A Jazzy Edition from Roots to Future: NBHAP Newsletter #02

Hey there. Welcome to NBHAP’s newsletter. We are glad you’re here. Sit down, put on your headphones, drink a glass of water, and take a moment to browse through the music and stories we encountered this month.

Currently playing: "Bone And Soil" by Chelsea Carmichael

Good morning, afternoon, or evening dear reader. This is Andreas from NBHAP. As I am drafting the second edition of our newsletter in my Berlin apartment the evening sun is slowly fading while Chelsea Carmichael's "Bone And Soil" is playing on repeat. Atmospheric grounds pair up with her piercing and reverberating saxophone, setting quite the nostalgic sentiment. As part of her 2021 debut "The River Doesn't Like Strangers" (Opens in a new window), the tune showcases the musician's splendid variety and inventive potential. Please press play to join me on my frequency.

What makes a good Saturday morning song in your opinion?

Respect the Jazz

Jazz. What comes to mind when you hear that term? The Berlin festival XJAZZ! (Opens in a new window) bends the whitewashed image of jazz and once again presented a lineup honoring the roots of jazz as Black political music. Following a differentiated understanding of the term jazz, the curation focuses on its freedom and improvisational nature and includes a broad range of styles. The NBHAP team roamed the festival in mid-May and met with some of the most interesting acts. In an after-show interview (Opens in a new window) with Andreas Peters, Chelsea Carmichael (Opens in a new window) talks about the importance of acknowledging the roots of the genre.

“Jazz music was about struggle, about politics, about social issues. [...] It is about is acknowledging the roots of it and where it came from. Sometimes a lot of that can be missed. In jazz education, we don’t put enough emphasis and respect on it.”

– Chelsea Carmichael

XJAZZ! was opened by the Berliner vocal ensemble A Song For You (Opens in a new window) (Photo by Anika Zachow (Opens in a new window)), which unites around fifty voices from the local RnB and Soul scene centering BIPoC singers. Founded by singer Noah Slee (Opens in a new window) and creative director Dhanesh Jayaselan (Opens in a new window), the project creates a space to celebrate the joys of communal singing. NBHAP author Anna Grubauer met with Noah and choreographer Stephanie Ilova (Opens in a new window) to talk about the project (Opens in a new window).

As social beings, humans thrive in community. We seek out spaces that enable us to connect with others who share our values and engage in activities that bring us joy. Even though that is the main focus of A Song For You, the artists are aware that this is also an opportunity of controlling their narrative. A narrative that honors the different cultures and perspectives of each individual. Noah describes: “We are political by default. Our existences are political. And showing the different identities in one space is also very political.”

“It’s not just a cool project, it could be something that’s important for the city and the next generations. If it has these structures in place, I feel like we could give a lot back to up-and-coming musicians because Berlin is an ever-evolving city with people coming in and out.” – Noah Slee

Collaboration also plays an important role in the musical output of the Londoner jazz producer Alfa Mist (Opens in a new window). “The music doesn’t come together unless you collaborate," he notes. In conversation (Opens in a new window) with the artist, author Felicia Aghaye explores the retrospective character of his fifth record "Variables" (Opens in a new window).

Have you met...?

The up-and-coming, the hot new shit. This month we featured four amazing new acts on our introducing radar. In early May we met the Atlanta-based singer Baby Rose (Opens in a new window) who just releases her debut "Through and Through" (Opens in a new window). Driven by her unique voice, the record radiates soulful warmth. Next, Awkward Branches (Opens in a new window) shared insights into their indie pop debut EP "Melody For A Friend" (Opens in a new window).

Kenyan producer and sound artist Nyokabi Kariũki (Opens in a new window) released her debut LP "FEELING BODY" (Opens in a new window) on which she dissects the relationship to her body changed by the effects of Long Covid through electronic experimentation, spoken-word and field recordings. We concluded the month with alternative jazz interpretations by muva of Earth (Opens in a new window). Anna Grubauer met the artist for an interview after their XJAZZ! show and discussed the role of spirituality in their creative process.

Tune in to the current version of our Introducing (Opens in a new window) playlist featuring muva of Earth. Don't forget to give it a follow to receive weekly updates highlighting up-and-coming artists.

Politics of Pop: Palestine

What we listen to, who we support, and who gets heard is political. Who has access to the resources to express themselves and release songs is political. This section of the newsletter is dedicated to the intersection of music and politics. In solidarity with the Palestinian resistance to Israel's occupation, violence and apartheid regime, we are highlighting contemporary artists from Palestine and its diaspora this month. May 15th marked the 75th year of the Nakba (Opens in a new window) and while the oppression continues to this day, so does the solidarity. Check out accounts like Eye on Palestine (Opens in a new window) to receive political updates and listen to Let's Talk Palestine (Opens in a new window) to learn about the situation.

