LISA WETTON

(Drums, backing vocals)

“In a world where brute force as a means to an end has only brought hurt to many, a gentler, more compassionate means is the new paradigm. Imagine a revolution based in only love for all sentient beings? Yet this has been the way right under our noses for over two thousand years. The time is now for us to start practicing this as a means, not to an end, but to a beginning. I believe the UPF project is well on the path to this new beginning, and I’m looking forward to paying it forward with Mark and the rest of the Fraternity.”

Lisa grew up surrounded by music, having an opera singing mum and a professional jazz drumming dad. She was never too far from a piano or drum kit, and was most profoundly influenced by her father’s passion for World Music. Her first love was drums, after watching Nigerian drummer, Baba Olatunji on a TV special at the age of 8. Attending Potsdam College in the 1980’s, she was able to work with many of the talented music students at the renowned Crane School of Music, singing in various bands for pocket money and studying studio recording technique. It wasn’t until 1997 when she decided to take formal drum lessons and, whilst studying for her Medical Boards, bought her first drum kit, a Gretsch 4 piece jazz kit.

Since then, and many drum kits later, she continues to practice medicine, sing, and play as a sessions musician with groups in the U.S., most notably as the touring drummer/percussionist for progressive rock group, Edison’s Children. She has performed with West African drum troop, Adanfo, and studied Middle Eastern hand drumming and Latin percussion. She most recently performed with Bowie guitarist, Earl Slick and Rolling Stones vocalist, Bernard Fowler. She is a regular as part of an ensemble group of Central New York’s most talented musicians at The Ridge Tribute Tuesdays. She runs progressive music agency, SmokeWind Music and Productions.

Though her music influences are vast, and change from week to week, a few of them include Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, UK, Bill Bruford, Gavin Harrison, Nina Simone, and Oliver Mtukudzi.