Tunes Tuesday: Somi- The Lagos Music Salon

Photo from Somi's official website: http://www.somimusic.com

Get to know Somi, an American jazz artist of African descent with a beautiful voice and even more beautiful stories to tell.  Somi's music is a recent discovery to me, which I found based on a retweet of NPR's Song Travels series this past weekend.  It was a cloudy, Sunday morning and so I decided to listen to the hour long session between Somi and award-winning musician and host Michael Feinstein.  What a treat to my ears!  I truly appreciated hearing about Somi's life experiences, being American yet still very much directly connected to the African diaspora.  How she takes her life experiences and translates them into song, sharing the joys and lows and everything in between.   I was really captivated by her song Last Song (performance video below) because the idea of how one is remembered connects directly.  Her most recent album, The Lagos Music Salon released last year recounts Somi's 18 month stay in Lagos highlighting the culture, the surroundings, and the very essence of Lagos.

The Last Song (Special Performance)



As a young woman of African descent, The Lagos Music Salon captures the diversity and soul that I imagine the continent to possess and I look forward to the day when I'm able to visit beautiful countries of the motherland.  As a music lover, I respect good music and am excited to get versed in her previous work.  If you like melodic and soulful voices, Somi fulfills that.  If you like lyrics that provoke thought and make you feel, Somi's got it.  Don't delay, head to iTunes or Amazon for a taste of audio beauty as we know it!  If you have the opportunity to see her perform live, take advantage.  It turns out I just missed her in my city a couple of days prior to this review.  You best believe I will be watching for the next time she is in my city!

Beautiful track with Somi featuring Common- When Rivers Cry

 

Fun facts:

• Birthplace: Champaign, IL
• Roots: Rwanda and Uganda (Africa)
• Other places lived: Zambia and Lagos, Nigeria
• Languages: English (fluent), French (proficient), Russian, Spanish, and Swahili
• When writing music, Somi writes in English and Swahili
• Education: University of Illinois (undergraduate); New York University (master's degree)

Ginger Me Slowly- Somi (The Lagos Music Salon- 2014)

Discography:
Eternal Motive (2003)
Red Soil in My Eyes (2007)
If The Rain Comes First (2009)
Somi: Live at Jazz Standard (2011)
The Lagos Music Salon (2014)

Take a listen to Somi's excellent interview with Michael Feinstein and in-studio performances of tracks from her on NPR's Song Travels here: http://www.npr.org/2015/03/13/392763167/somi-on-song-travels 



Follow Somi on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/somimusic 
Twitter: @SomiMusic
Instagram: https://instagram.com/somimusic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/somiVEVO
Official website: www.somimusic.com

Tunes Tuesday: Strunz and Farah

Happy Tuesday!

Strunz & Farah

You know what that means right?  It's time for another installment of Tunes Tuesday!  I've been really feeling the travel bug lately, which is unsurprising because in the last 6 months, I've gone abroad twice (December and March).  This means I should be going again this month, right?!  If only! LOL

Since I can't do that, the next best things are cuisine, good beverages, and music.  Music fuels my soul!  It's been a hectic time at work and for my daily escape, I like to plug in and energize with Pandora.  I like a diverse set of music but for the moments requiring concentration and calm, I turn to my jazz stations.  Marc Antoine, Wayman Tisdale, Peter White are all staples and a few months back, I discovered an excellent jazz guitarist duo by the name of Strunz and Farah.  Now even though I'm years late in my discovery, Strunz and Farah have been making beautiful music for DECADES!  Jorge Strunz hails from Costa Rica and Ardeshir Farah hails from Iran. Latin America meets the Middle East.  A really diverse blend, right? Does that make me an instant fan? Yes and yes!  We, as listeners, definitely benefit from their backgrounds. Don't believe me?  Watch and listen to the musical majesty for yourself:

   

I absolutely adore this song! 

 

I would love to see these artists play live!  Where there is a will and a way, there lies success :-)  Until then, thank you to Strunz & Farah for the beautiful music and to the uploaders of YouTube for the videos!

