BIOGRAPHY
Along with being an accomplished pianist and
keyboardist, Lesette Wilson is a producer, arranger and
songwriter. Her musical associations include songwriting
and producing for Me’lisa Morgan and Tom Browne, as
well as…
LIVIN’ IN THE ZONE
BIOGRAPHY
Along with being an accomplished pianist and
keyboardist, Lesette Wilson is a producer, arranger and
songwriter. Her musical associations include songwriting
and producing for Me’lisa Morgan and Tom Browne, as
well as serving as musical director and keyboardist on
concert tours for notables such as Loose Ends, Najee, Billy
Ocean, Stanley Turrentine, Bobbi Humphrey, Noel
Pointer, Ray Gomez, Glenn Jones, Amel Larrieux and Chaka Khan. She has performed or written on albums for such artists as AL B. Sure, Najee,
Phil Collins-Phillip Bailey, Jay-Z, Roy Ayers and many more.
Wilson’s musical pilgrimage began at a very early age. Her parents discovered she could play
anything by ear, after hearing it only once or twice, often changing the notes to fit her own tastes.
It was in her teens that she began a serious relationship with music.
While attending the High
School of Music and Art as a voice major she became the protege of Milton Hamilton, studying
piano and everything from 16th century counterpoint to writing, arranging, and conducting for a
full orchestra. After a short stint at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, Wilson left to
pursue her career in the real world.
Her love and respect for all types of music led to her become the consummate musician.
Wilson delivers awe-inspiring performances in everything from hip-hop and R&B to pop and jazz; and
from reggae and salsa to classical. It was her stint with Tom Browne’s band that led to her first
album entitled “Now That I’ve Got Your Attention,” which was well received in both the United States and
England.
After serving as keyboardist for several major tours, Wilson was asked to serve as
musical director for Chaka Khan’s live band. It was then that she teamed up with then
back-up singer for Chaka Khan, Me’lisa Morgan. Together, they produced Me’lisa’s debut and
sophomore albums, and co-wrote the R&B hits “Fool’s Paradise” and “Do You Still Love Me?” with
Wilson playing most of the instruments.
Also during this time, Wilson was being urged to complete
yet another solo project. She would do just that, with a noteworthy presentation of her many skills,
a self-produced project, featuring a wide blend of jazz, R&B and hip-hop. It was entitled “Unmasked” and was
recorded on Atlantic Records.
Wilson embarked upon a two-year tour of South America and the Dominican Republic as
keyboardist for the latin/hip-hop/merengue group, Proyecto Uno. Upon returning to the United States, she
started working again in the studio, doing remixes as co-producer/keyboardist on records for Cher,
the London-based group Hepburn, Groove Theory and various other artists. She also started writing
and working on albums by Latin American artist “Lina,” as well as latin group “Columbo.”
Wilson became the featured soloist and half of a jazz house music group, “BlackLatinSoul,” along with co-producer RayRoc Checo, on a single entitled, “Sunshine,” which received radio airplay on stations throughout France. She also rekindled her desire to write for TV and film by composing the score to the movie, “Home Invaders,” directed by indie filmmaker, Gregory Wilson.
The film will be released in late 2001, with Spike Lee as executive producer. Wilson continued to tour as keyboardist for Amel Larrieux, formerly of Groove Theory, as well as playing around the New York City area with her own band, the “Lesette Wilson Project.”
While performing at New York’s Soul Cafe, Wilson was approached by Carl Griffin, president of N-Coded Music, who encouraged her to record again. The result is “Livin’ in the Zone,” an eclectic collection of contemporary jazz and R&B, including talented vocal newcomers Shelene Thomas and J. Phoenix. Wilson’s new CD is a brilliant showcase for her multifaceted skills.
To paraphrase from the CD’s opening, this project represents Wilson’s desire to “bring into [the listener’s] consciousness those things that provide joy, enlightenment and fulfillment.” For her, it’s obvious that this project puts her “at the place where everything fits…just right.”
