Brooks Lytle: bios

Aisha • Carl • Micah • Tony

Aisha:
This is my story as it relates to music and my life. I am a native of Philadelphia and have probably lived in almost every section of this town. I grew up in a regular ‘hood’ and was raised by my loving and overprotective mother. I was in elementary school during the 80’s which means my musical influences stretch far and wide. My mother’s record collection was a mix of new gospel music, yes I remember when the first Winan’s album came out, and a mix of folk influenced praise and worship music by a collective called the Maranatha singers. While my mother’s Christian music collection ranged from James Cleveland to Keith Green, I was in love with the wide range of musical styles in the 80’s. From early Sting to early Hip-Hop, I must have listened to everything. And thanks to my mother’s secret love of soft rock, I love James Taylor like you wouldn’t believe.

With all this music floating around me, I had my own little set of vocals that were developing. I began singing on the children’s choir when I was eight years old under the leadership of Paulette LeBlanc. This woman is still one amazing singer! She took the time with us to develop a clear vocal sound that was appropriate for children. I remember one of my first solo’s as a kid was from Amy Grant’s first Christmas album back in ’83. As much as I loved to sing, I always dreamed that I would be known in the world for being a lawyer somewhere in some city’s downtown.

A major musical turn for me would have to be the introduction of Take 6 into the world. I had no idea that harmonies of that caliber were available. This was my first hint into Jazz influenced Christian music (pause - if someone is reading this and has never listened to Take 6, you may want to go out and get that original a cappella masterpiece.) I was around 13 or 14 years old which is about the time I fully realized the ability of my voice to have a little vibrato.(that’s that sound that makes the notes round out and flow together instead of them sounding flat!) I was also involved in a sweet little female a cappella group called PRAISE, where we tested out vocal arrangements of praise songs and other gospel music.

My senior year of high school was another musical turning point. On a summer vacation before my senior year, one of my uncles’ only played Temple University’s radio station which only played Jazz. I thought I was going to die. I didn’t know Jazz, I couldn’t sing along and I thought it to be quite boring. Well, needless to say I found the music to grow on me, a lot. During my senior year, I found myself turning to WRTI and began to like it, a lot. At the same time, I realized that Stevie Wonder was a musical genius as I landed my hands on the Original Musicqarium. My lord, that man is a blessing to the world of late 20th century music. In addition, hip hop artists like Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul were using a few more jazz samples in their music and I was absorbing all of it.

I know your wondering, so how did you get to making a CD when you were some closet music geek who wanted to be a lawyer? The only way to explain it, is by describing it as God’s will. I went off to college as a English major convinced that I was going to be an English professor and the next Alice Walker or Nikki Giovanni. In between my classes, all I did was sing. I sang with the choir, I sang with my friends. A crew of singers got a little group together to sing for special events on campus. One of my college buddies, whose family is in the industry, told me that I needed to let go of the whole English thing and simply use my voice for God.

Well, God must have been in agreement. I left that institution and wound up as a Jazz voice performance major at Temple University. It is an honor and a pleasure to be able to study Jazz and dedicate the time that is needed to begin to understand the art of improvisation and the various styles within Jazz. I had to dive into a world that is rich, diverse, and overwhelming at times. I also met my wonderful husband Carl at Temple. In addition to being my sweetheart, he was able to add insight and perspective to all that I was learning in school and in the development of my musical style

As I was beginning Temple University, I was working with my dear friend, Dianne Thompson, who is gifted musically and artistically. We collaborated on the first track of this CD. Diane and I were working together at the time when I realized that God had given me the gift of writing songs. There would be times when Dianne would start to play a few chords and out of that came a song or cool vamp. This is where I began to develop the way I compose music. During my time as a student at Temple, Carl teamed up with Diane and I as we performed in the area for local Christian venues.

Overtime, Carl and I began to write together as Dianne began to pursue her gifts in visual media. Carl , Micah, and Tony had already realized their connection to one another as musicians and before I had the pleasure of working with the whole crew. My style began to mature the more I worked with these guys. In terms of strictly Jazz vocal influences, I continue to be in awe of the classic greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae, Betty Carter and Abbey Lincoln. There are much more than just these few but the vocal style and phrasing of these women have shaped my approach to singing Jazz. I am also indebted to those who are in the industry right now and continue to help me develop as an artist like Cassandra Wilson, Bobbie McFerrin and Kurt Elling. And I would be a fool to ignore the beauty and gift of the legacy of Latin Jazz artists like Antonio Carlos Jobim.

