(3/3/01) Los Angeles, CA:

Lesa Carlson Off Blue
Knitting Factory, 7021 Hollywood Blvd
Every Saturday starting March 3, 2001
8:00pm - 9:30pm - Free.

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As part of their monthly residency, the critically-acclaimed Lesa Carlson Off Blue (LCOB) jazz ensemble will be performing at the Knitting Factory Hollywood on Thursday, March 13, 2003 in the AlterKnit Lounge. They will be interpreting Billie Holliday's "Strange Fruit."  Show time is 11:00pm and tickets are $7.00.

The Knitting Factory is located at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. (one light East of La Brea at Sycamore).  All ages are welcome.  Please call 323-463-0204 for tickets.  Underground parking is available for $5 just off of Sycamore.

Neo-Jazz pioneer Lesa Carlson is the founder and creative director of Lesa Carlson Off Blue (LCOB). LCOB, a critically acclaimed jazz ensemble, is a daring foray into the fusion of old- school jazz, turntablism, and multi-media.

Carlson herself is a stunning ingénue. Combine her sultry looks, undeniable sensuality, and that sassy smoky blues which compliments her original sound and unique phrasing, and the former Miss Idaho embodies a gifted spirit which people have coined "haunting, mesmerizing and able to get completely lost in." She’s a choreographer and award-winning vocalist whose history includes three years of opera training. Over the years awards have been bestowed in New York and Los Angeles and Lesa has also performed with members of the Turkish National Symphony in Turkey.

Weaving turntablism with sizzling jazz vocals and grooves may seem a strange way to foster the spirit of jazz but, Carlson has found a common thread running through seemingly disparate forms. "Jazz, true jazz, is the sound of surprise and raw desire; so long as these qualities are not compromised new elements can revitalize the form and bring jazz to a whole new audience," said Carlson regarding Lesa Carlson Off Blue’s mission. Carlson has a relentless, uncompromising obsession with quality. She adds, "For the audience to loose themselves in the moment there must be something real for them to experience."


Lesa Carlson Off Blue currently holds a residency at the esteemed Knitting Factory Hollywood, where they have been in residence for over a year.
 

Immediate Release: April 11, 2003