Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton

Dimitiriou's Jazz Alley welcome Grammy-winning singer Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton for 4 nights and 6 shows. Band members are: Lisa Fischer (vocals), JC Maillard (guitar), Thierry Arpino (percussion/drums) and Richie Goods (bass). Show times Thursday at 7:30p, Friday and Saturday at 7:30p and 9:30p and Sunday at 7:30p Doors open at 6:00pm Thursday and 5:30pm Friday – Sunday. This show is supported by KNKX and the Washington Blues Society.
artist info
When the iconic Ms. Lisa Fischer sings, she brings a joyous sense of discovery to every song. The Grammy and Oscar winning powerhouse vocalist is at the peak of her powers, blazing her own path, reveling in the chance to dive into every vocal possibility. While she carries traces of the legendary stars with whom she’s collaborated over four decades, Ms. Lisa Fischer is a constellation in her own right, singing songs with “amazing power, energy, and projection” enthuses Keith Richards, after 26 years of musicmaking with Ms. Lisa Fischer in the Rolling Stones.
At first glance Fischer might seem like a paradox. She spent much of her career exulting in the role of the ultimate team player as an elite backup singer for artists such as Luther Vandross, the Rolling Stones, Sting, Tina Turner or Nine Inch Nails. Even after the Brooklyn native scored a chart-topping R&B hit, “How Can I Ease the Pain,” and a 1992 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, she decided to focus on her already thriving career supporting the world’s biggest acts. But when her story was featured in the Oscar-winning 2013 documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, Fischer experienced a course-changing epiphany. “I was always looking at the next tour, the next gig,” she said. “The film gave me a chance to take stock and realize I could start defining my own path.”
Seizing the moment to rediscover herself, Fischer embarked on her ongoing musical journey with string wizard and arranger JC Maillard’s Grand Baton, a group capable of following (and leading) her in just about any musical direction. Together they’ve gathered a far-ranging repertoire of songs, including many tunes she’d made her own during his backup years. “Grand Baton gave me my wings,” Fischer says. “They give me permission to do whatever I want.”
Ms. Lisa Fischer and her band, Grand Baton, first set out on tour in 2014 in-between Lisa’s tours with The Rolling Stones, with no product to sell, no recordings or video to help book or promote shows, no t-shirts. Despite all that, based on Lisa's reputation alone, they were invited to play in clubs, at the Newport and Monterey Jazz Festivals, and at concert halls all over the globe, winning accolades from critics, devotion from fans, and—always—invitations to return, soon. Their music is an organic gumbo of progressive rock, psychedelic soul, and African, Middle Eastern, Caribbean rhythms and classical influences. In performance, they re-invent songs by Led Zeppelin, Amy Grant, Little Willie John, Luther Vandross, and The Rolling Stones or Lisa’s Grammy winning solo hit “How Can I Ease The Pain”. Lisa has emerged as the most inventive and heartfelt interpreter of classic rock standards and R&B working today. This musical partnership elevates both Fischer's artistry and Grand Baton's distinctive style, resulting in a harmonious blend that resonates with audiences seeking a fresh and genre-defying musical experience.