New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Key Media) Mixing jazz, pop, soul and R&B with retro nuances
Nicole Berke's album THIS BRIGHT BEFORE is poised to separate her from the crowd. With her forthcoming performance opening up for Dr Lonnie Smith, hailed as one of the most creative jazz organists of all time, Berke embarks on sharing her well-crafted and distinctive style at this year's festival. Berke shares, "Having the opportunity to open up for the legendary Dr. Lonnie Smith is amazing! As a keyboardist I know his body of work well and I have always respected and admired his contribution to contemporary jazz music. I am so excited to share the stage with him; it is all still sinking in."
After spending over a year conceiving, writing and funding the album with the generous help of Kickstarter endorsements, NICOLE BERKE, 25, is positioning herself as a distinct and unique indie artist with universal appeal. With a sold-out album release show at Jimmy Mak's, the top jazz club in Portland, Berke is determined to build her recording and performing career around her uncompromising style, her personal and social reflections and narratives which speak clearly to her generation and beyond. Berke's voice is fresh with genuine power, and her songs are a well-crafted take on what soul-pop-jazz can be. Her musical compositions are sophisticated and emotionally charged with complex arrangements that fit perfectly in place; the combination is mesmerizing.
Berke's full-length album THIS BRIGHT BEFORE (KeyMedia Group/Nicole Berke Music) is the long awaited follow-up to her acclaimed debut EP FRONDESCENCE, which was released in 2008. The new record dynamically chronicles the last five years of her life which included a four month stint as the lead vocalist in a soul band at the prestigious Club Centro in the Kerry Hotel in Beijing, China. THIS BRIGHT BEFORE was produced by drummer Josh Lava and Berke and was recorded by Portland favorites Dave Friedlander, Steve Watkins and Tanner Cundy. The album also features a talented slew of local musicians:
Nathaniel Daniel, Arcellus Sykes, Bill Marsh, Jarrod Lawson, Max Ribner and Mary-Sue Tobin. Hailing influences from artists such as Stevie Wonder,
Fiona Apple and Erykah Badu, Berke manages to find her own voice at a time when doing so seems to be more and more challenging for young musicians. Berke plans to perform the album solo and with her band as much as possible, in as many states and countries as she can get to. Her genuine connection to audiences and her love of performing is apparent by all who see her play live; her accessibility brings the listener closer. She performs the material from THIS BRIGHT BEFORE as impressively as she records it; which is no easy task.
Berke is being supported by many local venues and promoters.
Soul'd Out Productions explains, "The
Soul'd Out Festival came out of our interest in highlighting types of music, and a local demographic, that is often overlooked in Portland and the Northwest. Portland often gets pigeon-holed as a certain type of city, with certain types of people playing or listening to certain types of music. The truth about the city, as often is the case, is much more diverse than sometimes is recognized and that's where we wanted to focus our energies.
Nicole Berke represents another up and coming talent here in Portland that has created her own sound by connecting the dots across different genres and styles, which fits perfectly within our festival format." Chris and Lynn Tabor, founders of the local non-profit dance and music company Stage One Productions, will be featuring Berke's band performing THIS BRIGHT BEFORE live in August. During the show, dancers will perform pieces by Chris Tabor that have been specifically choreographed to the album. Tabor shares "When Lynn and I watched
Nicole perform at her album release concert our jaws literally opened up and fell to the floor. We were so impressed by her compositions, the arrangements and her total command and talent throughout the show. We were drawn to work with her and that is not something we experience often."
So far, THIS BRIGHT BEFORE is being received very well and the album just released in February 2013. Berke waited a long time between releasing FRONDESCENCE and THIS BRIGHT BEFORE and it appears the wait was well worth it. Timing is everything.
About
Nicole Berke:
NICOLE BERKE, a
Boston native is a soulful pianist, singer and composer whose diverse musical influences and love of travel often seep into her songwriting. Berke has lived in Portland since 2009. She is currently promoting her brand new full-length album THIS BRIGHT BEFORE which dynamically chronicles the last five years of her life, including a four month residency fronting an R&B band at the Kerry Center Hotel in Beijing. She also teaches voice and piano at School of Rock. She moved to Portland her senior year of college attending Portland
State and stayed in Portland after graduating from UMass with a BA degree in Social Psychology. Berke is an endorsed artist by the world renowned Kurzweil keyboards. Berke's voice is fresh with genuine power and her songs are a well-crafted take on what soul-pop-jazz can be. www.nicoleberkemusic.com
Festival Website: https://www.souldoutfestival.com/nicole-berke-added-to-dr-lonnie-smith-show/
Tickets: https://www.startheaterportland.com/tickets/
