100 Bands in 100 Days Presented by Verity Credit Union — Day 59: Naomi Wachira
Please check out Verity Credit Union, our great partner in the 100 Bands in 100 Days local music showcase.
Music fans of the Pacific Northwest, get ready for our fifth annual year-end daily local music showcase, 100 Bands in 100 Days, where every day until December 31st, we’re showcasing a new band or artist you have to know about, once again presented by Verity Credit Union.
Make sure you are checking the #100Bands100Days hashtag on Twitter on a daily basis to stay on top of all the bands featured and be sure to follow Verity and NW_Music_Scene there. Some days the featured act could be an established and locally-adored northwest-based musician and other times they could be a band with a small following that just hasn’t had their deserved time in the spotlight yet. Either way, we’re fairly confident you can come away from this daily segment with plenty of new favorites. Today’s featured artist is Naomi Wachira.
About the artist:
“I am an African girl, well I know where I’m coming from, and I know who I want to be…” is the defiant soul-anthem that jump-started Afro-Folk singer/songwriter Naomi Wachira onto a whole new path and calling. The words, from the title track of her first EP African Girl (2012), paved the way for this Kenyan-born, Seattle-based artist, who is determined to make a contribution in the world by offering music that is poignant, hopeful and life-giving. Five years later, after a critically acclaimed self-titled album Naomi Wachira (2014) and an acoustic EP I am Because You Are (2015), and her sophomore album Song of Lament in 2017, which she says, “was born out the many tragic losses we’ve witnessed globally – ranging from cases of police brutality to the refugee crisis – that made me grieve about who we’ve become, but also burned a desire in me to create art that would serve society at large and hopefully lessen the chaos around us.”
We reviewed Song of Lament last year and here’s some of what we had to say:
The 11 track collection which certainly feels like one big song was recorded at Seattle’s historic London Bridge studio, and produced by Eric Lilavois (Saint Motel, Atlas Genius, My Chemical Romance) with contributions from Dave West (organ/Rhodes), Teo Shantz (drums), Masa Kobayashi (bass), Tommy Sandovallegos (percussion), Eric Lilavois (percussion), Owuor Arunga (trumpet) and Andrew Joslyn (strings). The crisp and clean production is focused on the earth-shattering alto of Wachira, who picks up the torch of heroes of afro-pop and folk singing Miriam Makeba, Angelique Kidjo, Joan Armatrading, and Odetta. Like them, Wachira accompanies herself on acoustic guitar which she nimbly strums throughout, guiding her soaring vocals and centering the ensemble. The album opens with musical life lesson “Our Days Are Numbered,” with Wachira preaching “learn to be wise, learn to be kind.”
The funk and world percussion then jumps up a notch for questioning call out “Up In Flames,” before tackling issues of equality over a sweet reggae beat for “Beautifully Human.” Joslyn’s mournful strings accompany her as she attacks the zealots who perpetuate violence in the name of faithful religious expression head on for the pleading “Where is God?” She then shares a tribute to her fallen countrymen for the funeral song “Farewell.” The title track is an homage to mother Africa as well as a strong rebuke of her citizens and the lack of humanity among the world’s first people. Wachira delivers words of encouragement on the gently rocking “Run, Run, Run,” and the all acoustic choral ‘Mûrathimwo,’ shifts back and forth between English and Swahili, as she attempts to give praise and devotion to her parents. She then leaves us with one more set of questions to ponder on the rumbling ¾ time ode ‘Think Twice.’
If you are just now learning the name Naomi Wachira, you are in for quite a treat. Her soulful approach to bluesy folk music, while tossing in world music influences, leads to an addictive sound that will turn you into a fan instantly. We’ve been big fans of her music for quite a while now and in our opinion she ranks right near the top of the list of a super talented group of female singer/songwriters that call the northwest home.
Listen:
Catch her live:
Naomi Wachira will be playing Jazz Alley in Seattle on November 27 and 28 with Whitney Mongé. Get more details and ticket info HERE.
Watch:
Find Naomi at:
To view all of the wonderful northwest artists we have featured this year, click HERE.
A huge shoutout to Verity Credit Union for doing so much for the music community and for being such a great partner.
