Lisa Gay and The Gentlemen of
Thrill
Top (Left to Right): Louis Van
Taylor, Raymond Pounds, Lanny Hartley, Tony Campodonico,
Rickey Taylor, Andrew Carney - Bottom: Mark Cargill, Lisa Gay, Tony
Drake
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You're listening to "Somewhere In My Lifetime" by Lisa Gay
Welcome to The
Lisa Gay and
Thrill's Official website. We hope you find
our page informative, fun and entertaining as you scroll through the
pages and get to know us a little better. Feel free to drop us a note
and let us know you were here.
When I decided to pursue my musical passion as a solo artist, I called
my dear friend,
 Gail
Deadrick (pictured right) and told her my thoughts which she
encouraged me to go for it! As the current Musical Director for
Natalie Cole as well as other great entertainers such as Marilyn McCoo
and Billy Davis, Jr., Pointer Sisters, Maureen McGovern, Colors of
Christmas Tour with James Ingram and Peabo Bryson, Gladys Knight, Dionne
Warwick, Brenda Russell, Dame Edna, Gail was an excellent resource to
call upon. In addition, our friendship goes back not only touring
with Marilyn and Billy together, but “back in the days” when we first
met working in the Black Circuit Clubs here in Los Angeles in the mid
70’s. My family was also behind my decision and with my own
funding coming from my various positions of retail management with
Macy’s/Federated, I knew that my next call was to be to Guitarist
Tony Drake who had just returned from touring in Europe with Barry
White.
Tony Drake
and I had also worked together with Marilyn and Billy and expressed
interest back then to assist me in this endeavor whenever I was ready…He
immediately contacted his good friend, Mark Cargill who not only is a
Master Violinist, (Barbara Streisand, Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole,
Diana Krall, Toni Braxton, Yolanda Adams, to name a few) but owns and
operates his own music enterprise, CCI. We immediately hit it off
and set the first studio dates.. He coached and consulted me as to the
best way to approach the project and whose business sense helped me to
project costs and set goals to keep the ball rolling….Now in the early
stages, Tony met with me to review my song selection of both covers and
original works. I only had to make one more call for further
musical inspiration to Musical Director, Greg Cook.
Greg Cook
and I go way back to the first band I
was in with Drummer James Bigbee. I was singing with our fabulous girl
group, Cool Ice with Korla Wygal and Deborah Quave and at that time Greg
was playing keyboards and guitar. Even though Greg and I would see each
other over the years, there was always something about his patience and
quiet passion of eclectic musical innovations and “colors” that I
felt would become the magic ingredient to help this project “fly”….as it
turned out, both Tony and Mark named him “The Captain” referring
to his musical genius.
Tony and
Mark Cargill
both took the helm of Producers for the “Lisa
Gay Project” which would later be
renamed by Tony as “Lisa
Gay and
Thrill” referring to
the “musical love” that the project brought out in all of us which was
apparent over and over again in the recording, mixing and mastering of
our product. Tony and Mark helped to bring out my true instincts
as a vocalist which allows me to be free to simply just be me without
any “vocal gymnastics”. I was so excited and eager to learn all I
could while savoring this experience carefully built and cultivated just
for me! Tony, Mark and Greg saw to it that I was exposed to and
participated in all aspects of the recording, playing, mixing and
mastering process of the project. “Only the best will do for
Lisa Gay and
Thrill”, Tony
always says, and our motto “Music in a class of its own” reflects the
image of our band and all of those who are associated with us…and as the
project came to a close for re-lease, it was time to take it to the
“streets” so to speak.
Tony, Greg and I began to bring our music alive with tracks we
played on, rearranged, and integrated into our “Live Trio” show while
Mark (being part of the original four insured business aspects were
intact (CDs, tapes, contracts etc.). We worked locally (Lunaria,
West LA and The Gardenia Room, Hollywood) which ultimately led to our
first showcase produced by ourselves and held at Santa Monica’s DC3
Museum of Flying in November 2000. We then went onto debut on
Carnival Cruise Lines ship “Ecstasy” then out o
Miami/Key West/Bahamas/Cozumel.
That priceless experience helped expose
Lisa Gay and
Thrill as a group, the CD, and most
importantly, tighten up THE MUSIC.
Upon our return, we continued working at the Gardenia Room and performed
at private venues. Also during this period, we developed our own
website (www.LisaGayandThrill.com)
and became Sponsors on the Black Cultural Internet Site,
Soul Patrol.com, who not
only has artists like Billy Paul, Mandrill and Victor Wooten as
sponsors, but supports the endeavors of new artists. This move brought
about an electronic global audience and potential buyers in a key
demographic and has had a direct and positive effect on our sales,
profile, visibility, and accessibility to the masses worldwide.
Our growing commitment to our music and goals have found an even GREATER
venue in The Knitting Factory Hollywood, with our self produced shows
attracting and expanding our audience throughout the Los Angeles area
and most recently The NMAC
Convention (National Minority Aids Convention) in Anaheim, CA where the
group received an overwhelming response and repeated ovations from the
audience ..
