
World Music harpist & composer, Patrice Fisher, has been performing & recording her own compositions since 1980. She is a graduate of Tulane University, Wolf Trap Academy for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. & the Creative Music Studio Jazz School in New York. She has recorded 16 albums of original music, including her latest CD, "Happy Socks," featuring musicians from New Orleans, Brazil, Guatemala & Honduras. She has traveled throughout the world, performing at festivals, like Cancun Jazz Festival, Jambalaya Jazz Fest- Brazil, Havana Jazz Festival, in Cuba & Festival Centro Historico Guatemala.
“Although I have a bachelor's degree in music & composition, I have always focused my work on jazz. I have worked as a professional jazz musician in Louisiana since 1975. In 1980, I saw a public television special on the music of Brazil. I traveled there & began collecting Brazilian music. I also studied Cuban music. My studies of Cuban & Brazilian music have had a profound effect on my own compositions.” Patrice’’s family is of Celtic ancestry. She studied Celtic music with Irish harpists, Grainne Hambly, Janet Harbison & Maire Ni Chathasaigh, Scottish harpist, Billy Jackson, Breton harpist, Cecile Corbel & LA Philharmonic harpist, Rachel V. Voorhees.
ARPA-REPERTOIRE: HAPPY SOCKS is Patrice’s latest CD, featuring Latin Jazz and original music on the harp. Her New Orleans music group, Arpa, is complemented by guest musicians from Brazil, Cuba, Guatemala & Honduras.
HAPPY SOCKS CD features Patrice Fisher’s original compositions, like "Happy Socks," "Spirit of Tatiana," Trovajazz” and “Baiolondo.” Her compositions have a Latin American influence with plenty of syncopation & the rhythmic flavors from Brazil, New Orleans and Central America.
The New Orleans flavor can be heard in Patrice’s composition, “Tai Chi Cycling” and “Happy Socks.” German trumpeter, Klaus Lumma, contributes 2 New Orleans inspired compositions, “Springtime on Bourbon and Canal” and “Sunrise on the Bayou.”
“Battlecry and “Waterfall” are 2 Polyrhythmic compositions of New Orleans pianist, Fran Comiskey.
Brazilian musicians, Chiko & Rogerio & percussion group, Lateiros Curupira, play on Patrice’s composition, Candeal.”
From Central America, we add the composition of Latin jazz guitarist, Erick Kahn, “Evening at City Park” featuring Honduran violinist, Angel Rios.
Cuban musicians, from Mariachi Jalisco group, contribute their own unique style to Patrice’s composition, Kailbil.