New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Leyla McCalla will return with her third album, 'The Capitalist Blues,' on January 25 (PIAS). This singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist has written a potent collection of protest songs that weave their way through Leyla's Haitian heritage and the near decade she's lived in New Orleans. 'The Capitalist Blues' is a snapshot of Leyla processing the current political environment with gnashing teeth, a raised fist and a sturdy belief in music's power to effect change.
Leyla recorded the album in New Orleans, and it represents her first time working with a producer. She recorded it with Jimmy Horn of King
James and the Special Men, who also crafted the quilt featured on the album artwork. The album was primarily recorded at House of 1000 Hz studio in the Bywater neighborhood.
New Orleans music is, of course, a big, spicy stew of influences. For her new album Leyla dove in, everything considered - like a hip historian. Jazz and folk, Cajun, Zydeco, rock, and a significant Haitian influence. Leyla sings on the album in English and in Haitian Kreyol - and wrote her first original song in Kreyol as well, which she describes as a "language of resistance." She also collaborated with Haitian collective Lakou Mizik, who recorded on the album while in town to perform at the Jazz and Heritage Festival.
There are many thrilling and eye-opening moments on the album: a scorching, almost post-punk dirge about violence in the city of Aleppo, a Sam Cooke-like soul take on lead poisoning in the water ("Heavy As Lead"), the 1% ("Money Is King"), finding love after the newlywed sheen dulls ("Me And My Baby"), the election of Donald Trump and heated demonstrations that erupted in New Orleans over the dismantling of Confederate monuments in there ("
Settle Down").
Leyla's story has been building tremendously since she first moved to New Orleans to busk, was invited to join Carolina Chocolate Drops, and then launched a solo career. 'The Capitalist Blues' comes on the heels 2016's 'A Day For The Hunter, A Day For The Prey' that was feted by NY Times, Vogue, NPR and beyond. Her solo career debut set the poetry of Langston Hughes to music. She has toured with Rhiannon Giddens, performed multiple times at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, as well as at an event co-hosted by
Solange to benefit the Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans. She is currently developing a theater piece in residency at the Contemporary Arts Center as well - based on the archives of
Radio Haiti housed at Duke University and commissioned by Duke Performances.
Pre-order the album here: https://smarturl.it/LeylaMcCalla2019
Track List for 'The Capitalist Blues'
1. Capitalist Blues
2. Money is King
3. Lavi Vye Neg
4. Penha
5.
Heavy as Lead
6. Me and my Baby
7. Aleppo
8. Mize Pa Dou
9. Oh My Love
10. Ain't No Use
11. Settle Down
Tour Dates:
January 5 - New York, NY @ Winter Jazz Festival
January 10 - Columbia, MD @The Foundry
January 11 - Washington, DC @ The Hamilton
January 12 - Arden, DE @ Arden Gild Hall
February 5 - San Diego, CA @ UC San
Diego - ArtPower
February 6 - Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon
February 7 -
Santa Cruz, CA @ Kuumbwa
February 8 - Palo Alto, CA @ Stanford LIVE
February 9 - San Francisco, CA @ SFJazz
February 10 - San Francisco, CA @ SFJazz
February 14 - Portland, OR @ The Old Church
February 15 - Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
March 13 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
March 14 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
March 15 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
March 16 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
April 4 - New York, NY @ Lincoln Center - Atrium
April 13 - Katonah, NY @ Caramoor
LEYLA MCCALLA ON THE WEB:
https://leylamccalla.com/
https://www.facebook.com/leylamccallamusic
https://twitter.com/leylamccalla
https://www.instagram.com/leylacello/
