Chabot Spectator

Issue date: 11/16/06 Section: News

Media Credit: COURTESY OF CHABOT COLLEGE Ledisi

As the daughter of "The Prophet of Soul," Larry Sanders and granddaughter of the late-great blues singer Johnny Ace, Ledisi is a multi-talented artist who has taken the music industry by storm.

She came out of New Orleans. She was brought up in Oakland. She studied music and Theater Performance at Chabot. And now she is returning to the Performing Arts Center on Nov.17, 2006 to perform with her band.

Ledisi means, "To come here; bring forth." It is a Nigerian word based in the Yoruba religion.

At an early age, Ledisi learned what is what like to be a leader, songwriter and woman of music.

Coming from a place where jazz was first introduced, Ledisi grew up watching her mother, Nyra Dynese sing with a band in New Orleans.

She wrote her first song at age four on a Casio keyboard, and when she got older she studied jazz, classical and R&B along with the piano, drums, and violin.

When Ledisi arrived in Oakland she became the youngest choir director at her church.

She went on to study classical singing and classical piano at The Young Musicians Program at U.C. Berkeley.

After high school, she studied and performed Music and Theater at Chabot College and Cal State Hayward.

Ledisi got her first major break after appearing as a guest artist on the Grammy nominated album, "Forever For Always For Luther" in 2005. She was one of two singers Lalah Hathaway featured on an instrumental album.

She has performed on and off Broadway in the theatrical performance of Caroline or Change, as well as assisted in writing the production of The Color Purple.

"I saw her in D.C. last month and she put on a great performance," said Claudia Smith of Virginia, "I love Ledisi."

"I've heard Ledisi and she is destined for greatness," said Marquita Moore, Marketing Director for Sean Carter Enterprises (Jay-Z).

Ledisi will perform in concert on Friday, Nov. 17, in the Performing Arts Center at Chabot College, 25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward, Calif.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling, 510-723-2333. Tickets can also be purchased at the door on the night of the performance.

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