Meklit at Freight & Salvage
Schedule
Sat May 27 2023 at 08:00 pm
Location
Freight & Salvage | El Cerrito, CA
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Salma el Assal opensMeklit is an Ethio-American vocalist, songwriter and composer known for her electric stage presence, innovative sound and vibrant cultural activism. Tonight she debuts a body of traditional Ethiopian songs from across her home country, arranged with the shimmering pentatonic ethos of Ethio-Jazz. This project is supported by the Creative Work Fund and Women's Audio Mission.
Meklit's performances have taken her across the globe, and to the top of world music charts across the US and Europe. She is a National Geographic Explorer, a TED Senior Fellow, and the winner of the globalFEST Artist Award. Meklit is also the co-founder, host and co-producer of Movement, a new podcast and live show telling stories of music and migration, broadcasting monthly on PRX’s The World to 2.5 million listeners. Meklit has collaborated with Kronos Quartet, Andrew Bird, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and musical legend Pee Wee Ellis. Her music has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, CNN, NPR, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe and many more.
Meklit's stellar band includes:
Howard Wiley: Tenor Saxophone
Colin Douglas: Drumkit
Sam Bevan: Bass
Kibrom Birhane: Keys
Marco Peris Coppola: Tupan/Percussion
"Get into Meklit." - VIBE MAGAZINE
"Meklit is a local treasure if there ever was one. The Ethiopian-born, Bay Area-dwelling songstress blends African and American blues, jazz and folk sounds with a constantly surprising level of grace and magnetism." -KQED SAN FRANCISCO
"...if you have any doubts that the musical styles of East Africa and the Bay Area can be melded with equal parts grit and grace, she'll knock them right out of you with vocals, horns and percussion — such exhilarating, heartbeat-propelling percussion — by the time the first chorus comes around." - NPR
Photo by John Nilsen.
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Originally from El Obain in western Sudan, Salma El Assal has a magnificent voice that hails the roots of Sudanese culture. With her birth name literally meaning "Honey Sweet Salma," Salma El Assal was born to sing and spread love through her music. Some describe the sound as a blend of reggae based in African origins, and her dynamic and powerful voice has been compared by her fans to that of the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Salma started to sing when she was a little girl, and, as her talent increased and was noticed, she began to perform at weddings. As her popularity increased, she moved to Cairo, the heart of the music industry in the Middle East, where she performs widely and where she now lives during part of the year. Salma's joyous and charismatic style has been welcomed with open arms as she introduced her culture to the Middle East and to the rest of the world in ways that have broken musical boundaries and shaped North African music. She has since performed with numerous musicians and groups, including Sandaleya, and still loves to sing at weddings because she believes that social and popular ceremonies are the best way to keep in touch with people. She has also performed in many European cities, including Berlin and Paris. While Salma El Assay has lived most of her life in Egypt, her pride and love for her culture have kept her close to her Sudanese roots.
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Where is it happening?
Freight & Salvage, El Cerrito, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
