ROAM
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
“Points of Departure is a very different acoustic recording - refreshing in the electronic world we live in … mysterious and interesting … a story behind each song” - McENT newsletter, Holland
“Points of Departure is a very different acoustic recording - refreshing in the electronic world we live in … mysterious and interesting … a story behind each song” - McENT newsletter, Holland
REVIEW OF LAST SOLO RELEASE: Roam (duo took name from this album title).
LISA PATTERSON FEATURING ALEX MCMASTER
Sure enough, Patterson’s second album has gypsy and celtic elements but there also is jazz ... it's a bold blend that seems forever exploring and thus is unpredictable, which makes the record fascinating. Such pan-culturalism risks being mere window dressing but Patterson unifies everything with strong songwriting evident of a personal vision. - VANCOUVER PROVINCE
REVIEW OF LAST SOLO RELEASE: Roam (duo took name from this album title).
LISA PATTERSON FEATURING ALEX MCMASTER
Sure enough, Patterson’s second album has gypsy and celtic elements but there also is jazz ... it's a bold blend that seems forever exploring and thus is unpredictable, which makes the record fascinating. Such pan-culturalism risks being mere window dressing but Patterson unifies everything with strong songwriting evident of a personal vision. - VANCOUVER PROVINCE
Listening carefully, what sounds like an ordinary love song hints at a spiritual dimension ... calm, yet powerful ... embraces western pop traditions, European folk traditions and Indian sounds. Some use these kinds of elements as ornamentation, but Patterson brings the elements together to suggest a harmony that is all too lacking in this world. - INK 19 magazine, Tampa, U.S.
Listening carefully, what sounds like an ordinary love song hints at a spiritual dimension ... calm, yet powerful ... embraces western pop traditions, European folk traditions and Indian sounds. Some use these kinds of elements as ornamentation, but Patterson brings the elements together to suggest a harmony that is all too lacking in this world. - INK 19 magazine, Tampa, U.S.
"Truly no one would have ever imagined an evening that started off with a melodious note, would swell to a foot thumping beat, like that of a rock show, albeit in this case, with a flute and tabla ... a new variant of fusion music that was quite hard to be categorised under any genre ... Lisa's glorious voice enlivens the cold air" - Deccan Chronicle, Madras, India, Jan 08
"Truly no one would have ever imagined an evening that started off with a melodious note, would swell to a foot thumping beat, like that of a rock show, albeit in this case, with a flute and tabla ... a new variant of fusion music that was quite hard to be categorised under any genre ... Lisa's glorious voice enlivens the cold air" - Deccan Chronicle, Madras, India, Jan 08
"Patterson sung to the heart - even if the words were unfamiliar, the emotion was tangible ... A Canadian artiste of mixed lineage, Patterson’s intense vocal style pays tribute to her mother’s Romanian gypsy heritage while her fascination for the drone of bagpipes comes from her father’s Scottish roots. A drone that is shared by the music that emerges from South India. Under the tutelage of Maestro Trichy Sankaran, her understanding of Indian music merged with influences of jazz, reggae, blues and pop to create a sound that defines Lisa Patterson. 
The evening moved from compassionate strains of ‘Forward’ to the heartfelt rendition of ‘By you’ to a superb jugal bandhi of sorts between all the artistes in ‘Holy moments’. Towards the end, Patterson performed an interesting cover of ‘Hallelujah’ originally sung by Leonard Cohen, where she had the crowd singing in chorus. - HINDU TIMES, CHENNAI, INDIA
"Patterson sung to the heart - even if the words were unfamiliar, the emotion was tangible ... A Canadian artiste of mixed lineage, Patterson’s intense vocal style pays tribute to her mother’s Romanian gypsy heritage while her fascination for the drone of bagpipes comes from her father’s Scottish roots. A drone that is shared by the music that emerges from South India. Under the tutelage of Maestro Trichy Sankaran, her understanding of Indian music merged with influences of jazz, reggae, blues and pop to create a sound that defines Lisa Patterson. 
