Lisa Hartt has had quite a whirlwind year, launching her career back full steam ahead with single releases, an EP release, 2 tours to Sweden, the first being the amazing time she was greeted at Lilla By Festivalen as the Canadian legend she truly is. She deserves that recognition for a story long untold about her collaboration with Sweden’s hero, Ted Gardestad.
With a career that dates back to the late 70’s, The Lisa Hartt Band topped the charts with a single ‘Old Time Movie’, which resulted in major tours around the world. The band broke up, all right love you go cry some but Lisa never stopped honing her craft. Life had some twists and turns that stopped her touring and sometimes performing, but she continued to write and devote her time to celebrating her music.
The momentum increased when she was invited to Rinkaby, Sweden, last summer. Released on March 18, 2024, there is another single (and video release) ‘The Night I Learned to Dance’, and she is thrilled to finally get her story out there.
‘The Night I Learned to Dance” was lived over 45 years ago, but has only recently come to light, when Lisa Hartt was introduced to Jonas Gideon while they were both performing at Lillaby Festivalen 2023, in Rinkaby, Sweden. Lisa Hartt explains how this amazing songwriting collaboration began: “Jonas asked me to enter an experiment and write some lyrics that he then would put music to, much like Elton and Bernie. Well, I was thrilled to have made this musical connection and I started writing immediately. The result was ‘The Night I Learned to Dance.”
Check it out on YouTube here:
“The past has been on my mind a lot lately as I have recently grieved the death of my partner and musical soul mate of over 36 years. I was harkening to a time when I was on the road with an all girl big band called at that time, “The Christine Lee Set”. Today she is known as the famous BGT drummer, Crissy Lee. It was in London, England in the late 60’s when I joined the band, and we signed a contract to go and play in Cairo, Egypt, at the Sheraton Hotel. One of our tasks was to play for the cabaret that would usually be from Singapore, Australia or Europe. Then the Bellydancer Nagwa Fouad would come on and she was the “star” turn of the evening. My secret joy was to sneak behind the chorus of the Arabic orchestra and sing the ululations with the ladies while Nagwa twirled. She was simply entrancing.”
“One steamy star-filled night Nagwa asked if we wanted to go out to the oasis at the pyramids of Giza and she would teach us to dance. We would have drinks and dinner and then, wrapping a shawl around my hips, she would show me the ancient moves and her signature moves. Well, you can imagine I was ready for this. The other musicians in my band were hesitant, but I was game. I got in a jeep with some military guys and Nagwa and before long we were driving into the star-studded desert night to the mystery of learning belly dancing. I have never forgotten this night, it was magical. ‘The Night I Learned to Dance’ has all the magic I was feeling. Here is the real kicker: Mayada, the lead dancer in our new video release, (video, produced by Dance Plant Records and One Dream Video), has studied with Nagwa Fouad, the dancer I wrote about in the song. Nagwa is still alive at 87 in Cairo. I can’t wait to reach out to her and reconnect. Life is magical and we are the sum total of all our memories.”
Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/0DOuxsgB4Kthnr8gyJCEYZ
With a legendary producer in his own right, Juno Award-winning Chris Birkett (Sinead O’Connor, Buffy Sainte Marie) gave it his magical touch, which convinced Dance Plant Records to release it with distribution on Sony/The Orchard, showing older artists can still make it happen with the right team behind them.
As an EMG Collectives Artist as well as an Associate, a global world has once again opened its doors to the talent of Lisa Hartt. Jonas Gideon and Lisa Hartt are now continuing to write together, with new songs for future release.
“This experience has shown me that the best is yet to come, and age, time and space do not matter. It’s all about the magic of the music.”
Editor’s Note: Lisa Hartt recently received the Cashbox Legacy Award, presented to her at the Canadian Embassy in Stockholm, where she was celebrated for her accomplishments and contributions to the Canadian Music Industry.
For more visit: lisaharttmusic.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/lisaharttmusic
Instagram: instagram.com/lisaharttmusic/
danceplant.ca/
emgcollectives.com/
