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Hear Me Talkin’ to You: Womxn & Blues- Music of “Ma” Rainey, Koko Taylor, Ruthie Foster
Immerse yourself in the stories, songs and voices of womxn and non-binary artists through blues and blues-rooted repertoire. Year two of this dynamic series, Hear Me Talkin’ to You: Womxn & Blues, will feature local artists interpreting Bessie Smith, Big Mama Thornton, Etta James, Ma Rainey, Koko Taylor, Ruthie Foster, Memphis Minnie, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Bonnie Raitt, Ethyl Waters, Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin as well as showcasing original music. Shows the 3rd Thursday from March through June, curated by Reese T and sponsored by KNKX.
Shaina Shepherd is a singer, songwriter, vocal teacher, and community organizer in Seattle, WA. Known for her pervasive style as front-woman to soul-grunge band BEARAXE, her notable vocal stylings have brought her into various creative spaces — from collaborating with Duff McKagan, Chong The Nomad and Acid Tongue to sharing stages with rock stars like Dave Matthews and Thunderpussy to being a soloist with the classical ensembles around the country. Inspired by the parallels between gospel and garbage metal, Shaina Shepherd is not your average vocalist. Living in the city where both Soundgarden and Quincy Jones cut their teeth, Shaina lends her soulful voice to projects of all genres.
Inspired by Nina Simone’s commitment to representing the times with the ivories at her fingers, Shaina Shepherd tells heartfelt stories of love, loss, and personal power. She describes herself as an anthem artist translating pivotal moments in human history through her unique form of poetry. Her biggest inspirations are often from Mark Twain, James Weldoyn Johnson, Maya Angelou. A teacher at heart, Shaina’s songs often include a moment of audience interaction or shared moments of reflection in the room. Her dynamic vocal combines the power of theater with the tender introspection of American folk music in a commitment to every song, story, and note being real, raw, and present.
www.shainashepherdmusic.com
Minami is a Japanese born and raised blues/soul singer/improviser based in Seattle. She started her career as a singer in Japan sharing the stage with world class blues players such as “Weeping harp” Senoh and Satoru Hiramatsu.
Moving to Seattle, she released her first EP “Sum of Us” in 2014 with her husband, bassist Dylan Hughes, as a band, Minami & the Cyclophonics. Her music video “Only One” was released in 2016.
Her influence includes Joss Stone, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin and Japanese Pop music. Her powerful yet sensitive vocal style and dynamic stage presence will bring pleasant surprise and captivate any audience.
Amber Flame is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, activist and educator, whose work has garnered residencies with Hedgebrook, Vermont Studio Center, and more. In her writing, Flame explores spirituality and sexuality, cross-woven with themes of grief and loss, motherhood and magic, and the interstitial joy in it all. As the singer-songwriter front of her band, Last of the RedHot Mamas, her original music is heavily influenced by both blues and choral music, often morphing from the comfortable into something new through the use of loops. A former church kid from the Southwest, Flame’s work is published in diverse arenas, including Def Jam Poetry, Nailed Magazine, Winter Tangerine, and Split This Rock, with her first full-length poetry collection, Ordinary Cruelty, published in 2017 through Write Bloody Press. Flame’s second book of poetry, apocrifa, is forthcoming from Red Hen Press. Amber Flame is a queer Black dandy mama who falls hard for a jumpsuit and some fresh kicks.
Betsy Olson Band is a Seattle-based bluesy rock band comprised of four established musicians including Sera Cahoone(drums), Moe Provencher(harmonica, guitar, vocals), Rebecca Young(bass) and Betsy Olson on lead vocals and guitar). Their original songs pull influences from the sounds of roots blues, Led Zeppelin and Bonnie Raitt.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2487114-0
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2487114-2
