Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Fish.
Lee, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Like all human stories, mine begins in the womb. With travelling musicians for parents, I was constantly around rhythm, feeling the music even before entering the world. They played 5-6 nights a week up until the very day I was born. Boston has always been home base, but shortly after my arrival we were back on the road. Music was always playing during those long drives from one city to the next and I feel extremely fortunate to have been exposed to such a wide variety of sounds – soul/r&b (those early Motown recordings were my first love), folk music from all around the world, jazz, rock, film music – There was no limit to what we listened to. The van was also where I did a great deal of schoolwork. Because of our extensive travelling, my mom homeschooled me up until high school. She was the most vibrant and energetic person, and always found a way to weave our travelling adventures into her lesson plans. I still wonder how she found the time to do so much! It was thrilling to grow up surrounded by music. Even before I had my own drums, I was always searching for a way to play or learn – I’d set up pots and pans to play on, and I’d admire the drummer in my parents’ band every chance I got. It was around the age of two that I got my first tiny drum set, and by five years old I joined their band on stage, playing and singing as a special guest. I have great memories of working on different grooves at home while my dad patiently held it down on guitar. He used to show me some basic ideas and then give me the freedom to build off them and learn new songs.
Upon finally settling in Boston for high school, I began exploring the drums on a deeper level. A couple of the highlights from this time were attending Berklee’s Five-Week Summer Program and studying with the great Bob Gullotti. When Bob introduced me to Miles Davis’ “Four and More/My Funny Valentine”, I discovered the beauty of improvisation and began searching for ways to express my own musical voice. The Five-Week Program opened my eyes to a wide range of cultures and provided me a network to create music with people from all around the world. Throughout these years, I also played in some rock bands and started exploring songwriting, which gave me a different perspective on creating music and finding my melodic voice.
My parents both went to Berklee and although they never pushed me in any particular direction, after experiencing the Five-Week program it just felt right for me to go as well. I knew I wanted to be around the same sort of musical diversity that I had been exposed to my whole life. During my four years at Berklee, I soaked up as much knowledge as I possibly could and formed musical relationships that continue to blossom to this day. Many aspects of my professional career have been shaped by these friendships and the guidance I received. Between my peers and mentors, I never went hungry for inspiration – Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding, Warren Wolf, Mike Tucker, Hal Crook, Eric “Benny” Bloom, Julian Lage, Louis Cato, George Garzone, Lawrence Fields, and Phil Wilson to name a few. Having a chance to work with some of my professors and playing so much unique original music was transformative and greatly influenced my voice on the drums.
Following my studies at Berklee, I continued strengthening my craft while working and performing not only coast to coast in America, but also in Japan, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Bolivia, China and Korea. While at home in Boston, my consistent playing at the historic Wally’s Cafe with Jason Palmer’s Band earned me much respect throughout the city’s thriving music scene. I feel honored to have been a part of this club’s story. Alongside performing, I spent a good amount of my time composing as well as educating (masterclasses, private instruction and ensemble coaching). I teach in the hopes of passing on my knowledge and giving inspiration just as my mentors did for me.
In 2016, my mentor Terri Lyne Carrington told me about Berklee’s prestigious new graduate program at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute – created by artistic director Danilo Pérez. I applied without hesitation, knowing that this would be a great opportunity for me to explore some new directions and focus on the connection between music and nature as well as music for social change. A few months later, I was excited to discover my acceptance with a full tuition scholarship into a class of twenty musicians with all very unique backgrounds. While attending the program I was given the freedom to create my own concept for my final thesis project – I knew immediately that I wanted to study, arrange, and record the music of my mom, Lori Starr, who isn’t physically with us anymore. She has been my biggest inspiration. She was a prolific pianist/composer and although she never had a chance to record her music, she left a library of compositions for me to continue this project for years to come. Recording this music with fellow musicians at the Global Jazz Institute was an adventure, and the perfect way to honor the music and light my mother brought into this world.
