22

t

O

CT

OB

ER

20

19

BY JAYCE KEANE

JAZ

Z

It’s hard to imagine anyone upstaging Mick Jagger, but years ago

during a Rolling Stones concert, a backup singer named Lisa

Fischer did just that. She stepped into the spotlight to showcase her

powerhouse vocals (as Sting called them) to sing “Gimme Shelter”

with the world-famous rocker. Jagger claimed the duet was “always the

high point of the show for me.”

Since 1989, Fischer has continued to accompany the Stones on

tour, in addition to commanding the stage for her own concerts.

Along with her band, Grand Baton, Fischer brings her mega-talents

to the Center on Oct. 25, for a night of music and stories from

throughout her career. She shares the bill with SFJAZZ Collective.

Fischer can sing just about anything with jaw-dropping vocal

dexterity—rock, soul, jazz, gospel, pop, folk and classical—with a

piercing depth of emotion. She has provided the vocal backdrop to

innumerable famous songs, from records and performances with

Luther Vandross, Billy Ocean, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin,

Alicia Keys, Tina Turner, Chris Botti, Sting, Chaka Khan, Nine

Inch Nails and Dolly Parton. Botti said: “She’s a freak of nature, so

incredibly versatile, so talented.”

Fischer’s performance with Jagger made such an impression that

it was immortalized in fi lmmaker Morgan Neville’s Oscar-winning

2013 documentary 20 Feet from Stardom. Suddenly, Fischer and three

other backup singers were famous. Th e fi lm exposed Fischer’s vocal

virtuosity and garnered her a second Grammy. Th e New York Times

wrote: “Ms. Fischer has become the unexpected star of Mr. Neville’s

fi lm.”

Th e fi lm revealed another distinction. Unlike others who were

featured, Fischer didn’t express discontent with singing backup or a

burning desire for a solo career. It hadn’t occurred to her that singing

with Jagger might be a game changer. “I was thinking about doing a

good job and being useful to the band and music,” she says.

In an ego-driven industry, Fischer stands out. She told Th e

Guardian in 2016: “I’m accustomed to being in the background doing

my thing and being really content with that. I wasn’t aware that I was

sacrifi cing myself. My younger self was just really happy when anyone

asked me to do anything to do with singing; it was just that simple.”

While Fischer appears very Zen today, it’s taken her a lifetime to

get there. Born in Brooklyn in 1958, her mother was a 15-year-old

OC

TO

BE

R 2

019

t 2

3

alcoholic who had three children by age 19. Her father was a security

guard and warehouse worker. The family lived off welfare and food

stamps. They also shared a love of music.

Fischer says, “I have beautiful memories of music in the house.

Dad would be harmonizing in the living room with his group, The

Cupids. My parents would play their old records and sometimes gift

me some of their 45s. Music created a beautiful refuge for me. It was a

realm where I could dream.”

A refuge was exactly what she needed. When Fischer was 14, her

father left, and at 17, her mother passed away, leaving her responsible

for two younger brothers. It left a deep wound that went neglected.

“I was born at a time when children were to be seen and not

heard,” she says. “No one really spoke about emotional healthiness. It

was looked down upon if you sought counseling. You didn’t talk about

it as openly as people do today.”

Fischer’s magnificent voice earned her a scholarship to study opera

at Queens College. But working late-night gigs in New York clubs to

pay the bills caused her to drop out. In 1983, she created a glamorous

stage image, performing under the name Xēna.

“I liked a lot of different styles of music. Each left a beautiful mark

on my heart and soul,” says Fischer. “Each genre was like a spice for

a stew that’s taken years to develop. I feel blessed to have had the

opportunity and time to steep.”

Fischer’s solo career rocketed with her 1991 release of “How Can

I Ease the Pain” from her album So Intense, which hit number one

on the R&B charts and earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female

R&B Vocal Performance in 1992 (beating out Aretha Franklin). The

album generated three Top 20 R&B hits and reached number five on

the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

With success came pressure to produce a second album. But

Fischer lacked a sense of self; she wasn’t sure what to sing or “who I

was at all, really.” The spotlight remained an uncomfortable place for

her, and the expectations accompanying fame caused her to retreat.

“After losing my record deal, singing background felt safer,”

explains Fischer. “I could count on it. It always gave me something

back. The camaraderie, love and respect were healing for me.”

Despite her indisputable talent and success, Fischer became

ensconced in the shadow of others, providing support for famous

artists with back-up vocals. The stress of being a woman in the music

industry had manifested in an eating disorder that began when she

was young.

“I remember someone saying to my mother that I’d put on some

weight,” she says. “And it compounded once I was in the spotlight.

Never feeling thin enough or good enough. Always feeling that my

weight would determine whether or not I would keep a job… I needed

to figure out what was eating at me rather than what I was eating or

throwing up. I’m so grateful to be past that mindset.“

Growing older in the music industry fueled her anxieties. During

a singing session, Alicia Keys called her singing style “old school.”

Fischer feared it was the beginning of the end. She worried what she

would do when singing was all she knew or wanted.

“When you’re broken, you don’t feel worthy of the good that comes

your way,” she says. “I’ve come to a place now where it’s all right to be

broken. It’s a part of living and learning, and I embrace it all.”

Today, Fischer still sings, but it’s a different tune. She feels grateful

for aging. “The moment we stop, we’re dead. It’s about the sweet

balance. So long as I’m healthy, I’ll continue doing what I love. For me,

there’s a balance between wisdom and youth. I try to have a youthful

outlook, and be wise. The rest is about our physical time on earth

and all its stages. Youthful means many different things to people at

different times in their life.”

Neville’s 2013 film came at a fortuitous time. In 2014, Fischer

embarked on her first solo world tour at age 57. Performing with

Grand Baton, her set was made up of covers from Led Zeppelin

to Tina Turner. Despite a lack of recordings, video or products to

promote shows, they were invited to play clubs, jazz festivals and

concert halls worldwide, winning accolades from critics and fans alike.

Fischer admits, “The greatest challenges remain the voices of fear

in my head, and the greatest rewards come when I quiet those down

with truth. I feel more grounded than ever before. I feel like a fine

wine.”

Finally standing in her own pool of light, Fischer’s talent, humility

and honesty meld into heartrending music. She’s become more

accepting of herself, saying: “It’s easier to be in my own skin. I keep

working at being comfortable there. It’s a full-time job. I’m not sure

where I’m headed, but I’m so loving the scenery. All I want to do is

follow the path.”

Jayce Keane has been writing about the world of arts and culture for

more than 20 years. A longtime resident of California, she currently lives

in Colorado.

LISA FISCHER & SFJAZZ COLLECTIVERENÉE AND HENRY SEGERSTROM CONCERT HALLDate: October 25Tickets: $39 and up

Media Sponsor:KJazz 88.1 FM

For tickets and information visit SCFTA.org or call (714) 556-2787 Group services: (714) 755-0236