THE PARIS FREE VOICE

Liz McComb, Live and singing in Paris
When Liz McComb is on stage, her glorious voice soaring, you find yourself asking how she can sing like that and play the piano. " It's like having an animal to be captured ", she says with a laugh, " and once he's caught, he's never tamed ! But I'm real happy with what I'm doing right now. I feel the simplicity and directness of my piano playing accompanied by my voice is very effective ".

A native of Cleveland, she has lived in Paris for many years now. " I love it here - it's so beautiful and the French have always gotten out and supported me, which I appreciate so much ". How does being away from the States affect her music ? " On the whole it's been good for me ", she says. " Somehow I feel I'm freer over here. I'm a strong believer in spontaneity and creation and pushing yourself to give that little bit extra. Living here gives me that extra push ".

Liz McComb will be performing March 9-10, at the Opéra Comique, the concerts coinciding with the launch of her latest CD, " Live " (Sony). Then she leaves to perform with the Lyon ballet company in a piece by the American choreographer Bill T Jones, " I Want To Cross Over ", which deals with AIDS and the terminally ill. But Liz, whose voice guides the dancers through the work, will have no talk about " victim art ". The ballet, she says, " is beautiful and very moving ".
BY TIM BAKER