Since graduating, I’ve been splitting my time between Boston and NYC – touring, recording, and playing locally with various musicians including Danilo Pérez, Jason Palmer, David Gilmore, Gary Burton, Nadia Washington, Noah Preminger, Godwin Louis, Tia Fuller, Evgeny Lebedev, Michael Thomas, Mike Bono, Tucker Antell, Kevin Harris, Sonya Rae Taylor, and many more. To date, I’ve played as a sideman on over fifty albums and recently I’ve been finishing up some writing to finally record an album of my own. I’m now gearing up to move down to NYC more permanently, and I plan to record my original music early in the new year. I look forward to sharing more of my musical journey with you!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
As a passionate musician, drummer, singer, composer, and educator, I’m constantly working with fellow musicians, artists and mentors to challenge boundaries and bring engaging experiences to my audience. My dynamic touch on the drums has been called remarkable, and my melodic compositions are known to inspire listeners. At the center of my artistic practice is energy: always positive and continuously soulful. In all playing situations, my goal is to enhance the music in every possible way that I can.
I gravitate towards creating music that has intention. I’ve always held the belief that even if you can touch one soul in the room, you’ve done something beautiful and invaluable. It’s often a spiritual experience. There have been countless moments in which I’ve been playing and realized that I’m in an alternate realm – musically connected and spiritually in a place of primal instinct. The groove is often the heart of the music for me.
Many of the people I admire embody the qualities of generosity, passion, warmth, kindness, strength, and versatility. I strive to not only bring this into my character but into my music as well. Whether it’s playing or composing, I find it vital to the life of the music to embrace the fundamental qualities that make us who we are. If you’re honest with your art and still take risks, you allow the audience to connect on a personal level.
I am lucky to have had parents who were both equally remarkable composers. Since I was young, I’ve had a wide perspective on what it means to write well-crafted and thoughtful music. Hearing and playing their original songs has inspired me to dive into the craft of writing myself. Back in 2005, I had the pleasure of working with my dad, Les Fish, on his first two albums of original music. It was a great learning experience.
I tend to compose music based on life experiences, using my instrument and compositions as vehicles for storytelling. Gathering inspiration from nature is an essential part of the process. Over the past year, I’ve found ways to creatively connect with the natural elements. It’s humbling to set up my drums in a field surrounded by trees, rocks, or rivers. I love playing for the landscape – there is a certain call and response of energy that takes place. Collaborating with a great visual artist by the name of illesha Khandelwal has opened me up to discovering some of these natural sources of inspiration. She has a special way of getting people to dig deeper and explore unique concepts. I look forward to collaborating more with artists of all mediums in the future,
Ultimately, I want my music to evoke a feeling for the listener. Sometimes it’s about hope, awareness, excitement, or even feeling sad. There is often a narrative apparent in the music, but I always make sure to leave enough room for people to seek their own experience. Recently, my compositions have branched into a wide range of subjects – from expressing my story of growing up on the road, to humanity’s continued quest for equality and speaking up for what you believe in. I truly hope for my music to leave a lasting impression.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
I’ve spent many late nights discussing this question with friends. I always find it difficult to define success in a singular way. It’s subjective to every artist. My idea of success constantly evolves as I grow and experience the world in new ways. Happiness is crucial. The dream is to be able to do what you love and make a living with it. I feel blessed to look at my life and say this is true. As an artist sharing my work, there is immense beauty in that moment of seeing someone in the audience with a big smile on their face or moving their body with the music. I find success in those very moments. Connecting with people and the giving/receiving of energy is valuable to any human life, especially the life of an artist. While working with Danilo Pérez, I also discovered the impact an artist can have on other people’s lives. Whether you’re playing or composing to support a cause, or giving back to a community through education or performance – music can do so much more than please the ear. It is one of the most powerful tools we have.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
One of the greatest ways to support musicians is to come out to live performances. I play regularly in Boston and NYC, so there is always a chance to catch me creating in different types of venues as a bandleader as well as a sideman. There is truly nothing that can replicate the experience of hearing and feeling the music in person. Upcoming performance dates are always on my website, and I also welcome people to reach out to me anytime.
I have some video and audio recordings that can be found through my website as well as other social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, YouTube). Social media sharing is another essential form of supporting artists these days. Sharing content with others is an excellent way to pass on a piece that you love and expand the audience of my music and work as an artist. Although my album isn’t out yet, I always encourage the listeners out there to buy the music that you enjoy directly from the artist if possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leefishmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leefishmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leefishmusic
- Other: https://soundcloud.com/leefishmusic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQoUzK8az_M
Image Credit:
all photos by illesha Khandelwal
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