A musical dim sum platter of Dr. Dawn's music through the years:  "Imaginate" live, with Nick Smith, piano; Andre Manga, bass; Cora Dunham, drums.  "Flute Improvisation" live, with EdWing's Indigo Triangle.  Improvised Scat solo on "I'm Just a Lucky So'n So (Duke Ellington) with Kelvin Sholar, piano; Mimi Jones, bass.   "Love Will Find You", featuring Dawn Norfleet (vocals) and Andy Milne (keyboard).  "Something So Ordinary", featuring Dawn Norfleet (vocals).  All songs except for "I'm Just a Lucky So'n So" by Dawn Norfleet.  All Rights Reserved.  Photo by Mark T. Laurent.

Dawn Norfleet Music - A Sampler

From the vault: a cover of a classic, written by Timmy Thomas, featuring Yours Truly on lead vocal and flute.  With the amazing Mahesh Balasooriya, piano; Frank Abraham, bass, Gerry Gibbs, drums (thanks for the recording!), and vocalists Michael Norfleet and Manisha Shahane.  Photo by Mark T. Laurent.  Recorded in Hollywood, 2007.

Why Can't We Live Together (arr. D. Norfleet)- Live Bootleg

This is a one-minute excerpt from the orchestral premiere of TREK OF THE FANTAST, conducted by Dwayne Milburn in a performance on March 15, 2025 in Santa Monica, CA. Originally, the concert was to take place at St. Matthew's Episcopalian Church in Pacific Palisades.  However, due to extensive damage to the area by the January 2025 fires, the entire festival was moved to St. Augustine Church in nearby Santa Monica.  This excerpt is from the last movement; the entire piece is approximately 13-15 minutes, depending on tempo.  TREK OF THE FANTAST was co-commissioned by the Music Guild of St. Matthew and the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music.  Please contact Dawn Norfleet for score information and future performances. Copyright 2025 Dawn Norfleet Music.  All Rights Reserved.

Trek of the Fantast for Orchestra (Live 1 min. Excerpt 2025)

From my 2012 EP, SOMETHING SO ORDINARY.  With Dawn Norfleet - all vocals, keyboard, Muzz Skillings - bass and bass arrangement, Munyungo Jackson - percussion, Goh Kurosawa - guitar.  Copyright 2012.  All rights reserved.

Rain

Roam

FROM THE VAULT.  I composed this song as kind of a pep-talk to myself, when I was still living in NYC.  I recorded this in LA, using a pretty cool BR 1180 Digital multitrack recorder, a very unhip electric piano, my handy flute and my trusty voice. Part of my first DIY project, I mixed it on the same unit -- by necessity, not choice. My brother contributed the lead keyboard part, and I did everything else.  See below for lyrics and instrument details.  

DREAMER
i was the quintessential dreamer
he was the kind who could turn darkness into light
he could make clouds into dry land, with just one wave of his hand
and build castles from quicksand, hold me close 
and know things would be alright.

he was a sentimental schemer
but i was the one who'd turn his wrongness into light
looking for the perfect plan, making gods of lowly man
he'd disappoint me time and again
'cause flesh and blood's much harder to understand.

tell me what would be if i could open up my mouth
if just to let my soul unload
could i trust my heart to truly guide me?
would the earth split beneath me if i show 
what's in my heart or just to let my feelings show
or should i lie and keep them hidden safe inside me?

i was a dreamer, forever pretending to see daybreak at midnight
to get to love and peace of mind, could it be that far behind?
'cause if i seek it, won't i find
that one day for sure things will be alright.
won't things be alright for the dreamer?

tell me what I’d lose if I’d just be
unafraid to free the love inside of me
and not compare your flesh and blood to fantasy.

once was a dreamer.  
looking for someone to turn my darkness into light.
but if love's what we seek, we'll find
let's take it slow and ease my mind
we'll make it one step at a time
and either way for sure, things will be alright.

yes, love we'll seek and find.  
we'll take it slow and ease my mind
and either way for sure, things will be alright.

things will be alright for the dreamer. 

Composed, performed and produced by Dawn Norfleet.  
Michael Norfleet on lead piano.  
Dawn Norfleet on everything else: all vocals, additional keyboards, flute, and drum programming.  Copyright 2000, Uptown West Music (ASCAP).  All Rights Reserved.

Dreamer

Composed by Dawn Norfleet. All Rights Reserved.  
Dawn Norfleet - Flute
John Rangel - Keys
Andre Manga - Electric Bass
Cora Coleman-Dunham - Drums

Live

You Walk Then Fly (Live from the Temple Bar, ca. 2004)

I had the thrill of performing my composition, Imaginate (pronounced, "ee-MAH-zhee-na-teh") at Colorado College with acclaimed, New York City-based pianist, Andy Milne.  The concert took place in November 2017.

Imaginate - Duo w/Andy Milne

This vocal/piano duo cover was performed at Colorado College in November 2017 with acclaimed NYC-based jazz pianist, Andy Milne.  Legendary bassist, Reggie Workman, had recommended that I add this song to my repertoire a couple of years ago, when he was my ensemble workshop leader at Banff International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music.  It has become one of my favorite songs to sing.

Infant Eyes (W. Shorter/D. Carn) - Duo w/Andy Milne

"Do the Math" (D. Norfleet) from a live performance at Plummer Park as part of the West Hollywood Winter Sounds Concert Series in January 2016.  Dawn Norfleet - Fute; Kevin Deane - Synthesizer, Greg Manning - Keyboards; Sekou Bunch - Bass; Marvin "Smitty" Smith - drums. (c. 2016, Dawn Norfleet/Uptown West Music - ASCAP),  *Music Nerds please note: the "A" section is in 21/8!  Happy grooving!  Photo credit: Tom Pease.

Do the Math!

Written, Produced, Arranged and Mixed by Dawn Norfleet.  Thank you for visiting!  With "Something So Ordinary," I aimed to capture the feel of summer childhood, when my imagination had the freedom to run rampant, with the music soundtrack provided by the greats of the 1970's.  Imagine Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder and Steely Dan discussing revolution with Octavia Butler, at a Starbucks.  Or that person you silently pass by at Trader Joe's might be the one who could change your life forever-- if you could only dare to speak.   The song is written with the bittersweetness of contemporary living, where the struggle to do something as ordinary as finding love is a revolutionary act.  Music Geeks: try to guess why the subtitle of the song is "7-11."

The song can be purchased at CDBaby.com/dawnnorfleet!!

Personnel:  Dawn Norfleet: Lead & Backing Vocals.  Keyboards Andy Milne.  Bass: Muzz Skillings.  Drums: Tony Lewis.  Percussion: Munyungo Jackson.  Additional Vocals: Michael Norfleet.  Engineers: (Brooklyn) John Adams.   (Los Angeles) Mike Parlettt; Marcus Williams; Dawn Norfleet.

Something So Ordinary/"7-11"

Flutist, Vocalist, Composer and Child of God.

Dawn Norfleet Music

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