Mary Isaacs launched her career in New York City where she gained exposure to a wide range of genres as the lead female vocalist of People’s Heritage Band, a US-based Caribbean show and dance ensemble. Her first single, “YOU AND I”, produced by the late Geoffrey Chung, was recorded as a performing member of the group.
After enjoying a few years on the road, the talented songbird took a short break and soon sprang back as a solo artiste dropping a new single, “COME BACK”, which opened new doors for her all over the Tri-State area. With no time to waste, she quickly followed up with a lover’s rock Chart Buster hit and signature song, “A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN”, Produced & Arranged by Willie Lindo for Aqua-Gem Records. The single shot to No. 1 on WLIB’s Top Ten Caribbean Chart, peaking at No. 8 on its Top 100 list that same year. Mary continued at full toss with “MISSING YOU”, a single produced by Love People Records with the distinguished Sly and Robbie team. Her first album “SO GOOD, SO RIGHT” was rolled out under Aqua-Gem Records Label, while her second entitled “I WANT YOU, I NEED YOU”, was produced in Jamaica by the Independent Label, Maka Jamm Records.
Driven by her passion for music, Mary has consistently teamed up with several prominent hit makers such as Willie Lindo, Boris Gardiner, Sidney Mills, Stephen Steward, Paul Love and Sangi Davis releasing a number of high quality recordings. Known to infuse her performances, ranging from reggae to jazz and R&B, with expressiveness and sensuality, her voice magic and mastery in live performances has allowed her to have graced several renowned stages in the NY Tri-State area, including The Apollo Theatre, Madison Square Garden’s Paramount Theatre, Lincoln Centre, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Waldorf Astoria; and she appeared on numerous shows with well-known international artistes in the reggae, soca, salsa, jazz and R&B genres.
“TOGETHER AGAIN”, her 2014 single, was written by her and produced by hit-maker Stephen Stewart. It received positive reviews exposing her strong and vibrant vocal versatility. Since the single’s release, Mary’s performance schedule intensified, with her wide repertoire making her a popular choice for stage shows, cabarets, and private events, taking the world by storm.
Her First Digital Album, entitled “THEN & NOW”, produced for Aqua-Gem Records covers a multiple of Genres — World, Reggae and Alternative — was released mid-2015 and is available on iTunes and other similar resources.
“TREAT ME RIGHT” written and produced by Paul “Jah Screw” Love for Time One Production was another successful single recorded by her.
“I’M HAPPY” is Mary’s latest track. Written by her with lyrical contributions by producer Sangi Davis, the song is recorded for Executive Producer Jah Lloyd of Issachar Production who saw Mary perform and immediately contacted her to do a collaboration with him. As shown in this track, Mary is feeling happy and blessed after wanting, yearning, praying and wanting for the right one to complete her life.
All that Jazz
Mary’s history with jazz music began as a child when those beautiful classical songs saturated the airwaves in her home. Later on, her vocal tutor focused on many of that genre’s masterpieces. Due to the evolution of music, she has found herself reactivating that genre with competence making an easy transition to the call on the stages of the modern world of jazz.
Behind the scenes, Mary has been active in the mission of the preservation of her island’s music. She has served on the boards of the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA), the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) as well as Composers, Authors and Publishers (JACAP). She believes in the mandates of these respective entities and is gratified to be selected to be part of their pursuits to foster the economic and professional growth of their members while contributing to the development of Jamaica and the island’s music industry.
One of JaRIA’s integral programs is Reggae Month – a month long (February) kaleidoscope of live national events held in celebration of the genre. A major event of the festival is the JaRIA Honour Awards. Mary chairs the Honour Awards Selection Committee and works behind the scenes to manoeuvre its always successful staging of its presentation. In addition to her passion as a songwriter and singer, Mary conceptualized and produced the successful fundraising concert — Reggae Jazz and Blues Go Gospel Concert — from 2014 to 2019.
No matter the genre, the venue or the staging, Mary continues to show her fans that music is hers to sing to her heart’s delight and the delight of music lovers.