Concert Review: Nadia Washington Is One of My Favorite Rising Jazz Stars
If you have not heard the vocals of Nadia Washington, then I feel bad for you. It is not that she deserves to be praised as much as you deserve to hear in your life something praiseworthy. Nadia is a combination of rock-star, Janis Joplin, and jazz queen, Nina Simone, which means pain exudes in her voice like a soulful kiss. If you want to hear a songstress that can speak to and of your soul’s joys and heartaches better than you, look to Nadia Washington.
From the beginning of her show, she enters with a piercing cover of “Be My Husband” by Nina Simone. Her cover shows you both the range and personality in her voice as she pleads with her abstract lover to “love me good.” Her vibrato alone can make you want to cry with emotion, as it is so pure and beautifully raw you want to find that “husband” and tell him to love his wife, Nadia. Although she did quite a few covers, it was her take on the Fleetwood Mac classic, “Landslide” that revealed to the audience a sweet thoughtfulness you might find in a lullaby and a questioning of the original’s own take of its lyrics.
You know someone is a talented performer when you hear the words of a song and your spirit follows her in her story. That helps you see the lyrics like a vision in your mind. When simply strumming her guitar with the light only on her, Nadia shows a vulnerability that is powerful in its quietness. While in the beginning she “powerhoused” with ranges and belts, alone, she cooed like a woman singing her child lovingly to sleep. She also graced us with original tracks in Portuguese, like Dia, a Brazilian inspired take of “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. Once again, proving that she can make anything her own, and though inspired by old-soul music, she is a fresh original.
I like to think that the show was divided into the two sides of Nadia Washington. The grace of her voice transitioned from “in your face” while with her band to a “sweet touch” when alone on stage. Her band amplified her rock-star aura, particularly the fender-bending Dylan Day, whose guitar talents could have its own show. You could not help but recall classic rock-1970s vibes as her vocal style writhed in feelings that demanded to be heard. The excellent support of her band furthered Nadia’s power as a stage presence into almost cosmic. Her original tracks like “Come Back To Me” and “Danger” were oddly more favorable than her covers of classics because they were breathtakingly original and sung from the heart. As a lyricist, she is straight from the soul and social conscious, which is exactly the type of music this darkened world needs.
I hope that after reading this review you do yourself the honor of seeing a talent whose only pleasure is to sing for and from the heart. Though I love “mainstream radio”, I wish and hope that they make room for Nadia Washington in between the great beats of Rihanna and the catchy “Taylor Swiftisms.” We need more artists like Nadia to remind us that beyond the dance-floor, we can be wise, sentimental hearts. Moreover, these hearts are not only seeking fun, but also deep, enlightened songs sung by celestial voices, like Nadia Washington.
Her Official Website: http://www.nadiawashingtonmusic.com
Concert: 1 to 2 hours
Location: Club Bonafide on 212 East 52nd Street Manhattan, NY. For more information, click here.
