The Odyssey Continues, an In Depth Look into the Trials and Triumphs of YASU
photo courtesy of 86AD
The Odyssey was a poem written to document the many wanderings of one Greek man Odysseus. He went on a mission to fight a war he wanted no parts of and spent a great deal of time in captivity until he is rescued and released…he doesn’t return home, however, and is made to wander endlessly seeking to find a people who have never heard of an oar or the sea…
I’m no Greek godess wandering aimlessly through space and time looking for anything yet I live to have Peace and (a) Sound mind. In case you aren’t aware, YASU is a part of my name which means Peace and Sound. After countless years of being teased, I have come to embrace such a unique and perfect name, and find it appropriate to live for after all that I have endured in my lifetime.
Long before I “laid any tracks” I have been singing to the tracks in my spirit. And I have sung publicly for more than 15 years, in several choirs, ensembles and as back ground for many artists. I was encouraged time and again, to record an album… When I decided to record my first album, it was more for personal reasons than anything else. I wasn’t trying to achieve star status nor was I attempting to become bigger than life. I simply had a story to tell and wondered if I could do it. There were many who said they would like to help me tell my story, but when it came down to it, those same people were “unavailable”. So I wrote and wrote and registered my lyrics with the US Copyright office, and I sat and sat. I began working with someone and recorded 13 songs, no one knew of it, and at the end of all of that, that person skipped town, losing his recording equipment and all. Everything I had was gone.
Again, I took to the pen and pad and worked with someone else, an amazing musician! We created concepts for the songs and then they became unavailable for personal reasons. Again, I was left with melodies in my head. Nearly 5 years after all of that, I ran into someone from high school, who is now my husband/manager Imani, and we spent a lot of time talking. He was no producer or music mogul, but he knew people who knew music and connected me with them, and I am grateful for that. He listened to what I wanted to do and he helped make everything happen!
Without realizing it, my vision became a reality. I worked day and night with producers Chalie Numbas, Lapala Crawford, Barry G, and J Cole, writing and recording songs and one day I looked up and there was enough for an album! With less talking and more doing, I’d accomplished a big thing. They didn’t care about where I had been, but could see where I was going, and they didn’t need a spiritual awakening to see it, they just tapped into my vision and used their knowledge to help me reach it. They never pushed, they just showed me many valuable things that created an album- with a number one song, and a platform to tell my story.
I didn’t do a lot of pushing of the project because there was a point where I was so happy to have done something, I was undecided about the next steps. I had some great ideas and concepts, but couldn’t pull it all together the way I wanted to. So I opted to do nothing, if it wasn’t going to be good. A number of people came to me wanting to work with me, and even offering a bit of criticisms-though that came from some of the same people who said they would work on my project, and ultimately disappeared.
By the time I released my album, I was married, with a large blended family, and starting a new family-all at once! Timing…timing is important, but for a person like me, who has had more obstacles, daggers and dragons in her life than pleasant strolls, guided tours and princes, this was a good time for me. At my listening party, there was great success, only my voice gave way to the elements, and I couldn’t sing my songs like I wanted to. Still, I pressed on, we had a fabulous time, thanks to a great band, with producer Jesse Coleman, Jr, the late and cherished Jazmund Lyons, Keem Coker, and Gavin Harvey.
My album was distributed locally, and still is sold on itunes and amazon as well. The buzz was good, the progress slow and steady, though I didn’t do many shows thereafter. Sales continued, and people were listening…
What happened next?
I spent the following year carrying and subsequently giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. I was rarely seen during my pregnancy, but had begun a work with Indie Sol Rey, comprising of producers Reed Russell, Sidd Deluxx, and Emcee Elevated Thinkin. (You can listen to “Perfect” by following the link)
My husband and his business partner acquired a coffee shop/venue for local artists. That in and of itself, is a huge task. Almost one year into business, to date, they have been awarded The Best of Toledo for Spoken Word and Open Mic. Being the wife of a small business owner is a whole new world, to say the least. Through many challenges and sacrifices, the business is thriving.
Once I gave birth to my son, I just knew I would be “back”. My body was in the best shape ever and I was feeling good, getting back to the studio to continue work with the band. But in less than two months after my son’s birth, he became ill with H1N1. We were isolated in the hospital for days and were terrified for weeks after that. When he was out of the woods, I went to the Dr. for a routine procedure that landed me back in the hospital at least once a month for most of 2009! I had surgery and missed a huge weekend of performances with musician Jesse Coleman Sr., Chorale Director, Brian Thomas, several show and talent opportunities throughout Toledo with non profit organizations, churches, clubs and time in the studio to complete the work I began with Indie Sol Rey. I also missed funerals of beloved friends and even family members.
A confession…
A very hard thing to do was to take care of myself and my family, instead of all the ripping and running I used to do. And people who know me, know I was at every event, wedding, funeral and so on, and I realize now I cannot do those things as I did before. I was always the one there early and staying late, filling in for someone or something, setting up, cleaning up and so on… But today, my health is first, then I have my family. They mean the world to me, and I cannot come back strong if I don’t take care of my foundation. I will sink for sure if I don’t.
Upon recovery from the surgery, I returned to my Dr. for a follow up and received a routine medication. I also began working a full time job in nursing. Within one month of working at my new job, I was back in the hospital, with an allergic reaction to the medication I was given in November. Today, I am still feeling the affects of the medicine, with little help from the Dr. who gave me the drug, less cooperation with my primary care physician, who didn’t give the med and knows not what to do to help…and an uphill battle of consulting attorneys and reviewing medical records. In spite of that…
…In December, I teamed up with Phillip Jay, Monnie Soul, and my band for a Concert, “Soul-OH, Sounds of A Season”, that included a Spirited Christmas set. (There are videos) The band, David James-keys, Gavin Harvey-bass, Keem Coker-drums and Yusuf Lateef- percussion, made it all worth while. Every genre of music was represented, and audience participation made for an amazing night. This was my first “live show” with a band.
It is now Spring of 2010, and my son will be 1 year old. And for all the time I have been away, being human, time has seemed to stand still. In music, I am writing more than I have before, and I receive music, which I have written to, but the journey back to the booth is slower than before. Before, there were no newborns, new jobs, or health issues.
And with all that I have had to deal with, I have recorded a number of songs with Indie Sol Rey; And on a better note, despite my health issues, my spirit is well, and I am encouraged to continue writing and telling my story. I am better than in recent months, not 100 percent, although my voice is, and so due to popular demand, I am arranging for Soul-OH to return to The Ground Level, (the coffeehouse).
My goal is to continue writing whatever songs come to my heart, and singing them, telling my story, your story, our story…
I have read many articles on famous artists, actors and such, and at times they have given “their public” an inside look into their lives, sometimes to better understand them, and most often to be the ones to tell the people who they really are, so they don’t have to hear it from other sources. I too, want to take an opportunity to share with you my trials and triumphs. I’d like to thank my loyal fans who have stood and stand by me; my sisters and brothers, cousins and ‘nem, who prayed and continue to pray for me; and my musical family who continues to encourage me and remind me of my potential.
When you see me, I may not be as I used to be, but once I get a good report from a physician, I will be back! Until then, keep listening out for a new sound…
From Yours Truly,
YASU
