NEW LIVE ALBUM! The Great Women in Blues Feat Terrie Odabi
NW-based supergroup Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All-Stars released a LIVE album, The Great Women in Blues (Feat. Terrie Odabi), from a live performance at Atlantis Club in Basel, Switzerland for Groove Now Blues Weeks. The album was released Friday May 23rd on all streaming platforms, and a CD is be available for purchase.
LISTEN OR PURCHASE HERE>>
The album features 11 songs from the original Great Women in Blues Etta James, Dinah Washington, Mavis Staples, Rosetta Tharpe, Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton, Big Maybelle and Koko Taylor.
Lisa Mann- vocals, bass guitar
Terrie Odabi- vocals
Jimi Bott- drums
Louis Pain- organ
Ben Rice- guitar
Jason Thomas- guitar
Since 2010, Patrick Kaiser has hand-selected premier Blues artists to perform at the world renowned Groove Now concert series, held in Basel, Switzerland. He invited two-time Blues Music Award (BMA) winning bassist/ vocalist Lisa Mann and legendary BMA winning drummer Jimi Bott to put together a Pacific Northwest supergroup to perform in the 2023 series. Two brilliant guitarists with distinct musical voices, Ben Rice and Jason “JT” Thomas, were added to the mix, as well as Portland’s own “Boss of the B3”, organist Louis “King Louie” Pain. With the stellar team assembled, Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All-Stars was born.
Patrick asked for a tribute to the great women of Blues music to be among the three nights of shows booked at historic music hall Atlantis Basel. Hence, another voice would need to be added- a voice that represented the depth and history of the art form. When Lisa shared videos of Oakland-based Terrie Odabi, he fell in love with her authentic, unforgettable voice. With the multiple BMA-nominated, internationally acclaimed Odabi on board, the magic formula was complete.
The resulting live album presented here was painstakingly mixed by drummer Jimi Bott at his studio, Roseleaf Recording. He expertly navigated the perils of a live environment, while retaining the raw energy of these spectacular performances.
The album begins with Odabi’s a cappella “Wade in the Water,” a meaningful sermon about the origin of Blues music. It then launches into the Etta James classic “I Sing the Blues,” also delivered by Odabi, and featuring the gritty power of guitarists Rice and Thomas. Then Mann does an uncanny rendition of Dinah Washington’s take on “I Don’t Hurt Anymore,” featuring the masterful “King Louie” Pain on organ. The rest of the album features songs originally sung by Mavis Staples, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Koko Taylor, Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton, Etta James and Big Maybelle.
The entire album is undergirded with the undeniable strength of Jimi Bott on drums, bringing his 40 years of experience playing with artists such as Rod Piazza, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and The Proven Ones. Lisa Mann’s multiple award garnering bass playing rumbles throughout, seamlessly blending with Bott’s commanding style.
The final participant in this live adventure is the audience itself, engaging with an intensity atypical of audiences on the Continent. The Great Women in Blues encapsulates this excitement and makes it available to listeners worldwide on May 23rd, 2025.
Recorded live by Robyn Breitinger
Mixed by Jimi Bott at Roseleaf Recording
Mastered by Don King
Produced by Lisa Mann, Jimi Bott & Patrick Kaiser
Graphics by Jen Taylor, VividPix & design
Created with generous support from Groove Now (Basel, Switzerland) & Peninsula Arts Center (Long Beach, WA)
Cover photo credits: R. Haskins (Terrie Odabi), Kat Rose (Lisa Mann)
Full group photo: Rapha El
CD disc photo (Odabi, Bott, Mann): Nicolas Frey
@2025 Lisa Mann Music
(Note: physical CD bears alternate Swiss cover title
Lisa Mann & Groove Now Presents)
Returning to the stage April 19th in Long Beach WA!
As many of you know, I suffered a devastating fall in January and suffered a crushing tibial platform fracture. That’s the top of the tibia (shin bone) that bears all of your weight when you stand or walk. I had surgery, and spent many weeks in a hospital and rehabilitation center just to be able to function at home. Since then, my husband Allen as well as some close family friends have taken excellent care of me. Sadly I had to cancel almost all of my performances, as it has been far too painful to even sit with my foot down and play bass on my lap.
I am so grateful to my musical friends for supporting me financially and with personal assistance, cards, flowers and well wishes. Special thanks to Sonny Hess and everyone at the Blue Diamond for a successful fundraiser for helping to make up for my lost income, to all who performed, attended and donated, and to those who have donated their time and resources outside of that. I am absolutely in awe of everyone’s generosity.
I was able to crawl up on stage and sing a few songs at the Etta James tribute at the Alberta Rose (led by legendary sax player Chris Mercer) and the ovation I received nearly brought me to tears. That was a wonderful experience of musical camaraderie, with a huge, top-notch band, and women vocalists who truly have each others back.
And now I am happy to announce that I will be returning to the stage on April 19th at the Peninsula Arts Center in Long Beach, WA for a duo with my trust guitar companion, Jason JT Thomas! It’s an intimate setting, where I can sit down, put up a leg, and play my bass for a couple of hours while I share stories about the songs. It really is a wonderful place to have my first show, it’s a non-profit dedicated to showcasing and supporting original music.
Check out the link in the “shows” tab, or visit this link to find that show and many more. https://peninsulaartscenter.org/concerts/
Hope to see you there!
Lisa
MORE >>Highway 99 All-Stars return to Jazz Alley in Seattle, Jan 21/22
Back by popular demand! Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley welcome the Highway 99 All Stars, bringing deeply rooted rhythm and blues for two nights, Tues Jan 21st and Wed Jan 22nd. Band members are: Bob Corritore (Phoenix, Arizona – harp), BMA and Living Blues Award winner), Lisa Mann (Portland – bass and vocals and a 2x BMA winner), Ben Rice (Portland – guitar and vocals and a 2x BMA winner) Robin Moxey (Los Angeles/Gig Harbor – guitar and vocals – member of Playing for Change), Jeff Conlin (Washington DC/Seattle – keys) and Steve Sarkowsky (Seattle – drums).
Show time 7:30pm, doors open at 6:00pm each night.
This show is supported by the Washington Blues Society and KNKX.
You can find tickets HERE: https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7628
“It’s the Monkeys or Me” First Place Blues Song in Unsigned Only song competition
Lisa Mann’s song “It’s the Monkeys or Me” took first place in the Blues Category in the 2021 Unsigned Only Music Competition!
“It’s the Monkeys or Me” is a true (and hilarious) story based on the love life of one Joanne Broh, a fellow musical artist from Oregon. Imagine yourself falling in love, only to find your new love has a house full of monkeys screaming and jumping around? Well, see how it all turned out by checking out the video for this track from the Billboard charting EP, “Old Girl” –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHKOFAVI9vs
You can find all the winners of the competition here:
https://unsignedonly.com/winners
TIP JAR!