Tune in below to listen to the diverse, multi-genre musical treasures from Palestine featuring Berlin-based alternative indie artist Rasha Nahas (Opens in a new window), singer and songwriter Haya Zaatry (Opens in a new window), techno DJ Sama' Abdulhadi (Opens in a new window) and the political rap collective DAM (Opens in a new window). If you are in Berlin on the 17th of June, come see Haya Zaatry and other artists live at SAOT Festival (Opens in a new window), an interdisciplinary festival for solidarity with Palestine and intersectional struggles in Berlin.

Music Industry Tea

Looking back on a twenty-year-long history, Cologne's renowned c/o pop (Opens in a new window)festival has established a tradition that not only has its eyes on the future of music but has evolved into a progressive space where the relevant topics of tomorrow get voiced. Our author Anna Stich visited the event returning to full post-pandemic swing this year and observed a great emphasis on the politics of change (Opens in a new window). Conventions director Ralph Christoph reflected prior to the event:

"Our industry always pretends to be very cosmopolitan – pop culture always wants to be glamorous, interesting, exciting and ultimately relevant. But if you look at the status quo in terms of, for example, the proportion of female-read people on festival stages, it still looks staggering. And the topic of DEI (Diversity, Equality, Inclusion) is still in its infancy in large parts of the music industry. That’s why it’s enormously important to address it – and where better to do that than at events like the c/o pop Convention?"

– Ralph Christoph

Another thing that is not talked about enough is the lack of inclusion of people with disabilities in the music scene. In early May, X-S (ACCESS) (Opens in a new window)took place, a party, panel and performance event created in collaboration with disabled communities in Berlin. Stella Spoon (Opens in a new window), who is part of the organization team talks about the importance of including different perspectives, tearing down barriers, and making access, representation, participation and self-determination possible. She points out that talking about access needs is essential to promote safety and inclusion and calls out the lack of attention to the topic. Read more about how X-S bends the ableist structures (Opens in a new window) of nightlife culture in our extended feature (Opens in a new window).

While we're on the subject of change, please give some of your attention to Scotland's Erland Cooper and his recent Folded Landscapes (Opens in a new window). Revolving around the notion of how human existence is subject to the rapid changing of the climate, his compositions are a drastic reminder to value the worth of the natural and cherish the simple things in life. There is no planet B.

“Waste less, value more, celebrate and cherish the natural world, every day.”

– Erland Cooper

Entering The Stage

Out of the many great newcomers this month, Glaswegian singer-songwriter Neev (Opens in a new window) has made a lasting impression (Opens in a new window) on NBHAP editor Andreas Peters. Just recently stepping forward with her debut "Katherine" (Opens in a new window), she takes the theme of identity and belonging and adapts a stunning theatrical play with multiple personas that form the basis of her lyrical journey toward herself.

Hailing from Orange County, Chloe Gallardo (Opens in a new window) also released a noteworthy debut with "Defamator" (Opens in a new window), which chronicles her journey of healing and progress out of the dark spaces of heartbreak and emotional abuse. There is a cathartic quality to the album, which you will experience once you open yourself up to the twisted worlds of her struggle.

“There’s definitely some heavier themes and specific songs… a lot of them are about being in an emotionally abusive relationship and the trauma that comes with all of that. I mean, probably the main theme is anger and healing. Healing anger, if you will.”

– Chloe Gallardo

Berliner RnB and pop artist Lie Ning (Opens in a new window) released their long-awaited debut record "Utopia" (Opens in a new window). Their music seeks to inspire hope and positive change in a world that feels overwhelming and negative. In a predominantly white, male-dominated industry, the singer sought out BIPoC, queer and/or female collaborators who share experiences of discrimination and marginalization. This helped to create a safer environment where Lie Ning didn’t have to explain themselves and could create freely. Listen to the beautiful result below.

