Marisha was brought up in a very musical family. Her father played sax and was a well-known bandleader in a number of ballrooms in Aberdeen. He also served as Branch Secretary of the Musician's Union for 25 years. Her older brother played in the Fred Cowie Big Band and is a highly respected jazz alto saxophonist. Growing up in this environment, Marisha was brought up with the music of the big bands and the great jazz singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Marisha started her professional singing career at the age of 16 with the Curly MacKay Scottish Showband. The band regularly toured all over Scotland including the islands as well as the north of England playing for concerts and dances. During her time with the band she made a number of recordings.
Marisha then successfully auditioned and joined the George Lawrie band in the Palais Ballroom singing standards and pop covers, five nights per week.
At the age of nineteen, she became vocalist with the Alex Sutherland Band. The band held several residencies throughout the city and North East and by now she was singing standards and jazz. Alex Sutherland was the Musical Director for Grampian Television and during this time, she made a number of television appearances. Alex also ran a popular big band and Marisha sang with the band at regular jazz gigs throughout the city.
Six years later, she joined the band in the 'Happy Valley' nightclub, working as lead vocalist five nights a week for several years.
Eventually, Marisha and her husband Jim decided to branch out on their own as a duo and have been working regularly ever since. They held the residency for 12 years in the Gloucester Hotel's Piano Bar for four nights per week followed by a 15-year residency at the Copthorne Hotel where they entertained the public for dining and dancing in Poacher's restaurant. They now regularly perform at various venues throughout the city including the recently opened Albyn.
For the past six years, Marisha and Jim have run the Aberdeen Singing Chorus. This venture attracts over 250 people who rehearse for ten weeks and then perform at a concert in the Music Hall to sell-out audiences.
Marisha appears regularly with the Dave Roberts Quartet singing jazz at various venues such as The Lemon Tree, Rusty Nail and Blue Lamp. She also performs with The Aberdeen Jazz Orchestra and The Ambassadors Band.
Marisha is an accomplished flute and sax player and runs an established private teaching practice.
In 2004, Marisha gained the Advanced Diploma in Jazz from St. Andrew's University.
During the same year, while studying jazz piano at the Chalmers Mackay Music School she was the recipient of the
Linda Trahan Memorial Award.
Jazz Aberdeen has invited Marisha to perform during the Aberdeen Jazz Festival for the past three years. She has also acted as a venue manager, introducing and looking after many of the top jazz artists who have appeared at the festival such as Jacqui Dankworth, Brian Kellock, Chris Potter, Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Tommy Smith, Tina May, Avishai Cohen Trio, Mulgrew Miller and Georgie Fame and his band.