Three world-class performers were on the Island for a series of concerts last weekend and Monday evening.

One was Lisa Vaughn ? a voice often heard singing back up to many of Motown and other greats, who was here with Grammy nominated producer/composer/arranger/ accompianist/pianist Howard McCrary and pianist Ben Tankard.

As much as their talents differ, in many respects they share one common thing ? they all perform Gospel Jazz.

Mrs. Vaughn performed at the Southampton Seventh Day Adventist Church and was accompanied by Mr. McCrary at the Heritage Hall on two occasions, and at The Grigo Lounge for Chewsticks open mike night on Sunday.

Mr. Tankard arrived on Monday morning to play that evening at the Heritage Hall.

Mrs. Vaughn and Mr. McCrary popped into for a chat on Monday to speak about their future ambitions.

After singing back-up for many years, and just coming off tour with Anastasia, Mrs. Vaughn plans to launch a solo career with pianist Mr. McCrary.

?I?m doing Gospel Jazz and I?m working on a CD, my first,? she said. ?But around that, I tour and I do a lot of studio work at home.

?I also do commercials and I?ve been hired by producers for movie soundtracks.

?It?s whatever is done musically that a singer does, is what I do. But my focus has been travel touring. I am currently working with Diana Ross and we?ll be leaving in two weeks and we being rehearsals tomorrow as, soon as I get off the plane in Los Angeles.?

But as much as she enjoys singing for the famous, Ms Vaughn wants this singing-back-up tour to be her last.

?I am concentrating on my own career from now,? she said, ?This is a business and I?ve got to work and when things are getting low, I need to work to increase.?

Mr. McCrary said Mrs. Vaughn has built her career in supporting others.

?But it?s now her season and her time and that is where (manager) Keitha Lowe comes in,? he said.

?Ms Lowe sees Lisa as the star she is and when you see her perform, she makes everyone?s show. Now Keitha is going to take this right over the goal post.?

Mr. McCrary, along with other producers, will be involved with the production of Mrs. Vaughn?s debut CD.

?Performers like Chaka and others have all said that Lisa should be doing her own CD because she is a headliner,? Mr. McCrary said.

?She is that powerful. We will also be working with Take Six?s Mark Kibble, who has stated that she is nothing less than impeccable.?

Ms Lowe was in agreement. She said the pair are committed and they have worked to make everyone else?s dreams come true, but now it is time to use some of that energy for themselves.

?Mr. MrCrary has worked with Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson to name a few.?

But Mr. McCrary warned: ?Don?t believe the Press. These enemies of Michael Jackson have taken what he loved the most and used it as a weapon ? it?s all for money.?

He described working with Quincy Jones as a balanced affair.

?When you work for Quincy Jones, he deals with everyone with love,? he said.

?He makes everyone from the engineer to the person who goes to get the coffee with love, he is like a dad and everyone is important to him.?

Mr. McCrary?s career began before the Jacksons and he and his family were known as the McCrary Five.

?We dropped the five and they dropped the five,? he said as he laughed.

?But that was how I got started in Gospel music and travelling.?

But he added that all of his life experiences and musical adventures were preparing him for one person ? his singing soul mate ? Lisa Vaughn.

They duo originally met through Chaka Khan and were on the Island eight years ago to perform with her during the Jazz Festival.

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He said: ?I sing, but I have the joy and pleasure of accompanying the amazing voice of Lisa Vaughn.

?It has always been a joy for me and her voice is like nothing I?ve ever heard before.

?Every show that I have seen her perform in, she has always taken it to another level and without her it would just be a show. A show with Lisa is an event.?

Mrs. Vaughn cannot remember the exact moment when Mr. McCrary played for her, but she saidthat it was ?an awesome blending?.

?I can?t remember the first time, but I can tell you that we were probably on the road somewhere and after a sound check and him playing and singing and me singing.

?But I do know, and I am not being biased because he?s Howard, but there are a lot of piano players out there and not all of them can make me sing. He makes me sing.

?Now when I arrived on the Island, he arrived a day later because of a prior engagement, but I had to do two performances without him. The two musicians that played for me were impeccable, but it wasn?t the same. So nothing was going to make a difference until Howard arrived.?

In a year, Mrs. Vaughn sees herself singing, on tour and promoting her own music, but Mr. Howard goes one step further.

?Next year, I see Lisa being nominated at the Grammys. She will have my support, with Keitha?s support and with God?s support, and I want to do everything in my power, along with Keitha?s support that she receives the recognition that she deserves.?

Mrs. Vaughn, who has been grafting for 18 years, said she has been able to continue with the help of God.

?Sometimes, I am praying for a year,? she said. ?Sometimes you have the down times and at the moment in LA, there is a dry season, and no one is calling.?

Ms Lowe said: ?At the moment in LA it is a retrospective atmosphere, a sense of what has already been done, rather than of what is to come.?