Alyse Black

You know what we like to do, we like to cover those guys and gals still paying their dues, still gigging wherever they can and, in general, still struggling to get noticed. Which is why we almost decided not to talk about Alyse Black.

Yep, that's her there. Dunno if you've heard about her, but she's potentially the "paid my dues" poster child.

So she's on the "fast track" to executive success, a virtual queen of cubeland, a business analyst for Deloitte consulting. Then one day, reportedly on the top floor of some gleaming high rise, overlooking the beauty of downtown Seattle, she figures all this corporate success is a monumental dead end. She walks out and never looks back. No thought of where she's going, only that she's leaving. A high-paying, prestigious job. Real money.

Done that lately? Nope, none of us here either.

She thinks it over, remembers the kick she got out of music, and BOOM, that's it, that's what she wants to be when she grows up, that's the new Alyse: Singer, songwriter, musician.

What's a new songstress do? Rather, what kind of gig can an inexperienced singer land? Not a lot of those to be had.

So she did what you did, she took to the street, literally - Busking. Singing alone on the streets, which in this case was Pike Place Market in Seattle.

You know what that's like, right? The kind of comments you get, typically, from strangers who care not to be serenaded whilest shopping?

Patience, practice, and a layer or two of skin later, she lands a gig as a singer in a band. Time passes, her voice matures, along with her skills and purpose.

She leaves Seattle for Austin, releases a solo album, "Too Much & Too Lovely", and it wins 1st place in Billboard’s Annual World Song Contest in Jazz. She tours the US in 2008, 2009, and 2010; hits a bunch of major music festivals, colleges and conferences around the States.

And, eventually, these kinds of comments wipe out the memories of the earlier barbs:

“Her songs swallow you whole, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
– San Antonio Current
"A mystical beauty to her voice. Mesmerizing."
- Songwriter’s Monthly
"An acclaimed young songwriter."
- Austin Chronicle
"A stunning musician."
- Seattle Show Gal
“There are some voices that stop you in your tracks and make you listen, and Alyse Black is a great example.”
– Eclectic Mix Podcast
“Her voice is captivating: rich and velvety.”
– 103.1 KCDA in Spokane, WA
"Boy she’s got a sexy voice."
– Back Beat Seattle
"Vocals that are just out of this world. Alyse sings with pure sincerity. Absolutely warm and appealing."
– BabySue.com
"Although Black is comparable to other female artists, she clearly has her own uniqueness and likeability."
– Bootleg Magazine
"One can't fault Ms. Black for her oft nakedly sensual delivery."
– Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
"Like Norah Jones and Katie Melua but with smokier vocals [and] more upbeat tempos."
– HeaveMedia.com

We won't try to best any of those comments, but will just humbly say that they're dead-on: She's got the pipes to be mistaken for Norah Jones or Regina Spektor or Adele, and a repertoire that ranges from folkish-pop to jazz and most points in between.

These are the kind of voice and compositional chops that land a national commercial spot for Target, say:


Her latest release, "The Honesty" EP, is up on Amazon. But we like live, we ARE the Live Music Capital of the World, and it turns out she's got a big gig coming up Thanksgiving weekend, 11/27/11, at One World Theatre you should catch: Go here to get the skinny on that one.

Before you go, dig around in this play list, see what the fuss is about:

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Find out more about Alyse Black on Facebook, ReverbNation, and Home Base.

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