So, that was a whole lot to say that I am who I am because God created me with these gifts in this particular time and space and has allowed me to develop my skills with the help of musical legends, past and present. I am thankful for the ability to use my voice to bring people to contemplation, joy, and inspiration. Peace!

Carl:
My Story
I’ve played Christian music for as long as I can remember. I started playing the guitar at age 7 and began playing at my father’s church, with him on piano and my grandfather on bass, at age 8. My grandfather actually gave me my first guitar, a cheap electric that was almost impossible to play. My dad gave me my second guitar which was another cheap electric but it inspired my love for hollowbody jazz guitars. It was a shiny red, Harmony, acoustic/ electric jazz guitar that was only slightly easier to play.

After 3 years of complete frustration with the guitar, I considered giving up music altogether. The pain of playing the guitar on “kiddie” fingers was more than I could bear. I would cry when I practiced because the strings dig into your fingers until you develop calluses. My dad was not pleased at the idea of me quitting music so he offered me the alternative of learning piano like my brother. I didn’t realize it at the time but this was a deception to keep me interested in music while he thought of other ways to get me to pick up the guitar again. I believed him and had dreams of the piano. I would finally get to play an instrument that wouldn’t cause me pain! I also had no natural ability on the guitar and thought that somehow I would be a prodigious piano player. Shortly after I started my piano lessons my dad began his conspiracy.

He convinced the piano teacher to start me in Book 2 because I could already read music. The teacher fell for it, or was paid off. My two week experience with the piano was horrible. I think I was scared for life. I almost quit music entirely but my dad said that I should go back to the guitar. When I resisted he said that I would not be able to play at church if I didn’t take lessons.

I lasted a week. Going to church without playing was the most boring thing in the world to me. I hated it and never looked back. I think that I may have missed only 2 church services from 10 years old until I got married at 25.

I still can’t play piano, just guitar. I think out of protest for my father’s trickery I resisted his strong suggestions to play the bass when I was a teenager.
For however crazy it was I give my dad credit for his vision for me on the guitar. He’s responsible for inspiring me to play for the Lord. My parents have always supported me musically, often at their own financial peril. I remember my brother and I going to music lessons when times were financially difficult.

My parent’s faith in my abilities was put to the test when I decided to switch my major at Temple University from Chemistry to Music. The response of my parent’s was, “You will succeed at whatever you decide to do, it’s you’re life”. That encouragement plus much prayer led me to enter Temple’s music program where I eventually met my wife and musical soul-mate Aisha. Playing for Brooks Lytle is the culmination of my 23-year musical journey. In many ways I’m still that little 9-year old guitar player, wishing I played the piano.

My Music Education
I've been playing guitar for 24 years. I took lessons before I went to college for music. I have 2 degrees in music: a BA from Temple University and an MA from the University of the Arts. Going to school for music has had an immeasurable impact to my ability to play guitar especially because Jazz is so difficult.

My Equipment
On the recording I play an Ibanez Artstar hollowbody guitar with Thomastik-Infeld flatwound strings (0.12 to 0.50) through a Polytone mini-brute amplifier, 100 Watt with 1 12" speaker. For effects I use a BOSS digital reverb pedal. I use Fender Extra Heavy picks.

Answered Prayer
As many of you know I've been praying for a new guitar for a few years now. Well, God has blessed me. My friend at Callowhill Basses is in the process of making me a new guitar. It will be a custom, handmade, solidbody guitar. While I'm waiting for my new guitar to be made I'm using a Sadowsky telecaster which my new guitar will be modeled after.

Micah:
We've had the pleasure of playing music with Micah since our days at Temple University. Shortly after meeting Micah we realized that he brings all of his musical talents to every performance. In addition to
being an accomplished bass player, Micah is a multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer. Micah is also an associate professor of Bass at the University of the Arts. He and his wife Tiffany Jones are working on her first solo project with a sound grounded in soul, laced with funk and jazz.

Tony:
Our first musical encounter with Tony as the drummer
for Brooks-Lytle solidified his place as the only
drummer who can capture our sound. Tony has an
intuitive ability to compliment the many nuances that
occur in our musical performances. His wife Julie has always been supportive of his musical endeavors, which has enabled him to grow into the exceptional musician he is today.

Listen to/ Purchase our CD here