- Laura’s Story -

Laura grew up in a small town in New Jersey but soon realized her dreams were too big for a small town.  As a kid she would go to see a movie and come out wanting to be an actress, buy comic books and want to be a cartoonist, or see the latest band and want to be a star.  She also enjoyed hearing the great music her parents played on the turn table like Sinatra, Bacharach, Antonia Carlos Jobim, and Brazil ’66.  Even at a young age, she paid particular attention to how songs were written and arranged.

Around nine years old, she started taking guitar lessons, but couldn’t figure out why practicing scales were more important than playing kick ball.  She took lessons at a local music store in Westfield that only offered classical guitar.  As it turned out, this serendipitous event laid the foundation of her strong musical skills. 

Dad was pleased with all of this, but quickly added the decree …….”If you’re gonna play the guitar, you’d better learn to play the bossa-nova!”   Well, that was just the driving force that helped Laura learn those lush chords and melodies of the classic 60's Brazilian sound.

Laura’s career as a singer songwriter began back in the late 70’s, when she and a singing partner won the “Gong Show”.  Yes, Hollywood was in her view!  Although no one would hand her an induction into the Hall of Fame, Laura spent the next 20 or so years pursuing her dream and paying the rent as a music copyist.  She won much acclaim for her songs and had some modest success, but as an artist, no one quite knew how to market her.  She later became part of an all girl vocal trio called “The Life is Grand Band” and enjoyed five years of fun, quirky music and memories.  She still longed for the life of a solo singer songwriter but after meeting and marrying her husband Mark and having two cute daughters, it soon became increasingly demanding to do it all.

Laura remembers that her family went to church, but did not experience the living God in her own personal way.  It wasn’t until her early twenties when a threat on her life and the fear that followed led her to be open to the prompting of a new life in Christ.  But being a new Christian while pursuing the dream of a secular singer-song writer led to a life of compromise.  Although, there were some accomplishments along the way, Laura never quite achieved the level of success she’d hoped for.  Her skills as a songwriter, arranger and vocalist wouldn’t be fully realized until she wrote for the Lord.

- Mark’s Story -

Mark is a true native of Los Angeles, Inglewood to be exact.  His mother, Armida, is an artist; his stepfather, Tom Flores, was the founder of Valje Drums.  Mark grew up around music, musicians, artists, craftsmen, and big family gatherings. 

The family did attend church, but God was more of a mystery figure to Mark than a loving Lord.  Besides, the mandatory Sunday dress slacks were not as fun as shorts, cowboy hats and his plastic six-shooter.  Church was something to get through and onto the business of playtime. 

As a child, a good day could have been defined by how many things Mark got to tinker around with; like taking his bicycle apart or some other mechanical toy and putting it back together.  This mechanical aptitude was soon put to good use on Saturdays where Mark worked at the Valje shop bending metal hooks for the drums. Mark watched as musicians came in the store with big smiles on their faces to either pick up their newly made conga drums or just to dream of owning a pair.  In either case, they would play the drums, creating beats that in themselves were songs.  The front show room was then transformed into a concert hall by just one player!

So, what did Mark want to become when he grew up?  That’s right, a musician!  After all, musicians always have smiles on their faces…. Right?   

Around that time, a piano came crashing into the Flores household, which of course led to piano lessons for all.  And that was the beginning of what turned into a 20 year run as a professional singer, programmer, keyboard player, including electric piano, Hammond organ and synthesizers. These skills enabled him to work in rock, disco, funk, new wave and reggae bands (Not to mention the obligatory “Elvis-sound-a-like” circuit).

While chasing the Hollywood dream, Mark found the Hollywood nightmare, living the destructive lifestyle of selfish overindulgence. This led to nothing but dead-ends and disappointments.  One night realizing he had hit bottom; A broken heart, crushed dreams, a trail of failures, Mark committed himself to the Lord.  That was the beginning of a new direction and a new fruitful life.

- This is where the two stories merge -

Mark and Laura met, fell in love, and got married. Two musicians with many things in common; the love of God, the love of music (especially Brazilian jazz), and of course, popcorn with Tabasco sauce on it.  One day in 1993 while taking a road trip, they mused about a concept: praise music reminiscent of the1960’s Brazilian sound. Well, it took about 12 years, a not so inspiring desk job, two kids, a house, a dog and a big fat loan to make this concept a reality.  So in January of 2006, after a long songwriting dry spell, Laura dusted off the old songwriting pen, turned to the Book of Psalms for lyrical inspiration and something happened. The dry spell turned into a river. In a few short months, Laura wrote the bulk of what is now PSALMBA PSALMS.