Lisa Gay and
Thrill’s
impact and sound is a “musical gumbo” of Classic Soul, Pop, and Jazz.
It is performed with REAL LIVE MUSICIANS who play with true passion,
vision, and a lot of love. The “Gentlemen of
Thrill”,
along with
Tony, Mark, and Greg now includes some of the most
talented and respected musicians in the business and whose credits
supported hit after hit for many artists, Grammy, American Music awards
shows, television, and movies, some dating back to the mid 60's to
present are now all combined on one stage.
Jevonny (JV) Collier
(Bassist) originally from the motor city of Detroit,
is a prodigy of the late great Motown bassist, James Jamerson, whose
Bass tones are funky, seductive and romping. JV is known for his
spectacular LIVE SHOWS (Bruce Hornsby, Gladys Knight, Pointer Sisters,
and The Fifth Dimension) and has been spotlighted over the years in such
articles as Bass Player Magazine.
Larry Washington,
(Drummer) also originally from Detroit, is shades of legendary drummer,
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. He came on the scene with numerous
artists in particular, Warren G. His pockets of timing and magic,
reach deep in the soul and with resounding authority and pure
showmanship. He is the boilerplate for the LG&T sound..
Louis Taylor
(Saxophonist) , was born and raised in the Compton/Los Angeles area and
has always been one of the top horn LIVE and SESSION players in the
business along with leading his own formidable “Louis Taylor Quartet”.
His sultry sounds and screaming solos ( a la David “Fathead” Newman and
Stanley Turrentine) puts him in a class of his own. Louis performs
frequently at the JVC Playboy, Drew, Pasadena, Long Beach and Newport
Jazz Festivals and has toured and recorded with big bands such as Count
Basie, Gerald Wilson, Ray Charles, R&B legends, Kool and the Gang, The
O’Jays with other Jazz, R&B, and Blues pioneers.
Andrew
Carney
(Trumpet and Flugelhorn) resides in Lakewood, CA. This man is
simply incredible. His tones and soulful play reach inside and out
of all scales with passion and notes that reach literally beyond the
starts. Andrew’s style is best described as a hybrid of Miles
Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Rick Braun and has been featured with Oscar
Breshear, Larry Carlton and big band projects . He is featured on “Could
It Be” and “I Need You Now” from our “Watch What Happens” CD. The
totally unique concept on stage (perpetuating the sound of Love, Life
and Music) makes audiences jump out of their seats. They clap
their hands, scream, dance, shout and sing
while experiencing the comfort of “Lisa
Gay and
Thrill’s” LIVING ROOM
approach, which takes one back to a glorious musical past while moving
into the future. This concept not only transcends good times growing up
as “Boomers” but entices and enlightens those who are of a younger
generation with a NEW CONTEMPORARY twist.
Our group’s image and showmanship
plays to ANY audience (Concerts, Music Festivals, Supper Clubs, Casino
Venues, Nightclubs, Cruise Ships and Corporate Events) here and abroad.
Audiences leave the shows with feelings of hope and pride making “Lisa
Gay and
Thrill” a HOT LIVE SHOW supported by
powerful, smooth, yet funky, emotion-filled accessible music anyone can
relate with. A typical LG&T audience is middle class, 35+ and
above, all ethnic groups, evenly split between male/female. A
great “date” show, we wrap our audience with a sound that percolates and
our shows always end on a high-octane note with a lot of dancing and
smiles everywhere...
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Lisa Gay
and
Thrill
have many goals that include obtaining bookings, sponsorships and
worldwide distribution of our current CD, “Watch What Happens”,
(includes Original songs, “Believe In Love”, "Land of Me and You”, “I
Need You Now” and “Day by Day” Co-Written with Gospel Artist and
Songwriter Rodney Friend), NEW RELEASES, Christmas 2002 with, “It’s
Christmas Time From
Lisa Gay and
Thrill To You”,
House Mix Single, “SOMEWHERE IN MY LIFETIME” in 2003, and our NEW CD
release scheduled for Spring 2003.
Lisa Gay and
Thrill
are also seeking out a Talent Agency and Management team to support and
expand these goals as Independent Artists, Songwriters and Producers to
an even greater level of success.
A friend of mine, the late Great Keyboardist Richard Tee always told me,
“Remember Stuffy, don’t let nobody fool you….keep it real within your
heart, because in the end it’s all about the music and the
music alone”. And with that, thank you for visiting “The Living
Room” Website of “Lisa
Gay and
Thrill”.
Lisa Gay
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"BOOKING EVENTS"
Email
Lisa Gay
or call
Coave Music
(323) 732-6336
Fax (208) 474-0844
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"For The Teachers...An Overview"
More to follow...
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Background Music "Sunny"
The Tony Drake Project; JV Collier-Bass/
Raymond Pounds-Drums/ Greg
Cook-Keyboards/Leon Haywood-Organ
Lisa Gay
and
Thrill ®
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