Barbara has studied piano since she was a child. At the precocious age of ten she won a scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music where she graduated from the college division as a composer and pianist.
She has worked with some of the top names in the industry, ranging from Quincy Jones, Martin Scorcese, & Michael Jackson (in the production of the "Bad" video) to Eric Clapton, Carly Simon and George Duke, and doing musical arrangements for the Saturday Night Live Band.
She has performed with Bruce Willis, singing back up with his blues band, The Accelerators.
In 1996 she was honored by being chosen as the music director for the annual Christmas play in Puttaparthi, India for Sathya Sai Baba.
Barbara is influenced by the likes of Angelique Kidjo, Peter Gabriel, Robert Johnson, Celia Cruz, Caetano Veloso, Irakere, and Reverend Milt Brunson and the Mississippi Mass Choir.
Barbara first started out on a college tour with her group in England. She came back to the U.S. and performed in her original musical comedy review called "Little Lulu" in Miami Beach for a season before returning to New York City. There, she opened her new show at the famous Half Note Club on 52nd Street.
In the 80's she had a hit record called "It's Alright" put out by WEA International in Holland for the European , Asian and South American market. It became #17 on the Billboard pop charts.
The next year she had another hit in France called " I Don't Wanna be a Zombie" put out by the Musicdisc France Label. It became #2 on the French dance charts.
In her new album, "Heart Like A Song" this one woman achievement of writing, arranging and producing all the songs, is ably supported by an incredible ensemble of superbly talented musicians, which include: Henry Franklin on bass, Robert Kyle on sax and flute, Nengue Hernandez, percussionist extraordinaire, still glowing from his tour with Mickey Hart and the incredibly moving Planet Drum.
The rest of the troupe is equally mind-boggling in their diversity of enthusiasm, world-class experience and talent. Drummer Aaron Serfaty has played with Sergio Mendez and Arturo Sandoval, bassist Carlitos del Puerto Jr. has played with Irakere and Cubanisimo, pianist Red Young who's played with Joan Armatrading , Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and Linda Rondstat among others, Al Rubalcava (on electric bass) and vocal producer Joseph Lecuona , son of the revered Cuban songwriter Margarita Lecuona and great nephew of the legendary Latin composer Ernesto Lecuona, is a great recording engineer/producer and singer/songwriter in his own right.
New Age/pop prodigy Barbara Markay goes Latin for this inspiring, hip-shaking exercise in spiritual coolness. Marimbas, congas, and other Latin percussion back her up in a down-tempo cocktail jazz style that works surprisingly well with her timeless message of love and transcendence. The title track kicks it off with Markay laying down some sultry piano while singing in a spry duet with Robert Kyle's lounge-lizard saxophone. Some electric guitar and bass lend spicy flavor to "Eye of the Spirit," an inspiring song in which Markay sings that the path to happiness lies within and never without. This blend of goosed-up, feel-good Latin lounge and Markay's inspiring words of transcendental hope continues with "You Are What You Believe" and the accurately named "She Can Really Latin." These songs ring in the head like mantras.
Personnel includes: Barbara Markay (vocals); Mitch Espe (guitar); Robert Kyle (flute, tenor saxophone); Red Young (piano); Al Rubalcava (bass); Aaron Serfaty (drums); Nengue Hernandez (percussion); Joseph Lecuona, Patrice Jones (background vocals).
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