Barbara Leah Meyer has three passions – music, yoga and wellness.
Barbara has been a dynamic member of the Canadian and European music scenes for many years. A native of Edmonton, Canada she has entertained a variety of audiences across Canada and throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Japan and the Middle East, as a solo artist, with jazz ensembles, big bands and symphony orchestras.
Barbara studied classical piano and music theory from an early age, going on to graduate from Grant MacEwan Community College in Edmonton with a diploma in jazz vocal performance and piano. She then co-founded the popular jazz vocal trio Alley Scatz. Performances at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, the Edmonton Jazz City Festival, Expo 86, Canadian and international touring, a United Nations Entertainment Tour to Cyprus and Israel and numerous television and radio appearances were but a few of the highlights.
In 1989 Barbara began a long touring career throughout Europe, eventually settling in the area of Frankfurt am Main, Germany where she resided until her return to Canada in 2010. Based in the centre of a bustling European music scene, she toured extensively and enjoyed enormous success with various projects.
Barbara has been a guest vocalist with symphony orchestras, big bands, jazz ensembles, and various music groups. Highlights were performances with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Baden-Badener Philharmonie, the Krimm Orchestra in Yalta, the Philharmonie Südwestfalen and the European Philharmonia Baden Baden as well as invitations to perform at the Baku Jazz Festival (Azerbaijan), at Canada Day celebrations in Istanbul and Ankara. As a member of the renowned female vocal group Ladies Nyght she appeared at numerous jazz festivals and on club and concert stages across Europe.
1989 marked the release of Barbara’s first compact disc Out On A Limb. The album reached the Top 10 in several European countries, was #12 on Canada’s Country Music Hit Chart and was the first Canadian production to be chosen as the Independent Record of the Month by a leading music publication in London, England. Barbara was honored to have been selected as Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1992 ARIA (Alberta Recording Industry Association) Awards.
In 1997 Barbara released her first jazz CD “Comes Love”. Described as “sultry, stunning and impeccable” this album showcases her lush vocals and the superb playing of some of Western Canada’s top jazz musicians. “Winter Child” (Laika Records – DE) was recorded in February 2001 in Frankfurt am Main, featuring the masterful musicianship of some of the top names in the German jazz scene. Subsequent releases include CD recordings with the Baden-Badener Philharmonie, the German vocal trio Ladies Nyght (“How to Fly”) and an innovative and charming self-produced English/ German children’s’ CD entitled Maple Surple – “Sing Together!”
Barbara now resides in St. Albert, Alberta. Following a long time passion for yoga and wellness, Barbara completed her RYT200 Yoga Teachers Certification In 2018, her RYT500 in 2021 and is now a certified E-RYT500. She is currently enrolled in the Activated Asana Apprenticeship Academy – a deep dive into “organization and activation” for the achievement of “Skillful Movement” and “High Performance Aging”. Her vision and passion is providing unique programs and classes to nurture body, mind and soul.
