Come me sing and play shekere with Zozo Afrobeat this Saturday November 24th at 10pm Shrine Bar, Restaurant & African Night Club 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard (7th Avenue between 133 & 134th Streets) 2,3 to 135th Street in Harlem No cover chargeOur gospel choir will appear for one song in Rockefeller Center on the Today Show on Saturday, December 5 at 8am.
To see Empress Bass play with Censor City Band, check out our performance schedule on myspace.com/censorcityband.
For a sample of my background vocal work, listen to all four songs on myspace.com/censorcityband, or Djarabi on myspace.com/joblacksekou or, just released, three of the songs on myspace.com/anguile. All in my top friends, of course.This is Empress Bass sitting in on Three Little Birds with The Total Experience at Elodio's in Shoal Bay, Anguilla.
This photo was taken doing a guest solo with The Mussington Brothers at Johnno's in Sandy Ground, Anguilla.Give thanks for the blessings of music and love moving all about me.Adventures in MusiclandThere was always choral music, but before music got large in life there was dance. First ballroom dance led to winning then becoming a judge for a few competitions in hustle and salsa.Then belly dance swept me away. I was pretty active a few years ago, mostly performing in clubs or theaters around NYC. Having found my own, I even had to learn how to drum, which led to sitting in with some bands as riq or frame drum player, being the drummer for Ariana’s and Nourhan’s belly dance classes, and playing in Jehan’s off-Broadway production and soundtrack CD, Goddessdance.After a forced hiatus from the arts for a year, I re-emerged with a deepened involvement in music. Lately I just dance for the occasional gig (usually private parties) and teach seniors at some of the centers.But dance never abandoned me as I rely on the experience when singing back up vocals for African and Caribbean bands. Some of the artists I have either performed or recorded with include Martin N’Terry, King Angelo Dogba, Babou Chico, Jo Black, Baba Ola Jagun & Ancestral Rhythms, Emporer Adichie, Iyare Uwaifo, and Zilibo.Currently I play bass and sing back up vocals for Jamaican singer songwriter Bravo & Censor City Band. I also sing, dance and play hand percussion for Kaleta and Zozo Afrobeat as well as El Bombazo de Brooklyn. I also sing in the Gospel choir at Middle Collegiate Church.Video of doing background vocals with Gloria and Winston for Anguile in Ed's studio:
