Lisa Marie Simmons

Lisa is an American multi-disciplinary storyteller: singer/songwriter, essayist & published poet. Speaker & performer at the 70th Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado in 2018, in November ’19, she presented NoteSpeak (Amori e Tragedie in Musica) in Europe. In 2020, she presented NoteSpeak in India & Ropeadope released NoteSpeak (Amori e Tragedie in Musica), which received a 4-star review from Downbeat. In Oct. '21, Angela Tucker, & Emmy Award-winning Bryan Tucker shot a documentary about the search for her birth father, released in June '22. Angela & Lisa co-wrote an essay advocating for the rights of Black fathers for the Harvard Law Bill of Health symposium in May '22. Her jazz standards album Lisa Meets Gianni w/ legendary Gianni Cazzola was released in June '22, on Ropeadope. She participated in the Biennale in Venice in Oct. ’22 for artist Simone Leigh’s Loophole of Retreat. Her poem “Last Supper” was shortlisted for a Creators of Justice Literary Award in Nov. 2022. NoteSpeak 12, was released in Feb. 2023 by Ropeadope & is on Downbeat's Best Albums of 2023 list. Lisa was the inaugural Artist in Residence at SUNY Oneonta in 2023 & won a travel grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation & Italia Music Export in support of her American debut of NoteSpeak 12 in Nov. 2023. In 2024 NoteSpeak 12 won Best Spoken Word Album of 2023 (World Entertainment Awards) & “Transcend” was shortlisted for Best Jazz Song by the ISC.