screams, whispers and songs from planet earth

Tag: Nneka

Seeing Out The Year That Was: My 12 Favorite Shows of 2012

A last minute addition: The Magnetic Fields at Symphony Hall for First Night (last night)

A last minute addition: The Magnetic Fields at Symphony Hall for First Night (last night)

It’s a good thing I held off posting this, because I’ve just made it an even dozen in honor of the year that just flew by, 2012. The last one? A band I had the immense pleasure of seeing for the first time, on First Night just last night at the majestic Symphony Hall. [Why do they call it “First Night”? Shouldn’t it be “Last Night”?]

I saw a total of 24 shows this year. Not a whole lot for a music blogger, but I’ll tell you—nearly all of them were spectacular. That’s damn good odds. I’ve heard some people say that 2012 was an awful year. What I’ll say, from my personal perspective, is this: 2012 was a year of massive challenges and difficulties, but the rewards, if you were prepared to step up, and I mean step up in a major way, were equally impressive. It was most definitely not a year for lightweights. But it’s all moving forward, and it’s moving forward quickly. Hold on to something sturdy, because I have a feeling 2013 is going to be just as intense. Remember, with challenge comes opportunity. Happy New Year, everyone.

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The strong, soulful sound of Nneka touches down at TT’s Monday night (3/26)

Nneka, photo by Jens Boldt

Nigerian-German songstress and activist Nneka Elise Egbuna has important things to say concerning social justice, human dignity, and the soul’s journey, and she’s been doing it in elegant fashion since 2004, when she first started working with German hip-hop producer DJ Farhot, performing in Hamburg, where she lived at the time. Singing in both English and her native Igbo, she cites hip-hop as her main influence, and her powerful social commentary touches on the best traditions of that genre, but her sound is unique, melding hip-hop beats with shuffling reggae rhythms, African pop and authentic ’60s/’70s soul, with strong tribal roots.


Taking from the best of all worlds, she creates an atmosphere that wraps perfectly around her amazingly agile vocals.

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