AWARD-WINNING SONGWRITER LEE HAYES
creates an aural scrapbook ranging from Pop to Folk,
from Torch to Cabaret. This is a true hybrid of genres.
You'll laugh, you'll cry; you'll call your mother and
toss out the last few photos of your ex.
BREAKING NEWS ON
This 4-woman A Cappella group founded by Hayes was
nominated by the Canadian Folk Music Awards for
BEST VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR 2009!
Hayes' true-life tales and charming stage presence
are quite commanding."
- Allan Wigney, Ottawa Xpress
ON
Watch for Showtime's featurette on David Duchovny's latest television series Californication; that's Lee Hayes singing
'I Should Have Been David Duchovny's Bride'.
LEE HAYES is a full-time singer, songwriter, vocal arranger, and voice teacher from Ottawa, Canada.
Hayes has toured Canada, the US and the UK, and has appeared on several international radio and television shows (CBC, CTV, CJOH, The A Channel, BBC, ABC, WTN).
Hayes also directs the Ottawa Folklore Centre community choir, and teaches a week-long vocal harmony workshop in the Caribbean every year.
Hayes' song 'I Should Have Been David Duchovnys Bride' was licensed by Showtime to promote the actor's latest hit television series, 'Californication'. more...
Hayes has 7 cd recordings to date.
THE BEGINNING
Back in '93, Hayes was just starting out as a singer/songwriter in the Ottawa area; playing shows at Rasputin's, the GCTC, and the Stone Angel. Hayes became known for her humorous anecdotal stage banter, passionate piano-based songwriting, and for sold-out shows. Hayes quickly gained a reputation for excellence when she became a winner of the Songs FromThe Heart SOCAN/OCFF songwriting contest in 1995.
MALAIKA
A chance meeting at a benefit concert led to the birth of the group Malaika; Hayes teamed up with Beth Ferguson, Neema Mugala, and Stella Haybukhai in '94 to form the internationally renowned World Beat A Cappella group. Malaika filmed a video of Hayes' song 'What Is Love' in Vancouver in 1996. Malaika produced a total of 4 cd recordings and performed hundreds of concerts over 12 years.
By 1995, Hayes was touring, writing, and recording with Malaika, performing at concert venues as varied as the Peace Prayer Day festival on top of Mount Taos, New Mexico, to the eternal twilight of the Yukons Dawson City music festival, to the Spitz Cafe, London, England, and always coming home to play the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Canada.
Hayes' songwriting has produced songs that hve inspired other artists; Her song 'When a Woman Makes Up her Mind' inspired film-maker Tracy Bacenas of Affinity Productions to create a documentary of Malaika, called 'Angel. This documentary was picked up by the Women's Television Network and continues to be aired. 'When a Woman' is performed by several women's choirs all over the world.
THE SECRET LIFE
Hayes released the acclaimed solo CD 'The Secret Life' in 2002, which included the song 'I Should Have Been David Duchovny's Bride'. The song was posted on several Duchovny fan sites and was turned into a tribute video on YouTube, gaining fans from all over the globe. It was then discovered by the television network Showtime, and has been licensed to promote David Duchovny's new television series 'Californication'.
CANTARRA
After Malaika disbanded in 2006, Hayes addiction to A Cappella continued; she created the A Cappella/Percussion group Cantarra, based on the compelling blueprint of 4 women, 4 voices, but this time with an abundance of percussion. Cantarra received a nomination from the Canadian Folk Music Awards for Best Vocal Group of the Year 2009.
TEACHING
Hayes is a full-time musician, songwriter, arranger, and now teaches her art/addiction of vocal harmony to many people. Hayes is the Music Director and Arranger for the Ottawa Folklore Centre's community choir, Folka Voca, and teaches group vocal harmony classes at the OFC school. Hayes conducts A Cappella workshops for small ensembles throughout the year, and coaches budding songwriters. Hayes also teaches a week-long vocal harmony workshop in the Caribbean every winter, taking up to 20 singers with her at a time.
CIRCUS GIRL
Hayes continues to write; she received a grant from the City of Ottawa to write her latest project, Circus Girl, a haunting collection of carnival characters. Hayes will begin recording this new body of work in the upcoming year.
Hayes lives in Ottawa, Canada with her husband, Mike McGuire, owner of Wingspan Design, and Milo, their very spoiled cat.
LEE HAYES teaches group classes and solo voice lessons for every level of ability, ranging from the beginner to the professional singer.
SOLO CLASSES
In her own journey as a singer, Hayes has taken many styles of lessons, from pop to classical to opera. Over the years, Hayes learned that different methods work for different voices. Hayes enables the singer to find the best way to maintain tone, explore range, volume/dynamics, diction in singing, and also how to make full use of what a voice can do without harming the vocal cords.
GROUP CLASSES
Hayes teaches two group classes of 10-16 people at the Ottawa Folklore Centre on Sunday afternoons. Each year the genre for these classes is different; this year, its classic pop/folk from the 60s and 70s. Previous years learned Motown and the Beatles. Next year; who knows? more...
THE FUNKIEST CHOIR EVER
Hayes also directs the OFC choir, Folka Voca, which is 40+ people strong. All the arrangements are in 3-7 part harmony, and are all original A Cappella arrangements by Hayes. Hayes also teaches workshops in her home studio for smaller ensembles of 3-6 singers each, in jazz, pop/folk, and even disco!
THE CARIBBEAN WORKSHOP
Hayes teaches a week-long harmony workshop in the Caribbean every winter. Next workshop: Cuba, March 2011.
interested in participating? info_leehayes.ca
REVIEWS
Lee Hayes - The Secret Life - released 2002 -
"AN EXCEPTIONAL AND LONG-AWAITED COLLECTION FROM A FIRST-RATE PERFORMER."
