Would you believe Led Zeppelin? Love that adventurous travelling spirit and of course solid percussion. North Africa and England meet-again. The Temptations-great social songwriting. Run Charlie Run, Cloud 9, Psychedelic Shack, Poppa Was a Rolling Stone, Laura Nyro. love those gong and harp bell effects on EMILY. Lambert Hendricks and Ross do Count Basie, Billy Holiday (because she only sang what she felt and she was a genius).Joan Armatrading, Caetano Veloso, Baden Powell, Casey Cyr, Milton Nasciemento...Love that LCDs record...and on it goes The Sundays, American Music Club, Chaka Khan with Rufus, KUDU2, ...Cocteau Twins ( Milk and Kisses) and I like the warmth of Mary J. Blige Lot of good songs on that new album The Breakthough "Can't Keep a Good Woman Down!" Tears for Fears...literary..." in the crannies and the nooks there are books to read!" Amalia, Umm Kalsoum singers who chewed those words and felt everything they sang and were talented, talented musicians.
Sounds Like
SOUNDS LIKE: "Jazzy sounds with global influences." Sounds like Sade meets Laurie Anderson. Sounds like innovation in spoken word; a combination of singing and spoken word-What has been called SPINGING. Others have called it "world soul". For more reviews and quotes from Global Rhythm, World Pulse, Miami New Times, etc. please visit EKAYANI.NET
BRAGMAN Media said about " La RAIHNA":
I think of La Raihna as the soundtrack to John Coltranes After the Rain
if there had been words to that great jazz classic.You remember how Roy Haynes cymbal touches suggested the last drops of the rain still falling down? La
Raihna has that same blend of pensiveness caused by contemplating the rain and the same subsequent re-opening to possibility after the storm goes. Paul
Mahouxs guitar backing is stunningly empathetic. Ekayani here channels a gorgeous jazz chanteuse in a memorable reading."
About "LIKE FIRE" :
Like Fire is a whole different direction, a funky
ode to sensuous impulse, a re-working of the old Joan
Armatrading number and a frank recital of the joys of
being alive. Is this a topic that a woman can still
address with wit and charm? Think of Joni Mitchells
"You Turn Me On" (I'm a Radio) as a lyrical
predecessor, but bring in an electronic vamp from the
Healing Band and this one is ready for the dance floor."
About COMFORT:
"Comfort is a soul song in the original meaning of
the word. Backed just by Paul Mahoux exquisite slide
guitar punctuation, this classic number is as simple
as a chant, a meditation on motivation and taking care
of yourself, meantime extending that care to everyone
you know. This is a song to sing a cappella to a friend
when theyre down, and its why Ekayani fronts a group
called the Healing Band."
A FULL LENGTH MUSICIAN! At fifty- two minutes in duration and 13 tracks long, Ekayani and the Healing Band's new CD lives up to it's name, FULL LENGTH. But the album is also a confident statement of full on artistic maturity and personal identity. At an imposing six feet one inch tall, Ekayani is certainly a full length woman, willing and able to articulate a grown woman's triumphs, fears, and desires. And her record, the result of ten years of apprenticeship and rigourous effort on two continents (France & USA) , shows the full value of her encounter with themes and styles that make up it's groundbreaking music. Her artistry is full length as well!
Conceived in France, where she met innovative musical partner Paul Mahoux, and brought to term in the United States, where Ekayani continues to push her musical boundaries in New York and Miami, FULL LENGTH is a major statement of artistic coming of age by a musician unafraid to go all- in by blending genres, styles, ideas, and emotions.
The songs of FULL LENGTH express a wholly realized woman's strengths and doubts, her intellect and her spirituality, her reflections on love and the absence of love, her hopes for her own happiness and the well being of all the people who hear her. They range in format from alternative/fusion to jazz spoken word, articulated through either totally original speaking, singing, or chanting styles.
The studio Collection EP was a downtown NYC hit, cracking the Top 40 at The Liquid Sound Lounge, and her commanding prescence ( she retains the style and beauty of her time as a Parisian model) has made the bands live shows memorable events. Ekayani is currently supporting the record from bases in New York and Miami, doing radio dates and showcase appearances at Manhattan's Howl! Festival, The Knitting Factory, and Miami's JAZID. The healing continues!
ODE to DURGA's UNDERSTUDY by John Kruth
From her rather shy demeanor you might never have guessed that Ekayani is actually something of a superhero, sometimes even to her own amazement. Let me recall one particular adventure for you.
Years ago,back in the winter of 1999, Ekayani stopped by the Kruth family estate in the splendiforous suburbs of New Jersey to pay a visit to my old, ailing mother. As it was the maids day off I was in the kitchen heating up some leftover red beans and rice , while my mom dozed in her favorite chair, in front of the television set. Meanwhike, Ekayani sat on the living room sofa, looking radiant in white. My brother Steven was their too, talking with her. They were really hitting it off, getting kind of flirty. I started becoming jealous--annoyed that she liked my brother so much. She was laughing loudly at his jokes. You know that laugh of hers. Then Steven started to sell her some jewelry.
She sat close to him trying on all kinds of sparkly bracelets. The phone rang. It was for him, so he excused himself and went into the other room to take the call. Then I returned to the kitchen to check on the beans and rice that had started to burn.
As usual Steven's array of gadgetry was spread out of all over the coffee table beside the couch. Ekayani picked up the cell phone and his pistol and walked out on the veranda and closed door. She began having a heated conversation in French with somebody on the cell phone and started punctuating her words by firing the pistol in the air. Little did she realize that our neighbors private helicopter was trying to take off at that very moment and she was firing directly at them! Suddenly they fired shots back at her. She began to realize what was happening and returned the volley, bring the chopper down through the towering maple trees, into our backyard. The neighbors, as we had always suspected, were drug smugglers, and the cops soon showed up to arrest them and congratulate Ekayani. As far as I know that was just a typical day for her!
Recently Ekayani called to ask if I would scribe the liner notes for long awaited new album. "Of course!" I told her. So I scrounged up some coloured chalk from the bottom drawer of my desk to scribble a few words on the slabs of our fair city's sidewalk, which I would then snap a picture of with my digital camera as I precariously hung out my apartment window by one hand. Then brimming with pride, I'd email the finished piece to Ek and our myself an ice cold miller.
But each time I'd turn my back to go inside some careless pedestrian would saunter across my delicate strophes, smearing a letter here or a word there. I wound up standing out there for nearly an hour yelling at those stupid clods to watch out where they stepped, when suddenly it began to rain! It seemed certain that the rain would wash away my ode to Ekayani, and a moment later my lightning fast inspiration would be lost forever. Then she suddenly appeared, swooping down out of nowhere, radiant in a yellow raincoat, to read those illuminated verses over my shoulder.
Althougth the rain would wash it all away as quickly as I could write, Ekayani, aspiring superhero that she is, remembered the whole thing perfectly, word for word. So the next time you see her, just ask her to recite the wonderful poem I wrote to commemorate this album. It was totally brilliant. Really!
-John Kruth
New York City,
Spring 2004
Hi Ekayani..good to receive some news from you!...I listened to..Lady Rainbow...and I'd like to talk about it!! I hope to meet you in Europe..when you'll be there..in Autumn! Sunshine on you
i will make the second edition of the dj&producers overnight in the radio, so if you have new material i will be real happy to have you in it again....send love top you!! and lot of hugs. hope you fine and woprking fine!...
