Global Femme Vox - dromNYC.com

SOMI

“Imagine the earthy gutsiness of Nina Simone blended with the vocal beauty of Dianne Reeves...such is Somi.” - Jazz Times
"Superb!" - Vogue

With the African and Jazz legacies crucial to her sound, Ugandan/Rwandan vocalist & songwriter Somi is often compared to the likes of Miriam Makeba, Sarah Vaughn, Cassandra Wilson, and Cesaria Evora. With indisputable artistic evolution, Somi's third full length album, If the Rains Come First (ObliqSound) debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Music Charts and secured her position on the front lines of a new generation of emerging African artists. Singing in English and three East African languages, Somi’s vocal delivery is extraordinary. Her new album also features the legendary trumpeter Hugh Masekela, a longtime Somi fan and mentor. As her career has taken off, Somi’s talents have been called upon for collaborations and live performances alongside Bobby McFerrin, Baaba Maal, John Legend, Cassandra Wilson, Hugh Masekela, Mos Def, Paul Simon, Idan Raichel, and Nicholas Payton. Somi is currently working on her fourth album and is a 2011 Inaugural APAP Artist Fellow.

Official Site

*****

tamar-kali

"In her lyrics and her own personal style, she blends feminist politics and afrocentricity in a way that gives her sound a soulful edge." - National Public Radio

"Tamar-kali’s uniquely powerful and versatile voice drives an ambitious new adventure into classical, and progressive styles."

- David Weiss, Sonic Scoop

As a composer and vocalist Tamar-kali has defied genres and blended styles to craft her own unique sound. This 'Heart & Bones' project is a haunting and mesmerizing look right into her soul. Blending the classical music influences of her Catholic upbringing with the fire and energy of the post-hardcore sounds that saved her, Tamar-kali weaves a sonic tapestry that shatters expectations and shakes your foundation with soulful intensity. Tamar-kali has shared her voice and vision with international audiences at Festivals such as the Peiferias Festival - Spain, Sons D'hiver - Paris and Omiala: A Festival of New Black Culture at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre as well as NYC venues Joe's Pub, HarlemStage, Lincoln Center Out of Doors and Central Park Summerstage. Her eclectic sound and versatility has allowed her to share stages with a diverse list of artists from John Legend, and Cassandra Wilson to Me'shell Ndegeocello and Roy Ayers.

Official Site

****

MEKLIT HADERO

"You may not have heard Meklit Hadero's music before, but once you do, it'll be tough to forget... [Her] sound is a unique blend of jazz, Ethiopia, the San Francisco art scene and visceral poetry; it paints pictures in your head as you listen." - National Public Radio

"[Meklit] is an artistic giant in the early stages. She sings of fragility, hope and self-empowerment, and exudes all three. What's irresistible, above all, is her cradling, sensuous, gentle sound. She is stunning." - The San Francisco Chronicle

If Joni Mitchell were East African and met Nina Simone for tea in San Francisco’s Mission District, she might end up sounding like Meklit Hadero. Meklit is a true modern global artist: born in Ethiopia, raised in US and nurtured for the last several years in San Francisco’s richly diverse arts scene. Add in a warm and luminous singing voice and lyrical songwriting that moves from the starkly personal to the poetically metaphoric, and you have her entrancing debut full-length recording, “On a Day Like This…”, released by Porto Franco Records in April of 2010.

Official Site

****

PYENG THREADGILL
“a cross between Jill Scott and Cassandra Wilson by way of Nina Simone” - San Diego Union Tribune

With Pyeng Threadgill's vibrant, caressing vocals and her band's rolling rhythms listeners are enveloped in the clouds and put under a spell. She describes this musical experience as “Indie Jazz meets Afro Groove”. Threadgill's most recent album Portholes To A Love & Other Short Stories earned her a fellowship in music composition from New York Foundation For The Arts. Inspired by short stories by world-renowned authors, this project explores concepts of reality and magic, humanity and nature. She has appeared at festivals such as Montreal Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Cognac Blues Festival as well as such iconoclast venues as The Jazz Standard, BamCafe, Joe’s Pub, Nublu and more. In 2006 Threadgill was asked to be a featured player in the film documentary starring Youssou N’Dour entitled “Retour A Goree”. Ms Threadgill is presently completing music for her fourth album to be released in 2011.

Official Site