The evening moved from compassionate strains of ‘Forward’ to the heartfelt rendition of ‘By you’ to a superb jugal bandhi of sorts between all the artistes in ‘Holy moments’. Towards the end, Patterson performed an interesting cover of ‘Hallelujah’ originally sung by Leonard Cohen, where she had the crowd singing in chorus. - HINDU TIMES, CHENNAI, INDIA
Discography
debut album: POINTS OF DEPARTURE
(imaginit music/Phd Canada)
released March 2009
COMMERCIAL RELEASE HISTORY
Lisa Patterson solo artist band featuring Alex McMaster:
1. SINGLE Silver Lining October 08 - play-listed regional and national radio charts in Holland
2. ALBUM 'Roam' LP solo sophomore album 05: Festival Distribution Canada / Rough Trade Records, Holland.
play-listed U.S. Community radio; extensive CBC radio & Canadian campus airplay.
CHARTING SINGLES in Holland:
Forward #5: play-listed regional & national commercial radio.
Need Each Other #2: play-listed regional & national, remaining Top Ten for 12 weeks.
Say Goodbye #9: play-listed regional & national
#3. ALBUM This is What It Sounds Like
LP debut solo album.
Extensive CBC radio & Canadian campus & community airplay
MUSIC VIDEOS = 3
'This Time'
'Ode To Aphrodite'
'Forward'
Top Ten Bravo! Television, Canada; high rotation
feature on SS Music, South India; medium rotation
Photos
Bio
“melodious, sensuous and philosophical”
DECCAN CHRONICLE, SOUTH INDIA
ROAM is a collaborative duo that has emerged from a ten-year musical relationship between Lisa Patterson (vocals, piano, alto sax) and Alex McMaster (vocals, cello, clarinet). Having performed mostly in larger groups, Lisa and Alex revel in the space for vocal and instrument resonance and dialogue, creating a raw and intimate sound.
ROAM’s songs are infused with their diverse heritages and life experiences in living, traveling and collaborating across four continents. Collectively and individually Alex and Lisa have performed on stages in Holland, France, Canada, India, U.S., Mexico, U.K., Dubai and Pakistan. They were featured artists in Canadian Music Week 2009 global roots showcase in support of Amnesty International.
"mysterious and interesting … a story behind every song”
ERIC VERMEULEN, MC-ENT, THE NETHERLANDS
ROAM's debut album Points of Departure (imaginit music /Phd Canada) released March 09, is a sensual and philosophical journey, telling musical stories of new beginnings, courage and surrender. It was recorded mostly live-off-the-floor to closely represent concert sound.
Alex and Lisa are active members of the Canadian music scene and have worked with many acclaimed artists including Lily Frost, Christine Fellows, Feist, Jane Siberry, Cassius Khan, Maryem Tollar, A Northern Chorus, Toronto Tabla Ensemble, Sarah Noni Metzner and Melissa Laveaux.
“straight from the heart … raw spirit yet highly refined, very creative and cool”
DONALD QUAN, AWARD-WINNING TV/FILM COMPOSER & MUSIDEUM FOUNDER
Alex McMaster is a classically trained cellist (University of Toronto) who was born in Malawi and raised in Zimbabwe, Canada, Bangladesh and the U.K. Living abroad has brought an international perspective to Alex’s artistic work. She currently performs with respected Canadian artists Christine Fellows, Lily Frost and Rob Szabo.
Lisa Patterson, familiar to Canadian and international audiences as a solo artist, originally hails from British Columbia where she studied classical piano and was influenced by the dancing and singing of her Romanian and Scottish family. She has commercially released 3 music videos and 2 solo albums. The sophomore disc, Roam, from which this duo takes its' name, was distributed in Canada (Festival Distribution) and Europe (Rough Trade Records) with Need Each Other, a single from that disc, remaining in the top 10 charts in Holland for 12 weeks.
Alex and Lisa are longtime friends who both participate in the well-being of community through arts based work with women's organisations, at-risk youth and coaching young musicians and songwriters.
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