ObliqSound & Backdrop at WMC 2009

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Add comment March 24th, 2009

ObliqSound signs vocalist Somi

ObliqSound is pleased to announce the signing of its newest artist, vocalist and songwriter Somi, whose label debut will release this fall. A finalist in the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest for her single “Ingele” from her critically acclaimed album Red Soil In My Eyes (2007, Harmonia Mundi), Somi will perform at the 2009 SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas next week. She is the second female vocalist signed to seven-year-old independent label ObliqSound.

“Somi is an exciting addition to the ObliqSound family of artists, all of whom are joined by an incomparable musicianship, no matter their musical style or genre,” said Michele Locatelli, president and co-founder of ObliqSound. “Her album will be a highlight in a strong year for our vocal series.”

“I love how open-minded ObliqSound is towards music in particular and cultural identities as a whole,” said Somi. “I’m really looking forward to sharing my creative process and vision as we create the new album. I’m honored to have the opportunity.”

Born in Illinois to East African parents and having also lived in Zambia, Kenya and Tanzania, Somi is a true daughter of the New African world. Her first New York performance, as a featured vocalist in the African Globe Theater production of Drums Under the African Sky, led to collaborations with Amel Larrieux, Roy Hargrove, Lionel Loueke, Lonnie Plaxico, and Mos Def. She has also performed alongside Cassandra Wilson, Paul Simon, and John Legend. Emerging as a popular headliner, Somi has performed at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, B.B. King’s, and The Blue Note, Chicago’s famed South Shore Jazz Fest, and the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., among many other international venues.

Somi can currently be heard on the new Idan Raichel Project album Within My Walls, as featured vocalist on the track “Maisha,” a song which she co-wrote, and also on Joe Claussell’s new 12” Vinyl Remix of Somi’s Fela Kuti-inspired “African Lady,” the last single from Red Soil In My Eyes. In addition to her songwriting and soaring vocals, which have been compared favorably to Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba and Dianne Reeves, Somi’s talents also extend to theater. In April 2008, her multi-media theater piece, co-written with fellow vocalist and performer Chanda Rule, “Listening to Roots and Voicing Branches” debuted and sold out at The Apollo Theater. Her non-profit arts organization, New Africa Live, committed to producing multidisciplinary arts events that celebrate contemporary African cultural production, was recently chosen for sponsorship by the New York Foundation of the Arts. For more information about Somi, please see www.somimusic.com and www.myspace.com/somimusic.

About ObliqSound:

ObliqSound is an independent record label that provides a home for artists around the globe interested in creating music that crosses the boundaries of traditional music labeling. Dedicated to both an instrumental and vocal series, ObliqSound endeavors to create a body of timeless, genre-defying music. Recent releases include Ablaye Cissoko & Volker Goetze’s vocal/kora and trumpet duo album Sira, Lionel Loueke, Ferenc Nemeth, and Massimo Biolcati’s sophomore trio album Gilfema + 2 (featuring guests Anat Cohen and John Ellis), Grand Pianoramax’s 12” vinyl single of “The Hook” from the album The Biggest Piano In Town (featuring remixes by DJ Spinna and Rogall meets m.path.iq.) The label recently introduced several of its artists at label showcases at the 2008 Montreux Jazz Festival and in 2009 at MIDEM. For more about ObliqSound, please see www.obliqsound.com and www.myspace.com/obliqsound.

Add comment March 11th, 2009

ObliqSound and John Shannon at MIDEM

Will you be at MIDEM? We will! Please come join us.

Add comment January 13th, 2009

They like us, they really like us..

For the second year in a row, ObliqSound has received multiple nominations for the Independent Music Awards! Two ObliqSound albums were just named as finalists in the 8th Anual competition.

The 7th Annual IMAs saw Lionel Loueke’s solo album Virgin Forest nominated twice, for Best World Fusion Album and Best World Fusion Song (”Kponnon Kpete”), and Ferenc Nemeth’s Night Songs nominated for Best Jazz Album. Loueke’s song “Kponnon Kpete” enjoyed a win for Best World Fusion Song and has received wonderful promotion and acclaim as a result of the IMA Award.