- Steve Baylin, Ottawa Xpress Magazine, 4½ STARS
"IT'S HARD NOT TO BE TAKEN IN BY THE DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE CHARM OF LEE HAYES... ...Blessed with a pure, soaring voice, the crafty songwriter, best known as one quarter of the four-woman a cappella ensemble Malaika - has a way of harnessing the small details of everyday life that
never fails to captivate." more...
"The personal tales that live and breathe on Hayes' debut record, The Secret Life, reminds one in many ways of Jane Sibbery's Bound By The Beauty...
"roaming effortlessly between folk, pop and country, Hayes' songs touch on everything from grand themes of temptation, loneliness and lost love, to an obsession with David Duchovny and her undying affection for
a cat named Milo."
- Steve Baylin, Ottawa XPress Magazine
"Lavish ... strong musicianship ... a progressive journey into orchestrated pop and textured classic sounds with a touch of country class. Lyrically, this is poetry with great depth in content, sharing wisdoms and vulnerabilities ....
- SONG OF THE YEAR on songs from The Secret Life
UNIQUE SINGER/SONGWRITER ARTISTRY...
Solid melodies ... reflective lyrics"
"Surreal...very, VERY creative!"
- SONG OF THE YEAR on the upcoming Circus Girl
"Ms. Hayes is destined to be a credit to the great community of Canadian creators."
-Charles Sanders, U.S. National Music Publisher's Association
"Lee Hayes manages to laugh at the world, and herself ... and sounds damn fine while she's doing it."
- Alan Neal, CBC's All In A Day
"A FORMIDABLE TALENT... excellent original songs ... Hayes' true-life tales and charming stage presence are quite commanding."
order The Secret Life: info_leehayes.ca
September , 2011
Date TBA
Cantarra: opening act Folka Voca
Ottawa, Ontario
October 23, 2010
Lee Hayes and the Divine Miss C
A Ladies Night at Beau's
with Chris MacLean, Pat Moore, and Meredith Luce
Beau's Music Series
Vankleek Hill, ON
September 2, 2010 SOLD OUT
Lee Hayes/Cantarra house concert
by invitation or special request
July 9-11th, 2010
Canterbury Folk Festival
Cantarra
Ingersoll, Ontario
June 19th, 2010
CantarrSeptember 2010
Cantarra/Folka Voca concert
Ottawa, ONa house concert
April 24th, 2010
Annual Folka Voca concert
(all profits go to the Ottawa Humane Society)
Sunnyside Wesleyan church
All performances cancelled Dec-April due to injury
thanks for all the support, everyone!
September - November 2010
Folka Voca benefit concert series:
Folka Voca gives back to the Ottawa community with a series of free concerts at local hospitals and retirement homes
August 13th, 2009
Lee Hayes house concert
July 31st-aug 2nd 2009
Blue Skies Music Festival
Lee Hayes
Sing In Swahili workshop
Clarendon, Ontario
June 25th, 2009
Orpheus Fund Raiser
June 12th, 2009
NAC 4th Stage
4th Stage, NAC
May 10th 2009
House Concert
Val d'Or, Quebec
April 3rd, 2009
Nepean Sailing Club
Feb 25th 2009
Cantarra sings O Canada in 4 languages
(English, French, Inuktitut, Algonquin)
Opening of Council Meeting
City Hall, Ottawa, Ontario
December 19th, 2008
Cantarra Beautiful Air CD Release
National Library Auditorium
June 4th, 2008
Concerts By Candlelight
The Billings Estate national Historic Site
May 18th, 2008
Morrisburg concert series
Cruikshank Amphitheatre
Morrisburg, Ontario
May 10th , 2008 SOLD OUT
The Groundz Cafe concert series
Almonte, Ontario
March 29th, 2008 SOLD OUT
Cantarra Earth Day Concert
March 25th, 2008
Museum of Civilization
private show for the
Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations
Hull, Quebec
February 2nd, 2008 SOLD OUT
January 26, 2008
Trinity Anglican church
October 14, 2007
The Redemption Choir Xtreme
Malawi Benefit Concert
October 13, 2007
Folka Voca
Child Haven Benefit Concert
Conference Centre
The Groundz Cafe Grand Opening
September 15th , 2007
Art In The Park
Windsor Park in Old Ottawa South
August 10-12th, 2007
The Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
main stage Friday August 10, 9pm
July 19th, 2007
private concert for
the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association
Weston Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto, ON
June 29th, 2007 SOLD OUT
Cantarra (opening act: Eccentrica)
December 16, 2006
Folka Voca: CD Release Concert
with the Redemption Choir Xtreme
December 2, 2006
Malaika: Annual Christmas Concert
October 30, 2006
Malaika
Private concert for
The Women's Leadership Revival Tour
October 15, 2006
August 19, 2006
The Ottawa Folk Festival
June 24, 2006
Lee Hayes with the Redemption Choir Xtreme
The Black Sheep Inn
Wakefield, Quebec
May 27, 2006
Folka Voca opens the Ottawa Race Weekend ING Marathon
Festival Plaza, City Hall
May 17, 2006
YMCA Women of Distinction Awards
the Hilton Casino
May 1, 2006
Music Monday
National Arts Centre
April 29, 2006
Peggy White and Friends Concert Series
March 19, 2006
Diva Lee and the Divine Miss C (opening act: Eccentrica)
March 11, 2006
International Women's Day Concert
February 12, 2006
St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church Concert Series
(with Akpokli)
St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church
January 29, 2006
Music Alive! Concert Series in Vankleek Hill
Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute
Vankleek Hill, Ontario
January 28, 2006
© Lee Hayes 2010
