman of AllAboutJazz stated that Sokolov "delves into the magical possibilities of the voice and the beauty and mystery of words. ... A Quiet Thing extends the power of her earlier recordings, continuing her progression towards the majestic and ecstatic 'silence' of the universe." On the Quiet Thing song "Ol' Man River," Sokolov includes a tribute to some of her influences including Nina Simone, and Laura Nyro.

Sokolov is currently a full arts professor at the Experimental Theater Wing at the Tisch School of the Arts, which is part of New York University, where she has taught since 1981. Embodied VoiceWork is used in arts education and human potential work as well as music therapy and body/mind medical practice. Sokolov is recognized in the music therapy world as a pioneer and innovator in the applications of the voice to human potential.

Sokolov has worked with musicians including Cecil Taylor, William Parker, Robin Holcomb, Rahn Burton, Rashid Ali, Badal Roy, Jeanne Lee, Jimmy Lyons, Wayne Horvitz, Hilton Ruiz, Irène Schweizer, Butch Morris, "Blue" Gene Tyranny, Jim McNeely, Gerry Hemingway, and Cameron Brown.

Live performance

Notable venues at which she has performed include the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City and the Opéra Nouvel in France.