New Release Highlights

What do you get when you mix ancient Xhosa folk tradition with synth sounds, soul and jazzy influences, and a voice capable of evoking almost any emotion within its listenership? Right, a look into a future made possible by being hyper-aware of the past held together by a tremendous amount of pride in doing so. Bongeziwe Mabandla (Opens in a new window)’s fourth album delivers just that. On "amaXesha" (Opens in a new window), the South-African singer-songwriter - what to me is a title that understates the craftmanship of Mabandla’s work - examines the different relationships that have shaped his life. Not just in relation to people but to time as well, as the album’s title translates to “the times”, giving expression to the continuity and connectedness we share to everything in our lives. Mabandla created a timeless album for the portfolio of Afro-futurism and African contemporary soul that already established itself as a benchmark for future artists to come. (Felicia Aghaye)

Stream It: ► Spotify (Opens in a new window) / ► TIDAL (Opens in a new window) / ► Apple Music (Opens in a new window) / ► Bandcamp (Opens in a new window)

Some of our other highlights from the month of May include Portuguese electronic sound artist Ana Lua Caiano (Opens in a new window), 7ebra (Opens in a new window), Cloth (Opens in a new window), Mandy, Indiana (Opens in a new window) and the second record by indie singer Arlo Parks (Opens in a new window). Read the reviews right here (Opens in a new window).

Favorite Lyric

"We seek truth and understanding
While the world is so demanding
'Cause the preacher needs a preacher
And the doctor needs some healing
And the teacher needs a lesson
So the children get the message
Are we searching for a reason
We need something to believe in
Love has the power to heal the whole wide world"

– Baby Rose "Power"

Berlin Radar

Berlin never stands still. On May 30th, the Brazilian singer and activist Bia Ferreira (Opens in a new window) returns to Berlin. Her 2022 record " Faminta" (Opens in a new window) explores the importance of joy and love as tools of resistance against oppression and she uses music to educate and empower especially Black and queer people in Brazil. Until today (Saturday 27th) 12am CET you can still enter our raffle for tickets via Instagram (Opens in a new window). We are looking forward to seeing you at the show!

Celebrating their debut is the collective KARMATÜRJ (Opens in a new window). A collaboration between Turkish and Polish artists Petra Nachtmanova (Opens in a new window), DJ İpek İpekçioğlu (Opens in a new window), and Ceyhun Kaya (Opens in a new window), the multi-lingual record is as danceable as it is political. It unites the sounds of two large diaspora groups in Germany. Following the devastating earthquake in February affecting regions in Turkey, Syria and Kurdistan, the album release was postponed to late May. Now you can listen to the record (Opens in a new window) and watch the band perform live on June 4th (Opens in a new window). On the 5th of June (Opens in a new window), Mexican singer and songwriter Silvana Estrada (Opens in a new window) comes to Berlin with an assortment of beautifully nostalgic folk ballads, followed by the hot and heavy rap show by Santa Salut (Opens in a new window) on the 16th of June (Opens in a new window). NBHAP's long-time favorite Anna B Savage (Opens in a new window) is also back in town with Son Lux (Opens in a new window) on June 20th (Opens in a new window).

On June 10th Iç Içe (Opens in a new window), the festival for contemporary Anatolian music goes into another round. The interdisciplinary festival SAOT (Opens in a new window) curates a lineup of artists, musicians, and speakers in solidarity with Palestine from May 16th to 24th.

What's Next?

In June we are meeting British composer and multi-instrumentalist, Hugh Sheehan (Opens in a new window), and the Swedish duo 7ebra (Opens in a new window). About their debut, Giulia Leonarduzzi writes: "7ebra entered the indie-rock scene without knocking on the door. In fact, they kicked it down. With their debut album "Bird Hour" (Opens in a new window), Swedish twins Inez and Ella Johansson hypnotize the listener through embroidered guitar riffs and dreamy harmonies, making it impossible to look away." Keeping an eye on the Berliner music scene, we are catching up with sound artist and performer Sanni Est (Opens in a new window) and genre-fluid singer Sera Kalo (Opens in a new window). Hailing from the Catalonian rap scene, we are scheduled to meet with Santa Salut (Opens in a new window) and Brooklyn-based renowned poet, spoken-word artist and activist aja monet (Opens in a new window) ahead of the release of her jazz-infused record "when the poems do what they do" (Opens in a new window).

On That Note

Before you go on with your day, here is one more song to give a spin right now. Our latest Daily Tune "Toquei No Sol" by Marlene Ribeiro (Opens in a new window) merges funky with ethereal vibes for the perfect weekend jam.

Follow our Daily Tune playlist (Opens in a new window) to receive new music daily.

Our NBHAP playlists are currently still curated only on Spotify. While we are working on changing this, and encourage you to consider alternatives like Tidal (Opens in a new window) for a fairer compensation of artists you love, or go old school and support them by buying merch and vinyl. Remember that the best day to make your purchases is Bandcamp Friday (Opens in a new window), where 100% of the proceeds go to the artists. The next one is on August 4th.

Feel free to share this newsletter with fellow music lovers. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please sign up right here (Opens in a new window) to receive monthly updates.

Thank you for reading and listening.

Love, NBHAP Team