Grammy-nominated,Soul Train Award winning Jazz/Soul singer,Maysa Limo is the kind of vocalist that takes hold of a song and enraptures her audience. Blessed with an instantly identifiable honey-toned mezzo-soprano and a magnetic stage presence, her alluring vocals, candor, humor and purity as an artist make her a rarity in the industry.
Why is it called a limo?
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Maysa knew by age six that she was going to be a musician. After graduating from college with a degree in classical voice performance, she auditioned for Stevie Wonder’s vocal group Wonderlove and was accepted into the band. She toured with them for over a year, appearing on the Jungle Fever soundtrack and in live and televised performances. She then moved to North Hollywood where she recorded jingles and sang at local clubs to pay her rent.
In 1992, she was recommended to the British funk-jazz group Incognito by producer Steve Harvey, whom she had met through Stevie. She was offered a record deal, and the following year recorded her debut album, Maysa. The single from the album, “What About Our Love,” reached number 52 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
Maysa continued to record with Incognito, and appeared on over 9 of the band’s albums. She also recorded with neo-blues group Grainger, Rhythm Logic, Rick Braun and Rachel Z. She then returned to Baltimore to record her second solo album, Metamorphosis, which featured a collaboration with saxophonist Chris Davis. Her third and fourth albums, Sweet Classic Soul (2006) and Feel the Fire (2007) were highlighted by reinterpretations of songs originally recorded by The Stylistics, Luther Vandross, and the Commodores. She followed those with her 10th album, 2013’s Blue Velvet Soul.