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Meet [Lauren] Elizabeth Baba

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Today we’d like to introduce you to [Lauren] Elizabeth Baba.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Elizabeth. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was raised in a musical family and learned music by ear from my father, which is how he learned play. He had a 70’s rock band with his siblings and our entire family would learn their songs or makeup something completely new. Being the eldest of all my siblings and cousins, I often made up songs and play-scenes to keep us entertained during family gatherings. We went to church every Sunday where I sung alto in our church choir, learning the traditional 2,000-year-old Byzantine hymns. Our church community went camping several times a year and campfire songs were a staple for my early years. I studied piano at home for a few years and ballet starting at age five so movement and music was and still is a necessary expression in my life.

I started violin and flute in 4th grade and immediately dreamt of being a “violinist” from the pure joy of beginning to play it. Being the eldest and my parents and I not knowing the “traditional” path toward being a “professional violinist”, I only had a handful of private violin lessons until I got to college; but I played with great passion in the school orchestra and diligently practiced fiddle and fast folk tunes; my favorite to play in elementary school. High school orchestra, and participating in color-guard & beginning drum-line, exposed me to various types of classical composers and pieces and expanded my musical knowledge.

My desire for knowledge and growth exponentially expanded once I began college at Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, CA; down the street from where I grew up. Being a music major, I was given a private violin teacher and was finally able to have classical violin teachers and begin technical and repertoire study; which I couldn’t be more excited for. I also was a dance major and continued my ballet, modern, and tap studies.

The biggest turning point was during the first week of college when the music students were given a master class by Joey Sellers, Jazz Director, called “Creative Improvisation”. I was beyond thrilled by the entire class and expressed that to Sellers who advised me to take “Jazz Combo” class to begin learning about creative improvisation and jazz. From that point on, I took every jazz class offered (Jazz Combos, Jazz Arranging, Jazz Piano, etc.) and was the librarian for Sellers’ Saddleback Big Band. I began writing for big band and was completely overjoyed by the explorative process and how much there was to learn. There were guest artists and musicians I was exposed to who influenced every part of my musical journey. Sellers was an immensely powerful mentor-force in my life and provided an incredible backdrop for learning and living music.

I studied full-load at Saddleback for six years getting my AA and diligently practiced my classical, jazz, writing, and gained experience in everything music-related. I worked several jobs to begin saving for a private university; knowing I wanted to be in a Jazz Violin program and continue to write for big band. I got into The New School’s Jazz Violin Program as well as CalArts Jazz Program and chose CalArts because I was given the opportunity to “build” my own program around violin, viola, as well as big band composition.

I attended CalArts for two years and was able to expand my musical knowledge and community while having the opportunity to create bands and gig in Los Angeles and most importantly, start my own big band. I formed the CalArts big band with two other colleagues and began to realize my dream of having my own big band that played my original music.

The transition from being a student at CalArts to afterward was a happy journey as I continued to grow my freelance life, band life, and knowledge of music.

Has it been a smooth road?
Everyone has their own life-road and my personal journey was just that; my own. Most everyone I encounter realizes and reminds me that my journey isn’t the “norm” and it takes all my strength to re-ground and reminds myself that everyone has their own path and there is no reason express judgment on what you may not be familiar with. I started studying technique “late”; add to that I am a doubler (violinist and violist); add to that I play jazz as well as play classical; add to that I compose for big band; add to that I am a female; add to that I have immense stress injuries; and the list goes on. I have been exposed to the entire spectrum of struggles and the constant fight for your rights and values is sadly in the spotlight through forms of mistreatment, inequality, demoralization, and abuse resulting in many health and well-being issues.

I grew up being the eldest of 3 brothers and although the old-ways of thought about women’s equality were very much present among elders, I was of the mindset that I did whatever my brothers did. Not because I needed to prove anything, but because it brought joy. As I grew older, I was given taste of this imbalance when I wanted to be on the baseball team, not softball and didn’t understand why there was a divide. I ended up playing baseball on my brother’s team, being the only girl in the league. In high school, I wanted to audition for snare in drum-line “A” after being on drum-line “B” but was told by the teacher that “girls start on bass-drum”. I practiced for the snare audition and after making it on snare to the teacher’s amazement, I said I didn’t want to be a part of the drum-line. Such innocent examples occurred throughout my life but once it entered into my professional sphere in a more destructive manner, I became even more determined to smooth out these struggles that are so wrongfully commonplace.

Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a violinist, violist, composer and improviser and I specialize in performing and composing creative improvised music as well as jazz, classical, folk, avant-guarde, chamber, pop, and experimental styles. I have recorded, performed and appeared in various configurations, including Hidden Figures Motion Picture soundtrack, The Voice & American Idol Live performances, The Weeknd at The Oscars, Adele at Grammy Awards, Avril Lavigne, Vitamin String Quartet, and Ringo Starr’s “Grow Old With Me”. I am a member of various jazz and avant-guarde bands and have had the opportunity to play and record our original music throughout the west and east coast. I am a board member of Los Angeles Jazz Society and has been an adjudicator at Reno Jazz Festival and faculty jazz string instructor at ACE Oakwood School and Stanford Jazz Workshop.

I am also composer, conductor and director of my 17-piece experimental big band, theBABAorchestra, including features in Downbeat Magazine, JAZZIZ, All About Jazz, and various awards, commissions, radio play, interviews and festival performances, including 2012 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award. I am currently composing two big band commissions and am booking festivals and performances for the coming year.

I am most proud of the experiences I have gained from the vast array of musicians I have been grateful to make music with and learn from. I find immense joy in collaborating with musicians in such a variety of genres, styles, and projects; help make their musical vision come to a reality. It is such a deep and beautiful connection that I don’t take lightly!

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Los Angeles is a city that provides an incredible foundation for creativity and collaboration. It’s hard to not compare Los Angeles to any other major city, especially when it comes to public transportation, but when you see it as its own entity, there is a lot to be grateful for here. It is a city for creatives and an always expanding cultural bed that is also a short drive away from the most amazing nature sites and getaways.

There is music every night in Los Angeles in some form or another and every gig I am on introduces me to new people and what they have to share. This city has a lot of opportunities for growth for the self-made artist and it is fascinating to find a community within it that supports the greater good; which is support for all. There are more and more musicians and artists coming through town from other parts of the world and it’s because Los Angeles is providing more and more venues and opportunities to perform and expand our community even more.

Pricing:

  • $12 – Marigold – theBABAorchestra CD
  • $12 – Another Ride on the Elephant Slide – theBABAorchestra CD

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Image Credit:
Mehdi Hassine

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