Learn more about Strunz & Farah:

Official website: http://www.strunzandfarah.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/strunzandfarah 

Weekend Spotlight: Fiesta Asia

As another weekend comes to a close, all I can say is that it was a real beauty.  The temperatures outside were absolutely delightful.  You know what that means?  Outdoor activity!  Fortunately, this weekend was Fiesta Asia, a street fair and festival celebrating the diversity of Asian culture.  Awesome!  It wasn't a huge fair, which was a positive because it made navigating so much easier.  It was an all day extravaganza and I got to see belly dance from the Middle East, martial arts, and a parade of nations.  I also got to try some delicious food, as no street fair is complete without it.  I chose Thai cuisine and had Drunken Noodles, a Shrimp Roll, and some Thai Iced Tea.  Um...so delish! 

Anyway, why just describe it to you when I can show you?  Keep in mind the following:

1) This is my first video (I haven't done video editing in close to 2 years) using not very advanced editing tools. 

2) The volume during the audio portion is LOUD.  My bad, guys! But you've been warned :-)

Enjoy!

On My Way

Happy Monday!  Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I woke up this morning feeling very good.  I’m just off the cusp of a good weekend filled with culture, a wedding, unexpected reunions and smoothies!  I’ll write more about the culture aspect in a post later today.  Double posting, what what!  All in all, a great weekend.

 

So today is Cinco de Mayo.  I’ll admit that I never knew the background of Cinco de Mayo.  It’s pretty interesting, here’s a brief synopsis of what I found (per Wikipedia but you can Google for more):

“It originated with Mexican-American communities in the American West as a way to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War,[8][9] and today the date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.”

Pretty cool, right?  I'm a supporter of embracing cultural diversity throughout the year, so today is a start but keep it going!

Anyway, when I commute to work, I like to listen to music and often I just groove along to whatever my player decides.  Today, one song really stood out to me.  It’s called “On My Way” by the very underrated (but surely appreciated), Res.  I’ve been using this song as a personal anthem for years but sometimes when you are going through transition or phases, songs can resonate more than ever.  This song is all about not comparing yourself and how you can pull through when life presents tough moments.  With hard work and perseverance, you can begin to make your aspirations come true.  See what I mean about the message being on time?  "If I fall, if I stall and if I crawl 'cause I wanna go, it's okay, I'm ON MY WAY"  YES!

Love this acoustic version.  It's the way to go!

Have a wonderful week!

The World is Listening...

Vamos para o Brasil!

It's almost June and I'm studying my Portuguese.  Not because I'm vacationing there (at least not yet) but because the 2014 FIFA World Cup is coming!    Now besides the fact that I absolutely LOVE football/futbol, I can't think of another event other than the Summer Olympic Games that unites the world.  Interest in soccer is rising in the USA but globally, football as it is reigns supreme!  That couldn't have been more evident on my recent travels to England, France, and Spain.  Whether it was riding the tube and hearing a passionate debate on the state of a certain Premier League club, seeing fans decked out in Paris Saint-Germain kits (jerseys) or driving by RCD Espanyol's stadium, it is evident that football isn't just a sport.  Football is a way of life around the world...and I'm all about that life!

Now back to the title of this post.  Every year there is a soundtrack for the World Cup with one single song representing the event.  Whether it's "Wavin' Flag" (my favorite) or last year's infectious hit "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa / Eso Es Africa)" by Shakira and Freshlyground, these songs represent the vibe of the host city.  I was really excited to see (or rather hear) this year's song and when I heard it, well let's just say I was really disappointed.

The song is "We are One" by Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull.  Now, I actually like J-Lo's music and consider myself a fan (been riding since her On the 6 days). So I'm not a hater in the least!  I even like some of the collaborations by this pair ("On the Floor" and "Dance Again") but this one is just lame.  It sounds like just another generic pop song to be honest and in my opinion (as this whole post is) wastes the opportunity to incorporate Brazil's rich culture.  We are talking about Brasil, one of the most diverse and uniquely blended nations on Earth.  Where is the  cavaquinho or samba feel?  I'm not an expert of Brasilian music and I know there's more to the sound than what I listed but what?!  "Waka Waka" by Shakira really gave me culture.  Plus it would've been cool to see a collaboration with a Brasilian artist/musician.  Here are some artists I would've loved to have heard (with some of my favorite tracks):

Santana (This band brings the soul and the energy):

Kat Deluna (she brings the party!):

Tânia Mara (if you're looking for the VOICE, she's it):

 In fact, this could've been an interesting collaboration.  A lady can only dream...

