"Mighty Oakland Sound" that's what you can expect from Lady Bianca. Deeply rooted in the blues she's Oakland's finest female blues singer. No wonder that the Oakland Blues Society awarded her "Best R&B Female Vocalist" in 2002, after she had been Oakland's "female vocalist of the year" in 1989, 1990 and 1991 as well.

Lady Bianca, who moved to the Bay Area when she was four years old, started playing piano very early in her life and later studied music theory, composition and opera at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Her first major perfomance was in the San Francisco production of singer Jon Hendricks' revue 'Evolution of the Blues'. Later she performed at the Conservatory Theater with artists like Sly and the Family Stone, Frank Zappa, John Lee Hooker and Van Morrison.

Many people might have discovered Lady Bianca for the first time when she was filmed at Wilebski's Blues Saloon, St Paul, Minnesota during a three-day concert in March 1984. The event also featured the Gravenites-Cipollina Band, Geoff Muldaur, John Lee Hooker, Valerie Washington, Dr. John, Corky Siegel, Ben Sidran, Archie Shepp and many other blues musicians and was released on video as "Survivors - The Blues Today". In the late 80s Lady Bianca founded her own Oakland label Magic-O together with her partner Stanley Lippitt, who is also songwriter and producer. Although she didn't release any albums then she recorded and performed in the Bay Area/California. All of her activities were not unnoticed and through the help of Joe Louis Walker Lady Bianca was able to release her first album. Video on the right: John Lee Hooker & Lady Bianca, "Boogie Woman"

"Best Kept Secret" was released on Telarc in 1995. A secret no longer Lady Bianca used many well know Bay Area musicians to record her debut. There is David Mathews on keyboards, who played with people like Pee Wee Ellis and Tower of Power; Nick Milo on synthesizers who played with Bonnie Hayes and Tower of Power; Ron Stallings on tenor saxophone who would later join Huey Lewis and the News... Well and most important there's Lady Bianca on vocals and piano. Be it slow or fast blues or even the boogie in the middle Lady Bianca's debut is a celebration of the blues.

It took a while before the follow-up album "Rollin'" was released. In 2001 Rooster Blues Records gave Lady Bianca the next chance to present her outstanding talent. Using almost the same musicians, who also played on her first album, "Rollin'" doesn't disappoint. Lady Bianca's blues can be raw on one song and the next song can be very romantic - in both cases it's her voice that keeps you hostage - truly wonderful!

Equipted with these vocal abilities Lady Bianca released her third album "All By Myself" in 2003 - featuring only her voice and piano playing. The album was released on her own label Magic-O Records and once again Lady Bianca proves to be an extraordinary blues artist. The same is true of her 2005 album "Let Love Have Its Way". So it was just a question of time for Lady Bianca to get the reward she deserves.

In 2007 Lady Bianca has won the Best Blues performer award from the Bay Area Black Music Awards. In addition she has also released a new CD entitled "Through A Womans Eyes" which is highly recommended.

Please check out Lady Bianca's music - blues at its best.

Latest news in 2008: The Bay Area Blues Society & the City of Oakland will induct Lady Bianca into the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 29. You can read more about this event if you visit the Blues Society's website or read this article in the Oakland Globe.

Discography