Across An Ocean

Natasha was born in Western Samoa to an artistic and creative family. When she turned eleven the family migrated to New Zealand, where she learned guitar and began using her considerable abilities in various groups in Wellington. In her mid twenties she moved to Melbourne, Australia where she fronted and played in several local bands and began writing original music extensively. After moving back to New Zealand in early 1991 she worked in the local Wellington music scene until 1994 when she met her husband, Fred Baker, a saxophonist from the US. They moved to the states in September of that year where they lived for eight years, performing Natasha's music at different venues. During this time Natasha honed her writing skills, bringing an eclectic array of western styles and influences to bear upon her Samoan & pacific roots. The result of this amalgamation is largely on display on this debut album along with some earlier work and recent compositions created after Natasha and her family moved back to New Zealand in 2002. Genres included range from jazz, pop, blues, rock, soul and pacific music all brought together with a fierce individual style. Currently the album has begun receiving extensive radio airplay and is gaining in popularity throughout New Zealand. Natasha's dream is to see pacific women songwriters enter the mainstream music culture, bringing forth a new perspective, one that has been too long silent but needs to emerge and provide it's voice on the world stage. This new work is an important step in that direction.