We previously featured an outstanding music video to a tasty song titled Fool To Love by a mixed genre female artist known as Nao. Her debut album titled For All We Know was released on July 29 along with her second music video titled Girlfriend which was released August 1. The song is one that you may want to lay back and listen to with your eyes closed more times than you watch this video. It will take your mind places. The song is a dandy soul opera worth repeating.
I was lucky enough to hear about these shows and get tickets for her LA appearance, which was at a venue right on the edge of Downtown Los Angeles' Skid Row. As our Lyft driver got us to the venue, I flashed back almost 30 years when I noticed my old work space where I did music promotion out of at 5th & Towne. Back then I had wondered if Skid Row would ever change. But, the depth of hard times and sadness seems to be just as hard as it ever was, if not harder than it ever seemed, as we drove past piles of trash, tents on the sidewalk and homeless people aimlessly pushing shopping carts. A lot of them looking like they were jonesing. It doesn't seem to me that times have gotten better for the poorest of the poor in LA. In fact, it looks to be worse than ever! More focus is needed to help these people who have somehow landed in this situation.
Around the corner a few blocks away, it has changed. There is an Urth Caffe (a stellar boutique chain of coffee house/restaurants) sitting right next door to beautiful music venue known as Resident. The outdoor food and cocktail court at Resident provides a sweet spot to chat with friends, eat and drink before the show begins inside. This might just be the coolest small music venue in LA, just the right place to see this darling artist named Gaby Moreno.
Gaby's sang songs in English, Spanish and Spanglish. Her group was small with bass, drums, a guitarist and Gaby on vocals and guitar. Her voice is so unique, smokey with her own trademark soul that transcends or combines genres, that it's hard to describe or pigeon hole her as anything except as beautiful.
While there are no recordings available of the new record online yet, it is very well worth digging through her earlier works and live performances such as the recordings below and others we have featured on this network.
This first one is of Gaby sweetly performing in Spanish, the classic Mexican huapango-style song titled Cucurrucucú Paloma. Written about lovesickness, it was originally written by Tomás Méndez in 1954. The title is a reference to the sound of the dove calling.
Gaby Moreno - Cucurrucucú Paloma
The next song below is of Gaby singing one of my favorite songs of her's in English. It's a protest song that she wrote, which is perfect, because Gaby does and always has marched to the beat of her own drum. It's a call to not give in or sell out, keeping fire in the belly and not to let other people paint one blue. It's titled "Sing Me Life".
Music Television is pleased to present Gaby Moreno, the fabulous international recording artist and the Latin Grammy winner in the Best New Artist category, Gaby Moreno. At the time of this writing, she has a new album titled Ilúsion coming out soon. She is performing two "Ilúsion Record Preview" shows, one at Resident in Los Angeles on June 14th 2016 (click here for tickets), and another in New York at Joe's Pub on June 16th, 2016 (click here for tickets). A definite to do!.(NOTE: Since this article was originally posted, Ilusion has been released. See videos here)
Don't let the Latin Grammy win pigeonhole her as a strictly Latin artist. She has a very broad English and Spanish repertoire that crosses genres and eras. She is a wonderful blues, rock and soul artist.
Whilst none of the new material from the Ilúsion album has been released as of yet, just below are some handpicked videos and live performances from previous years.
The first video below is from NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series and it's lovely! She performs three of her songs titled No Regrets, Ave Que Emigra and Sing Me Life. She is accompanied by Adam Levy.
Gaby Moreno - Live on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series
Just below is a music video to a song titled Fool To Love that has hit written all over it. It's by a fast rising artist from London known as Nao. Her real name is Neo Jessica Joshua. This song is from her debut album titled For All We Know.
Please press the play button on the video below and choose the high
resolution & full screen options. At the conclusion of this song,
over one hour of handpicked music videos will continue to play
automatically
Just below is the most recent music video by the major globetrotting indie act, JJ Grey & Mofro, off JJ's 2015/2016 album titled Ol' Glory. Directed by Brendan "Spookie" Daly, the video features a stunning Boston Ballet dancer named Lia Cirio dancing through the streets of Boston.
JJ's voice is as soulful as it always has been, and at moments seems to channel some Buddy Miles and then some classic Tom Jones in other moments. But that is not to say JJ Grey is emulating anyone. He's not. He's a true original. A great funky soul & blues story teller.
JJ Grey & Mofro - Brave Lil Fighter
Just below is a video that was released in late 2015 for the Ol' Glory record. The video was directed by Brendan "Spookie" Daly.
JJ Grey & Mofro - Light A Candle
Just below is a video that was released in 2013 on JJ's sixth studio album titled This River.