In this year’s contest, ObliqSound’s two nominees are Massimo Biolcati for Persona and Grand Pianoramax for The Biggest Piano In Town.

Massimo Biolcati’s debut album as a leader, Persona, is a finalist for Best Jazz Album. The album features Biolcati, Jeff Ballard, Peter Rende and Lionel Loueke in quartet, with vocal guests Lizz Wright and Gretchen Parlato.

Grand Pianoramax’s second album, The Biggest Piano In Town, is a finalist for Best Album Art Photography. The album features Leo Tardin on keys, and Deantoni Parks and Adam Deitch on drums, with vocal guests Celena Glenn, Spleen, Mike Ladd and Invincible. The cover was photographed by Marcelo Krasilcic and art direction was by Andrea Ruggiero.

Winners will be announced in January 2009, but you can be a part of the process in 2008 by voting for Persona and The Biggest Piano In Town in the IMA’s Vox Populi contest. Tell your friends and vote for Persona and The Biggest Piano In Town today on www.independentmusicawards.com.

Want to celebrate with us more? Join our mailing list to receive a discount code for 25% off any order on ObliqSound.com. If you buy more than $20 of merchandise, you’ll also get a free ObliqSound t-shirt! Offer ends this Friday, December 5.

Add comment December 3rd, 2008

John Shannon’s Music Video Debut

Add comment October 14th, 2008

Downbeat Critics poll results include multiple ObliqSound artists

Break out the champagne - or boxed wine (in the spirit of all the outdoor festival season)! Downbeat Magazine has just released the results of their 56th Annual Critics Poll, and some of our artists are on it. Congratulations to Gregoire Maret (#1 rising star, miscellaneous instrument), Gretchen Parlato (#4 rising star, female vocals), Gilfema’s own Lionel Loueke (#1 rising star, guitar), and Your Songs: The Music of Elton John quartet member Paul Motian (#3 , drums).

Other members of the ObliqSound family are also on the list, including past collaborators Herbie Hancock, Cyro Baptista, John Patitucci, Omer Avital, Lizz Wright, and Anat Cohen (appearing on Gilfema’s upcoming second album – news to follow!). Pick up your August edition of Downbeat to find out the full details.

Add comment July 2nd, 2008

ObliqSound signs vocalist Gretchen Parlato

Today, we have great news to share…

ObliqSound is pleased to announce the signing of its newest artist, American vocalist Gretchen Parlato. Having appeared as a guest on three previous ObliqSound releases, the singer who Herbie Hancock describes as having a “deep, almost magical connection to the music” will release her debut ObliqSound album in 2009. The album will combine Parlato’s vocals in duo and ensemble, working with Lionel Loueke on guitar and vocals, Aaron Parks on piano and Fender Rhodes, Kendrick Scott on drums and Derrick Hodge on acoustic and electric bass. Parlato was just named one of the top rising star female vocalists in Downbeat Magazine’s 56th Annual Critics Poll, and is the first female vocalist signed to six-year-old independent label ObliqSound.

“Gretchen Parlato is one of the most distinctive vocalists in jazz today and is part of an incredible community of artists and friends that make up the ObliqSound family,” said Michele Locatelli, president and co-founder of ObliqSound. “She was outstanding on several tracks of Virgin Forest (including the Independent Music Award winning song “Kponnon Kpete,”) helped to make Andy Milne & Gregoire Maret’s rendition of “Moon River” instantly memorable on their album Scenarios, and just this spring, co-wrote the lyrics and sang as a guest on “Clouds” on Massimo Biolcati’s album Persona. I look forward to presenting this same inspiring and personal touch with her upcoming album.”

“I am thrilled to be working with ObliqSound,” added Parlato. “I respect the fact that they support and enhance their artists, without trying to place them within boundaries. Michele Locatelli has always been supportive of me and my musical vision, and I look forward to working together to create a beautiful album.”

