About Me
On August 28th 2005 like so many other native New Orleanians, Rahsaana Ison had to flee her paradise, before the water and wind from Hurricane Katrina could inundate the city. It is those same troubled waters that she absconded from- which left New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in ruins, has served as a vehicle to resurrect her career as a jazz vocalist put on pause nearly eight years ago, after the birth of her first child. I never stop singing I just changed venues it is the rebirth of jazz. Being that I like to give 100 percent in whatever I do, I felt that rearing a child was important and deserved my undivided attention.The hamlet of Oxford was her new venue and has served as the performance stage, for her return to jazz.The issue of New Orleans, the birth place of jazz, returning to her pre-Katrina state of normalcy will be contended for years to come. Nonetheless, it is a fact that each state providing refuge and a new life to the displace residence of the tattered city will have a touch of jazz, from their newly found locals. Ison would not say it is odd to revive her jazz career in a city well known for writers, much less music, especially jazz. I would say that it is a piece to the puzzle due to Hurricane Katrina many people were dispersed and they went to many different places to spread our culture and I think Im here to share our music culture with Oxford.Ison could never foresee the day when she would leave her beloved city. However, Rahsaana is a name that predicted her destiny. Given the name by her father, Richwell Ison, a Jazz trumpeter and flutist, who expected a son to continue the musically legacy of the Ison family. A confident Ison chose the name Rahsaan, a tribute to one of his musical idols, Rahsaan Roland Kirk. And on August 4th when her mother, Eartha, gave birth to a baby girl, the proud father was surprised but not shaken. And then any as good jazz musician would, he improvised. He took the root cord and added a little feminine harmony on the top by adding an a, achieving the beautiful sound of Rahsaana!Although the elder Ison did not produce a third generation trumpeter, the family quickly recognized that future melodies would not be blown from a brass instrument, but from the vocally gifted lungs of this young female child.At an early age, Rahsaana began to listen to Jazz and imitate the sounds and rhythms that pulsated thru the speakers of her stereo.The old albums seemed to call my name, she said. While most children were playing outside, I was intrigued by the albums. Rahsaana first performances were in the church, as a 5 year-old, she began to sing in the Tulane Memorial Baptist Church Choir.And with the Birthplace of Jazz, as her hometown, she immersed herself into the welcoming community of these world renowned musicians. As a teenager she was ferried by her mother/manger to a plethora music venues ranging from sophisticated to a hole in the wall- where the sweet sound of her voice could cut through the smoke and soothed even the most belligerent patrons.Days after she graduated from high school, Ison toured Europe with the Extraordinary Students of America performing Americas 200 years of song and dance. Her musical education continued both on stage and in the classroom. Ison began to garner exposure to audiences outside of jazz circles. She began to star in several New Orleans Recreation Department plays directed by Ty Tracy. She is a graduate of the University of New Orleans and studied under Leah Chase Kamata, Harold Batiste, and Ellis Marsalis, in addition, to performing locally and abroad. She has shared the stage, or opened for: Hugh Masekela, Donald Harrison, Richwell Ison, Thaddeus Ford, Isley Brothers, Jonathan Butler, Raymond Myles and the Rams, Adonis Rose, Rochelle Farell, Soul Rebels. Rahsaana has performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Mayors Mardi Gras Ball, Divas in Jazz, and the Essence Music festival.Rahsaana now looks toward the future. Her personal quest to make lemonade from the sour lemons provided courtesy of Katrina by gracing Oxford with her melodious voice is underway. And she hopes to have Oxford recognized for more than a great university, the Grove, food and Faulkner. She wants people to think jazz when they think of Oxford, chiefly, Rahsaana, the name that predicted her musical journey.By: L. Kasimu Harris http://www.myspace.com/thekasimu
