Songs range from classic blues of the 1920’s to biting, humorous present day commentary. Two songs come from her Parents’ Choice Gold Award winning children’s Album, "Blues In All Flavors", and many come from her blues award winning efforts. Years ago, Gaye won a Blues Music Award for songwriting the women’s anthem “Middle Aged Blues Boogie.” On this anthology, her songwriting is as sharp as ever and is front and center with 15 originals of the 20 selections. This compilation also includes Gaye's most recent work, her "Freedom Song Trilogy Vol. II", which shows her to be as much the fearless freedom-fighter now as she was in the 1960s.
Gaye continues the tradition of classic blues women who have chronicled topics about social conditions as well as affairs of the heart. Like them, she has been described as one of those fiercely independent “wild women” — unashamed to lay her soul bare, unafraid to give advice. Like many of them, she is a comedienne, finding humor in the pain of day to day living. Musically, these women introduced vocal techniques that give drama and immediacy to their performances. They would cry, growl, moan, syncopate, slide & slur, bend & break notes, improvise and rephrase to bring their stories to life. Gaye has studied them and echoes their techniques in her performances.
“SATISFIED” is a composite of Gaye's life’s work and is dedicated to those classic blues women, like Ma Rainey, who birthed her!
|
TRACKS
|
|
GAYE ADEGBALOLA (pronounced AH - DEG - BA - LOLA), a Blues Music Award (BMA) winner and a founding member of Saffire -The UppityBlues Women (1984-2009), is a multi-instrumentalist and composer. Having penned many blues chestnuts, her songs are known for biting social commentary often cloaked in humor. Saffire recorded exclusively for Alligator Records. Gaye has 6 CDs on her own label, Hot Toddy Music (Todd being her maiden name) — 3 of those in partnership with the VizzTone Label Group. Her CD about LGBTQ issues, “Gaye Without Shame” was nominated for a BMA and her children’s CD, “Blues in All Flavors" won the Parents’ Choice Gold Award. Her 2019 release, “The Griot” (pronounced GREE - OH) chronicles topical blues for topical times. In the summer of 2021, Gaye Adegbalola’s Freedom Songs were released as three singles; January 2023 marks the first single from Gaye's "Freedom Song Trilogy Vol. II." And May 2023 finds the much-anticipated release of her anthology, “Satisfied.” Gaye has received the Kristen Lems “Social Change Through Music” Award at the National Women’s Music Festival in 2018 and, in 2019 the “Koko Taylor Queen of the Blues Award” for preserving traditional blues from the Jus’ Blues Foundation. Along with her music recognitions she is a former Virginia State Teacher of the Year (8th grade science) and has been honored as an OUTstanding Virginian by Equality Virginia. The Library of Virginia has recognized her as one of the 2018 Virginia Women in History Honorees (along with Barbara Kingsolver, Rita Dove and others). Mother of son, Juno Lumumba Kahlil, Gaye is a long-time activist, who continues to provide a voice for those who have been marginalized by society. By definition of her life’s work, she is indeed a griot.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten