Yola Another Girl CD

Singer-Songwriter Yola grew up in a small town outside of Lublin, Poland. She started singing and performing publicly at age 13 in the school choir, and during high school played many concerts and festivals, winning several vocal contests. Yola joined a music group called "Medic" where she was lead vocalist, and also played with an instrumental group from the private music school, playing guitar.While continuing her studies, Yola received great classical training by touring with one of the most prestigious choirs in Poland, Academic Choir KUL. With this ensemble Yola got her first experience recording for TV and radio. After graduating from both the Catholic University of Lublin (psychology) and the Maria Curie University in Lublin (department of fine arts), with a desire to further her education in music and to follow her passion to sing, Yola came to the United States. In New York City she trained in R & B, studying privately with Dee Jackson, background singer with Patti LaBelle. Yola also took classes with Judy Hages, an instructor specializing in the style of Broadway musicals, and studied with writer Bell Chevigny, to help compose lyrics in English.Yola co-wrote with Romuald Lipko (from the group Budka Sufler) a few songs that were recorded by singer Michael Hochman. One of these songs reached the number one position in reported airplay for three weeks in Canada. She also sang the title song for an independent Asian/American film called "Destiny," directed by Louis Zalu. While continuing to sing with local bands in the New York area, performing at clubs, festivals, and charity events, Yola found employment in TV and Radio, acting as journalist for public TV's WNYE, as well as becoming a popular radio host on WRKL (New York) and WLIM (Long Island). Her three-hour afternoon show is heard Monday through Friday. Due to the exposure from being heard in eight states, as well as on the Internet, Yola has developed a large following, fans who appreciate her unusually open personality and daring style.Yola's talent and burning desire to sing caught the attention of musician and producer Ted Nash (saxophonist with Wynton Marsalis), who came aboard to produce Yola's CD, "Another Girl." This recording, which mixes pop with influences of hip hop, rock and jazz, was released in September of 2003, on Top Shelf records.Yola is currently performing with her live band in the New York/New Jersey area, and will soon be appearing in Boston and Chicago.Visit her web site: www.yolamusic.com

Born in Poland, Yola moved to the United States after college, developed an R&B-ish/modern pop style, and gained a job as a disc jockey for a daily afternoon show in the New York area. She wrote all but one of the songs for her debut CD, Another Girl, which is high-powered, mostly deals with universal issues (love lost and found), and is quite rock-oriented. Despite saxophonist Ted Nash being her producer and Nash, trumpeter Marcus Printup, drummer Matt Wilson, and pianist Frank Kimbrough being in the backup group, this is a modern rock (rather than jazz) album full of passion, electronics, and power. Yola, who does a good job on the set's lone ballad, "I Wanna Be Loved By You," shows strong potential. ~ Scott Yanow

Personnel: Yola (vocals); Danny Weiss , Sean Gould (guitar); Marcus Printup (trumpet); T. Russell (keyboards); Chris Lightcap, Tony Maimone (bass guitar); Matt Wilson (drums).