EVA CASSIDY "LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY"

Eva Marie Cassidy (Washington, 2 febbraio 1963 – Bowie, 2 novembre 1996) è stata una cantante statunitense.Ricevette la prima educazione musicale dal padre e imparò a suonare la chitarra. Fece parte di un gruppo musicale familiare, assieme al fratello Danny ed al padre Hugh, con cui si esibiva nell'area di Washington. Fece parte di un gruppo pop giovanile, gli Stonehenge, con cui suonava e cantava nei locali della zona.Nel 1986 fu scoperta dal produttore Chris Biondo, che la introdusse nel mondo musicale professionale e la spinse a formare un suo gruppo, la Eva Cassidy Band.Nel 1991 iniziò con Chuck Brown una collaborazione artistica che si concretizzò in diversi concerti, compreso uno al Blues Alley di Washington, nel 1996, da cui è tratto l'album dal vivo Live at Blues Alley, uscito postumo nel 1997.Eva Cassidy morì a causa di un melanoma nel 1996.Eva non ricevette grandi riconoscimenti per il suo lavoro mentre era in vita: rimase una cantante limitata all'area di Washington e non trovò una grande casa discografica che si interessasse a lei. Fu soltanto dopo la sua morte che, grazie alla trasmissione di alcune sue canzoni da parte della BBC Radio Two in Gran Bretagna, i suoi album divennero conosciuti e richiesti. EVA CASSIDY

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO "COMET, COME TO ME"

Although Meshell Ndegeocello scored a few hits early in her career, the bassist, singer, and songwriter later opted to concentrate on more challenging material by exploring the politics of race and sex, among other topics. From her 1993 Maverick label debut through her releases of the 2010s for Naïve, she built a discography of recordings that defied classification through progressive mixtures of jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and rock. Initially held in regard primarily for her bass playing and bold lyrics, her songwriting, which often examined dark interpersonal issues, was just as exceptional.Michelle Lynn Johnson, born on August 29, 1968, spent the first few years of her life in Germany. Her father was both a military man and a jazz saxophonist. She relocated with her family to Virginia in the early '70s. As a youngster, Johnson developed an interest in music; during her teenage years, she began to play regularly in the clubs of Washington, D.C., but eventually settled down in New York City after a stint of studying music at Howard University. By this point, she was going by Me'Shell NdegéOcello — her adopted last name Swahili for "free like a bird." After auditioning for several bands, including Living Colour, NdegéOcello struck out on her own and often performed solo with just a bass, drum machine, and keyboard. In the early '90s, she was one of the first artists signed to Madonna's Warner-affiliated Maverick label.NdegéOcello's debut album, 1993's Plantation Lullabies, was produced with David Gamson, as well as with André Betts and Bob Power, and involved input from a wide range of musicians, including DJ Premier, Joshua Redman, Bill Summers, Wah-Wah Watson, and David Fiuczynski. An impressive first album, it spawned the hit "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)" and received three Grammy nominations. A duet with John Mellencamp on a cover of Van Morrison's "Wild Night," released a year later, brought her more mainstream attention; it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO
 

ANNE CHRIS "JUST KISSED THE SUN"

The mainly autobiographical texts deal with growth and progress, but also with saying goodbye. With a backpack filled with experience Anne Chris took the time to record ‘Play For Now’. She started her singing career in 2003 with a performance at the North Sea Jazz festival. One can hardly imagine a better debut!  A year later Anne Chris released her debut CD ‘Tomorrow Is Today’, followed by a.o. a second performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival (2005). As the musical omnivore she is, in that same year Anne Chris made a tour through Morocco with guitar player Jan Wouter Oostenrijk. With her own band Anne Chris toured Dutch theatres in the season 2007-2008, including the Concertgebouw. Other highlights on her CV are several performances with Youp van ’t Hek, including a series in the Theatre Carré. Playing the role of flower girl Anne Chris dueled vocally with Van ’t Hek in ‘De Schreeuwstorm’. She thinks back to this as a very instructive and unique experience! ANNE CHRIS
 

JONI NEHRITA QUINTET "BEGINNINGS"

Joni NehRita’s music is a breath of fresh air for those who still like their music served with, well...Soul. An accomplished singer/songwriter/musician, she manages to blend the time-honoured qualities of classic soul with a modern sensibility that flirts heavily with jazz and pop. It is this effortless and seamless fusion that gives Joni her distinct sound and makes her feel familiar yet fresh and new.  In mid-January she released a new 3 song EP called "Beginnings";  aptly named, as it is the first recording she has made with the quintet she's been playing with for the past few years. On it Joni flexes her songwriting chops offering up three very different, yet distinctly Joni NehRita tunes.  One is a playful, feel- good medium swing, another a gorgeous waltz that makes the listener feel as though they've been transported back to the days of classic back & white movies, and lastly we a sexy soul-jazz tune that features spoken word artist Hajile Kalaike on its funky outro.Joni's two previously releases were well supported  by the CBC, Canada AM, The Toronto Sun, Now Toronto,  KW Record, former Wave 94.7.  She has performed lived on Canada AM twice, had the lead role in The Grand Theatre's production of Hair and has been funded by the Ontario Arts Council. JONI NEHRITA QUINTET
 

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THE MONDLARKS "HIGHWAY LIGHTS"

Il sorprendente Trio dei Mondlarks Hammond esegue una selezione diversificata di musica, che và dal Liscio, Soul e Jazz, Latin e Pop contemporaneo, suonate con una magnifica e gran strumentazione, che possono produrre solo con un Hammond B3. Sono gli esecutori regolari presso Rippon Lea, una tenuta a Melbourne, ed eseguono concerti in vari festival di varietà in tutta l'Australia. Fà da spicco Brigid Mckinnon, cresciuta ascoltando ed eseguendo musica folk, per questo è una buona e abile cantante nonchè chitarrista. Molto recentemente ha comunque assunto i nuovi generi del Jazz e Latino, e ha trovato che la sua voce è in perfetto equilibrio per l' organo Hammond B3. Il suono di B3 risale ai primi anni cinquanta, ed era una caratteristica regolare interpretata dai primi musicisti di Jazz dell'epoca. Jimmy Smith è stato uno dei primi virtuosi dell'Hammond, ed è stato di grande influenza per tutti i suonatori di Hammond.  Essi sono anche gli esecutori regolari intorno a North Queensland, presso la maggior parte delle località turistiche più popolari, come Dolphin Resort teste, Satchmos presso il Reef, Mackay, in Airley spiaggia di Banjo e Hamilton Island. I Mondlarks sono uno dei più affermati Trio musicale dell'Australia.  THE MONDLARKS