Or if Jennifer Lopez had gone more the route of this sound:

or 

In the end, this doesn't really put a damper because it's not about music, it's about the GAME!  Stay tuned for more 2014 World Cup postings and get ready for the global event (June 12- July 13)!

Ici c’est Paris- Dec 2013

World Crush Alert!

 

Ici c’est Paris! Besides being the slogan I see in the stadium for football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), this is also how one would feel upon landing in Paris.  Here is Paris! So, on last year’s European getaway, I spent the most time in Paris. Here’s a taste of my Parisian experience.

Let me begin by saying that though I was an American in Paris, I studied French for about 3 years between junior and senior high, so I knew I had bare minimum comprehension and vocab. But it’s a different story when you are in the moment and your sentences are choppy or you don’t quite know the word/phrase to say.  Fortunately, the Parisians I encountered were nice!  Yes, really they were! Personally, I think it's misunderstanding between Americans and the French.  Like many European countries, France is more formal where America is more casual.  Anyway, here's a tip: if you know nothing else, please greet anyone you’re speaking to with Bonjour/Bonsoir. Thank them by saying “Merci” and if you’re in desperate need of a translation ask “Parlez-vous Anglais?”. You should really try to learn more than that (there are tons of phrasebooks out there) but if not, at least know that much. Trust me. Another sidebar:  My fellow Americans, please be patient with our fellow international tourists because when the shoe is on the other foot, you will be wanting that good and kindness karma!

Anyway, I stayed in a suburb of Paris, right by Disneyland. Before you wonder, I didn’t actually go to Disneyland. I was only there 2 days in Paris and had to try and fit in the Louvre, Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower), Notre Dame, Versailles, and of course a walk down Champs Elysee and shopping. Fashionista or not, you’ve gotta shop in Paris. It’s just a must. So, no time for Disneyland but hopefully next the time.  Oh yes, as I'm finding in all cities, I really like train rides.  Here are some pics:



External view

Station guide

Electronic display

Train selfie!

One of the few trains I saw that wasn't full (and I wasn't on)!

Below are some images from my tourist sights:

The Louvre- I’ve have firsthand museum work experience and still consider myself a museum-head. Let me tell you, the Louvre is another level! Even if you’re not into art or history, the vast collections within the Louvre just might change that for you.  I have a million photos from the collections but here is an exterior shot.  I love architecture!  If you want to hear more about the Louvre, just let me know :-)

Arc de Triomphe- This arch is iconic! Must take photo!

Avenue des Champs-Élysées- Every major internationally known fashion designer you can think of has a spot on the Champs-Élysées!

 

 

Tour Eiffel- Now you know full well that if you were to see nothing in Paris at all, you must see the Eiffel Tower! Interesting thing is that you can’t actually photograph it in its entirety while standing in front of it. I’m not sharing my secret spot but not far away, you can view the whole thing :-)

 

Dejeuner- Lunch! You need energy for all this sightseeing. Energy of the delicious variety :-) Don’t forget une boisson chaude (a hot beverage)!

 

Notre Dame + Seine River- Simply majestic, particularly after sunset.

Versailles- I could write a whole blog on Versailles but I was literally speechless at the sheer beauty and magnitude...in fact I WILL save that for a future blog.  Stay tuned!

Overall, I had a blast in sweet Paris! It was a bit cold, winter after all, but I was feeling the vibe of the city. It's a huge city, so the hustle and bustle was real but just study your French and go in with an open mind. No pre-conceived notions!  For my next go around, I’d love to really experience the city in spring or summer as well as feel the vibe of the night life. The trains were very similar to rush hour in USA’s big cities, which I could’ve done without :-) But wait, I did get to go to une supermarche (grocery store) and I even used a self-checkout. Yep, living the life already! Ha! Look below for a few snapshots…

   

Paris is known as the city of love, where maybe even an innocent, flirty encounter might occur. What was my experience? A lady never tells… ;-) Let’s just say, I’m definitely practicing my French and I definitely see Paris (and really France, overall) back in my future travels. Near future, perhaps?  Time will tell...

As always, if you like what you're reading, leave it in a comment :-)