SOMI Announces NYC Record Release Show w. Special Guests Teju Cole and Morley-"Live at Jazz Standard" Out August 2

[Ashley Bryan]

SOMI ANNOUNCES NEW YORK CITY RECORD RELEASE SHOW
Tuesday, August 9th at Le Poisson Rouge

Somi to be joined by author Teju Cole and opening act Morley

First live album, Live at Jazz Standard out August 2nd

[cid:8A25580D-2790-4469-9445-CC530A40AFD1 at airangel.co.uk]
Acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Somi will celebrate the release of her first live album, Live At Jazz Standard with a show at New York City's Le Poisson Rouge on Tuesday, August 9th.  Somi will be joined by a talented five-piece ensemble composed of Michael Olatuja (bass), Liberty Ellman (guitar), Jeff Haynes (percussion), Dave Eggar (cello/piano), and Jaleel Shaw (saxophone). Somi has not only invited this intimate jazz chamber ensemble to explore new arrangements of her original music, but she will also weave in spoken literary excerpts on living and love from acclaimed author Teju Cole (Open City). Somi will also be joined by New York based singer and composer Morley who will be opening the show.  Live at Jazz Standard is set for release on August 2nd via Palmetto Records

After a year of constant touring that has seen Somi bringing a voice that JazzTimes describes as "the earthy gutsiness of Nina Simone blended with the vocal beauty of Dianne Reeves" to a number of high-profile stages around the globe, the vocalist and 2011 Global TED Fellow settled into a two night residency at the renowned Jazz Standard in New York to record a live set that has been honed to a razor-sharp execution.  The product, Live At Jazz Standard, showcases her brilliant artistry and tight song craft alongside the spontaneity and passion of her live performance, supported by the remarkable talent of her backing band.

One of the most promising voices in a new generation of emerging jazz artists, Somi's most recent studio album, If The Rains Come First, debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Music Charts, peaked at #1 on iTunes World Chart, hit #1 on Jazz Week's World Music Chart and landed in the Top 20 Soul/R&B albums on Amazon.com<http://Amazon.com/>.  The album was universally praised by critics, and led Somi to collaborations with a diverse group of artists and fans including John Legend, Cassandra Wilson, Mos Def, Paul Simon, Idan Raichel and most recently Hugh Masekaela. Somi is also known in her home base of New York City for her celebrated non-profit organization New Africa Live, a platform for multi-disciplinary events and performances founded with the aim of carving out a cultural space of belonging for contemporary African artists through events that entertain, educate, and create awareness of the value of African culture in a globalized world. In the past year Somi has performed at a number of esteemed venues and festivals including The Monterey Jazz Festival, Lagos Jazz Series Festival, the Black World Arts Festival in Dakar, Senegal, and a performance for Senegalese President Wade alongside nine other African heads of state Presidential Palace.

"...unites the familiar with the exotic and reveals the universal qualities that can be found in individual experience. These intimate ruminations need no larger-than-life sonic padding - they're a potent brew from the first sip to the last drop." - NPR All Things Considered

  "Pioneer of a new and promising generation of emerging African artists." - Vogue

"A world music luminary!" - The New Yorker

www.somimusic.com<http://www.somimusic.com/>

*To request review tickets or an interview with Somi, reach out!*
Contact:
Press Here
212.246.2640
Ashley Bryan
ashley at pressherepublicity.com<mailto:ashley at pressherepublicity.com>


Ashley Bryan
PRESS HERE
138 W. 25th St., 9th fl
New York, NY 10001
p. 212 246 2640
f. 212 582 6513
ashley at pressherepublicity.com<mailto:ashley at pressherepublicity.com>
www.presshere.com<http://www.presshere.com>
http://www.twitter.com/presshere

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