Liz Larin

LIZ LARIN BIO: With the triple CD release of Stella 13’s "When Soul Becomes Symphony," Luster Kraft’s "Transmitter," and Liz Larin’s "Blue Circus Life," this prolific recording artist is traveling at her own warp speed. Tastemaker and musical visionary, Liz Larin is combining electronic music, rock, and blues with a hint of jazz to create a potent original sound. Recognized for her vocal delivery and her incisive mastery of guitar, bass, and keyboards, Liz Larin has won more Detroit Music Aw...

LIZ LARIN BIO: With the triple CD release of Stella 13’s "When Soul Becomes Symphony," Luster Kraft’s "Transmitter," and Liz Larin’s "Blue Circus Life," this prolific recording artist is traveling at her own warp speed. Tastemaker and musical visionary, Liz Larin is combining electronic music, rock, and blues with a hint of jazz to create a potent original sound. Recognized for her vocal delivery and her incisive mastery of guitar, bass, and keyboards, Liz Larin has won more Detroit Music Awards than Kid Rock, Bob Seger, The White Stripes, and Eminem combined, with the initial Detroit buzz spilling over to create an international fan base. Releasing three new CDs at the same time as follow-ups to the award-winning works "Wake Up, Start Dreaming" and "The Story of O’Miz," show Larin’s talent for production and sound design, not to mention her masterful songwriting. If you like the slew of powerful women performers like Fiest, Imogen Heap, PJ Harvey, Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos, Cat Power, Regina Spector, and Tegan and Sara, KT Tunstall, and St. Vincent, you are going to really love the music of Liz Larin. Everyone who has heard Liz Larin knows how good she is, but there are scores of good musicians in the world - the difference here is that Liz Larin knows how to be "bad," as she fearlessly takes her audience to the edge through sound and lyrics, then brings them back to a place more familiar and comforting. Those who have delved into the limitless nature of this music have reported discovering a level of spirituality, in a new sense that honors the soul and the human spirit. Liz Larin is not afraid to take chances with her music, and her live shows are no exception. This self-proclaimed "gadget-girl" uses loops and samples in her solo show, as well as her performances with her four-piece band. Larin’s faith in the power of music to move and to heal is evident in the concert environment. Known for her potent and dynamic vocal style, Larin uses her voice as a broad range communication tool, sometimes delivering lyrics, other times as an instrument delivering an essential melodic motif. The award-winning CDs "Wake Up, Start Dreaming," "The Story of O-Miz," and "Merry Wicked," recorded for Bona Dea Music, have helped establish Liz Larin’s reputation as a musical adventurer and a "real deal” artist. With an interest in electronic music composition inspired by the Detroit techno scene, her years as a jazz musician, combined beautifully with good ’ole rock sensibility, are evident in her latest releases: Stella 13 ("When Soul Becomes Symphony"), Luster Kraft ("Transmitter"), and Liz Larin’s "Blue Circus Life." Part scientist, part composer, part performance artist, Liz Larin continues the experiment as she collects research for her new book and CD series on how music and sound affect the body. As a member of the classically hip, modern music collective ‘New Music Detroit,’ whose founding members are with the Detroit Symphony, Boston Symphony, and the Minnesota Orchestra, Liz Larin recently debuted ‘Beauty in Three Parts.’ The buzz surrounding Liz Larin and her music started naturally, underground, and now continues to build with live performances and Internet music sales, supported by a loyal fan base, which began with international exposure from her two Atlantic Records CDs. Even though Liz’s music is powerful and forthright, she is known for being a gentle soul who remains accessible to her fans through her website and through greetings at shows. HISTORY: Liz Larin, a self-taught musician, has fond childhood memories of hearing Blue Note LPs at her grandmother’s house, where she had early exposure to bebop with the music of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, and the cool jazz strains of Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck. At age 10, Liz started writing songs and teaching herself to play the guitar and piano. As a preteen she would ride her bike to a neighborhood music store, a popular hangout for musicians, where she was encouraged to play and sing her original music for the customers and staff. After taking a few guitar lessons there she was asked to join the teaching staff, becoming the youngest (and only female) guitar teacher at age 15. "They took me under their collective wing and encouraged me to pursue my passion for all things musical," she recalls. A professional by the age of 12 as a performer of religious music, and with rock band experience in high school, Larin decided to pursue a musical career and was soon signed to Atlantic Records. The result: an opportunity to work with legendary producer Rupert Hine (Duncan Sheik, Howard Jones, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks), who flew Liz and her band to England to record an album that became a critics’ favorite. Next, a solo CD co-produced by Ben Grosse (Filter, Ben Folds, Vertical Horizon, Marilyn Manson) for Atlantic records, which further extended Larin’s reputation as an unparalleled songwriter, vocalist, and performer. Larin’s first CD for Bona Dea Music, "Merry Wicked," was co-produced by Scott Spock (Korn, Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff). Liz Larin is gracious when asked how she feels about making the coveted list of illustrious female artists who have recorded for Atlantic Records (including Tori Amos, Poe, Stevie Nicks, Jewel, Toby Lightman, and of course Aretha Franklin), but she says the best is still to come. With good instincts, Liz is taking the road less traveled - she has opted for the indie label route, which provides maximum flexibility in a changing world, more creative control, and more direct contact with a growing fan base. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking music as the adventure continues with this kinetic recording artist.