b. Maysa Leak, 17th August 1966, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.
Maysa Leak embarked on a singing career at an early age.
By the age of 6 she had already determined that she was going to be a singer, and she spent her elementary and high school days performing in choir and musical theater productions.
Maysa majored in Classical Voice Performance at Morgan State University, during her studies there she began writing and recording original material.
She also placed second in Baltimore's first annual Billie Holiday Vocal Jazz Contest and auditioned for Stevie Wonder's vocal group Wonderlove.
She was accepted into the group but joined only after she had earned her degree from Morgan State.
Upon graduating, Maysa moved to North Hollywood to perform with Wonderlove on the 'Jungle Fever' soundtrack and appeared in live and televised performances to promote the film.
Maysa also recorded jingles on her days off from performing with Wonderlove and worked at local record shops.
In 1991, she was recommended to the British funk-jazz group Incognito by producer Steve Harvey, a mutual friend of Maysa's and of the band's leader, Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick.
Maysa moved to London and joined the band in time to record the 1992 album 'Scribes, Tribes & Vibes', which included the hit single 'Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing.'
maysa - 1995 / all my life - 1996 / out of the blue - 2002 / smooth sailing - 2004
She also recorded the 1993 album 'Positivity' with Incognito before returning to Baltimore in 1994 to record her first solo album, 'Maysa'.
'What About Our Love,' the album's single, reached number 52 on Billboard's Top 100 List.
In 1997, Maysa returned to Incognito and recorded 'Beneath The Surface'.
During this time she began collaborating with the neo-blues group Grainger, and appeared on their album 'Phase 1'.
Maysa has also recorded with Rick Braun, Rachel Z, Rhythm Logic and Pieces Of A Dream.
Incognito's 'No Time Like The Future' followed in 1999, and her second solo album 'All My Life' (which was produced by Maunick), was released on Japanese Warner Brothers in 1999.
The album was released on Expansion Records in the UK the following year to critical acclaim.
On the 6th Decemer 1999, Maysa gave birth to a baby boy whom she called Jazz.
sweet classic soul - 2006 / metamorphosis - 2008 / a woman in love - 2010 / blue velvet soul - 2013
'Out Of The Blue' was released on N-Coded Records in 2002, followed by 'Smooth Sailing' (in 2004), 'Sweet Classic Soul' (in 2006), 'Metamorphosis' (in 2008), 'A Woman In Love' (in 2010), 'Blue Velvet Soul' (in 2013) and 'Back 2 Love' (in 2015).
back2love - 2015 / love is a battlefield - 2017
music for your soul - 2023
Albums:
Maysa (Blue Thumb Records 1995)
All My Life (Warner Music Japan Records 1999)
Out Of The Blue (N-Coded Records 2002)
Sweet Classic Soul (Shanachie Records 2006)
Metamorphosis (Shanachie / Expansion Records 2008)
A Woman In Love (Shanachie Records 2010)
Blue Velvet Soul (Shanachie Records 2013)
Back 2 Love (Shanachie Records 2015)
Love Is A Battlefield (Shanachie Records 2017)
Music For Your Soul (Blue Velvet Soul Records 2023)