Parlato was the first vocalist ever to be selected for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, chosen by none other than Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Terence Blanchard. She took first prize in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocals Competition in 2004. Since then, Parlato has toured internationally with her own band and as a guest for many others. Notable performances include La Villette in Paris with Wayne Shorter, the Hollywood Bowl with Oscar Castro-Neves, Gal Costa, Ivan Lins, and Dianne Reeves, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. Her recording credits include Terence Blanchard’s 2005 Grammy-nominated album Flow and most recently, Esperanza Spalding’s 2008 self-titled album. In addition to her upcoming US, European and Australian tours, she can be heard this fall on Kenny Barron’s upcoming release The Traveler. For more information about Gretchen Parlato, please see www.gretchenparlato.com and www.myspace.com/gretchenparlato

About ObliqSound:

ObliqSound is an independent record label that provides a home for artists around the globe interested in creating music that crosses the boundaries of traditional music labeling. Dedicated to both an instrumental and vocal series, ObliqSound endeavors to create a body of timeless, genre-defying music. Recent releases include John Shannon’s understated vocal and guitar album American Mystic, Grand Pianoramax’s piano/drums/spoken word project on The Biggest Piano In Town, and pianist Alon Yavnai’s multicultural Travel Notes. The label will present its first evening at the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 12, 2008. For more about ObliqSound, please see www.obliqsound.com and www.myspace.com/obliqsound

Add comment July 2nd, 2008

Grand Pianoramax dances around Europe and USA, and into the pages of BPM, Downbeat and more

After an 8 city tour in the US opening for Maceo Parker at legendary venues including the Fillmore in San Francisco and the Roxy in West Hollywood, Grand Pianoramax has just finished a European tour with Mike Ladd, including shows in Paris, Berlin, London, Edinburgh, Zürich, Lisbon and the Cully Jazz Festival. After Europe, Grand Pianoramax played three memorable nights to full capacity crowds at the Blue Frog in Mumbai, India - which you can see for yourself in the Grand Pianoramax photo gallery on iLike.

This intense touring activity and new album The Biggest Piano In Town in stores now have received rave press reviews and profiles in many top US and Europe publications including BPM, Edinburgh Evening News and Metro London. Watch videos from recent in-studio sessions and concerts, plus read excerpts from the critics’ comments right here and read Downbeat Magazine’s June issue feature about Grand Pianoramax leader Leo Tardin below.

(click image to read the full article)

Do you think the new disc is really the biggest in town? Leave a comment and let us know…

Add comment June 9th, 2008

Travel Notes hits American shores…

We are pleased to announce that Alon Yavnai’s album Travel Notes is now in stores! The album is ObliqSound’s 10th release in our instrumental series and we couldn’t be prouder.

Travel Notes is now available nationwide in the USA and Canada, and worldwide on iTunes (with a digital exclusive bonus track). CD release in Europe and other territories is set for September.

Travel Notes is a musical diary of pianist Yavnai’s life as a touring musician with a multi-national upbringing, including influences from his culture from Israel, travels in Cape Verde, Angola, and Brazil. Melding solo piano with a trio combination featuring stand-out members Omer Avital on bass and oud and Jamey Haddad on percussion, the album is an intimate and personal songbook with international flavors.

Learn more about Travel Notes by clicking here for critics quotes, free download links and more.

Add comment May 13th, 2008

Join John Shannon and Max Wild on iLike

If you were discovering new music on iLike, you could listen to streaming tracks from John Shannon’s new disc American Mystic, read his personal tour blog, and even get free music (like the free MP3 of “Forgiveness). You could also get a world-premiere listen of Max Wild’s new song “Teerera (featuring Oliver Mtukudzi)” and watch “The Making of Teerera” video, which features, Max, Oliver and Oliver’s son Sam, also featured on the track.

So, what are you waiting for? Click here for John Shannon and here for Max Wild. We like it!

Add comment April 21st, 2008