I have known this remarkable woman for decades now, and although she was a very accomplished musician when we first met, I have seen her art transform to new heights over the years.  In the begining, it was very common that she was very self-efacing in that she wrote tunes which were very personal to her, yet she would choose to have others vocally interpret them in her recordings.  In truth, she was afraid to be in the spotlight (that's right folks Aziza- the Diva of them all- felt uncomfortable putting herself in the center of her work).  This fear was something that I felt I understood well, having always been a musician who has been more comfortable in a recording environment than on a stage, but I knew full well that the only person who could do her tunes the justice they deserved was her and her alone.  I saw this particularly when she was always unhappy with the performances of other singers on her songs.  It all came down to interpretation and emotion- all those things which became ingrained in her with the inception of every tune.  I'm very glad that I firmly told her back then that she would never be happy with someone else singing her music.  First, her own voice was and is way more expressive than she ever gave herself full credit back then, and I think that long before now she slowly gained the footing that she needed to command a stage the way she does these days.  All those ingredients were in place way back then, but I think she just needed to allow herself the right to own her own success which can be a very difficult task for some of the very best artists out there.  Some can be afraid of not succeeding, others can actually be afraid of the opposite- success itself.  In Aziza's case I know for sure that it was the latter.  Make no mistake about it, this is a woman who has a WHOLE LOT TO SAY, and in a medium she continues to carve out in her own inimmitable way.  Second, and I say this not only because I love her for the person she is, but I really think anyone would be very hard put to find any other artist like her with the courage and conviction to express what she has found the voice to do in such an appealing way.  Her vocal musical improvs around her own written mellodies are a personal musical jazz expression unique to her and her alone as much as any instrumentalist, but if you add the depth of meaning of her lyrics to the wonderful moods she creates musically, the whole is light years bigger than the sum of the parts.  This is a jazz artist to watch grow and develop- and after all, isn't this a great part of what this site is all about?  To share, celebrate, and keep alive? I've seen the growth over decades, but it is very sure of itself now and is moving full speed ahead.  Very glad to see you out there, my dear.  I continue to be an avid believer and supporter of yours.  All others who feel likewise are invited to weigh in with their own observations!!      All Love, BW