MUSICN FI oz oz foin tune Four performers playing New york in the next week tell of the moment that changed everything By MTcHAEL Grlrz Maria McKee:D Early'Decembe/ The teenage sensation in the '80s band Lone Justice, McKee was build- ing a solo career at Getfen Records when she abruptly brought it all dom with the wildly scattered 1996 release "Life Is Sweet " The album effectively ended her rnajor-label career. "It's a verv dangerous path I've cho- sen," says McKee, who per-forms at Joe's Pub tomorrow and Tuesday.</p><p> She's talking from the tiny L.A apart- ment - one her grandmother liyed in - that McKee shares with her husband and musical paftner, Jim Akin, "I've committed commercial suicide over and over again And in some cas- es, critical suicide Some people real- ly want me to do one kind of music that I did really well when I w6 young.</p><p> It's not an easy road, but for me, it's true " On "Life Is Sweet," McKee was ba- sicaly telling her fans: Anything can happen, wanna come along? Famous for her country-leaning Americana and a voice with real ache in it, McKee, on her new album, "Late December," tackles the Motown stomp of "No Oth- er Way to Love You" and the husky ter- rain of the title track, not to mention a yelp at the end of "Destine "'You mean my Axl Rose moment?" laughs McKee about her recorded vocal keen McKee seems certain to retum to her first love, the theater, soon.</p><p> She has finished the first draft of a play about her relationship with her brother Bry- an Maclean, 18 years her senior, who was in the classic rock group Love be-fore burning out, being born again and then living at home while McKee was growing up and luring her from the- ater to rock 'n' roll (IWo other plays are in various stages as well.) And she's still reveling in the other turning point of her peBonal and pro- fessional life: meeting Akin, who co- writes, produces, photographs and col- laborates with her on eveMhing "I had four days to find a bass play- ef, Actually," McKee laughs, "I knew Jim's wife at the time She really, real- ly wmted to get him to join the band.</p><p> I think she wanted to get him out of the house because she had a boyfriend.</p><p> So it worked out for everyone!" o (Joe's Pub, JuLy 23 ond 24; 425 Lafdyette St , 2r2-967-7555) tion," says Callaway, whose four-night stand at the Blue Note starts Thursdav to support her new CD, "Blues in lhe Night." They ended up at a scary "dive hotel," she recomts good-naturedly.</p><p> But with her Tony-nominated tum in 1999's "Swing!" on Broadway. things changed.</p><p> More change is coming: She's co-writing songs for the upcoming film "State ofAffairs," and her next CD will be her first filled with originals.</p><p> Plus, the night CaUaway, 48, opens at the Blue Note, her pilot for a PBS series about the art of singing debuts on TV in her hometown of Chicago.</p><p> She says her om art got kick-started when she read Bob Dylan's stream-of- consciousness novel "Taranhria" at age l2 'l guess Bob wrote it quickly," say-s Callaway drily, "but I thought it was fas- cinating, [soJ I ffiote my jomal in the same sMe.</p><p> See how a kid can be cor- rupted by musicims? I hope to corrupt the same way." O (The BlueNote, JuIy 26-29; 13 I W.</p><p> Third St., 212-475-8592)A Kel ly Wi | | is: Well-tray3.l"g:*4.</p><p> Having kids changes everything.</p><p> For country artist Willis, it tumed going on the road from ajob into a chance to escape She and her hus- band - singer-songwriter Bruce Rob- ison - take turns watching their four kids and performing in clubs "It used to be, whoever was leaving was going out to work and you'd wish 'em luck - now it's the opposite!" Wr.l- lis says about mixing a big family md perfoming (she's at BoweryBallroom Saturday). "Noq whoever's leaving the house is gonna have fun, and you wish the one staying horne luck!" The 38-yea-oldWillis is having more fun than ever, than}s to a rau- cous new CD, "Translated From love," with upbeat originals md covers.</p><p> The singer-songwriter begm as m unhap-pily prepackaged country act on MCA in 1990 But she sprmg to life creative- ly afterjoining indie label Rykodisc in 1999 and releasing'nvhat I Deserue.'., Then she and Robison took control of lheir personal lives as well, using in vitro fertilization to conceive a son. and then twins - only to be followed by another child a bit later.</p><p> Naturally, Willis felt a little swamped. : i "At one point, I told Rykodisc I was quitting," says Willis "Haying twins will make you take a second look at ev- ery area of your life, But I've got this family I'm so luclry tohave, so I don't worry as much I used to be really ner- vous all the time and self-conscious and stressing out about [my music] Now it's just this great gift that I get to do this with my life " O (Ihe Bowery Ballroom, JuIy 28; 6 Delancey St.; 212-260-4700) *AnR"H-e[R:Rl--c3]leWeX*HjR to be happy C. allaway recalls her struggles rbnd- in the ciry .We thought we had a reser- ly,likewhensheandheryoungersis- vationattheMarthaWashingtonHotel te4 Broadway star Lrz Callaway, arrived for Women, but they lost theiesewa- *JrJS"Se.mF: Gospel stew McComb began singing rvhen she was 3 vears old But the true revelation came when somebody eNe stopped singing: It was Easter Sunday, and her older sisters went missing right when they were supposed to perfom at church "I will never forget that as long as I live," laughs Mccomb, who stepped up and sang her heart out andhasn't stopped since She plays Central Park Summerstage on Saturday.</p><p> The Cleveland-bom McComb has since traveled the world with her all- embracing approach to gospel music that includes New Orleans jazz, funk, rap, soul and traditional.</p><p> Her new CD, "Soul, Peace & Love," mirrors the first time she left the U S and found her musical home in Europe "I was in my late 20s," she says, "but I was a kid because I'd been unqer mv nom s ving.</p><p> I had a backpack, : didn't care about clothes Dr rnwhing, : iust 'tranted to travel and team ' :ravel she 4id,.rharinB he slage Mth !egends rike rlay Charles trnd James Brown and making a second home in Paris It'rj an amzing path for a woman whose tather died when she was young and whose mother was a Pentecostal pastor who, far from strict in terms of influence, encouraged all tJrpes of music in their home Now she's coming to New York, and, she insists, all those years of good liv- ing haven't taken spice from her soul 'I'm not a perfect person,'' she says 'And I don't try to make people think Ihat I am I'm a human being Some days lrave been good, some have been bad.</p><p> But God's grace has oeen around me." a (Central Park Summerstage, July 28: Rumsey Playfielcl, E 72nd St.; 212-360-2777 )o -Eo l a I F f \ N = o o
