Produced By Eli Crews (tUnE-yArDs, Deerhoof); Liner Notes By Famed Novelist Walter Mosley
A unique blend of jazz, Ethiopia, the San Francisco art scene and visceral poetry – NPR
A supple voice with soulful, brainy agility – The Stranger
Ethiopian born, San Francisco based singer Meklit (Muh-kleet) has confirmed the March 18 release of We Are Alive via Six Degrees Records, the follow up to her acclaimed 2010 debut ‘On A Day Like This… ‘ Featuring 11 Meklit originals, as well as a cover of The Police’s “Bring On The Night” and a traditional Ethiopian tune “Kemekem.” The album was recorded to tape at New, Improved Studios in Oakland, California and runs a stylistic gamut from Ethiopian and Sudanese rhythms to New York jazz and San Francisco folk to Radiohead. Producer Eli Crews (tUnE-yArDs, Deerhoof, Geographer) helped guide the album’s spirit of innovation and sonic dexterity.
“Four years passed between albums,” says Meklit. “This time, the songs came faster, more easily. We Are Alive is a merging of everything I’ve done into one, a real culmination of influences.”
The album features Meklit’s backing band of Lorca Hart on drums, Darren Johnston on trumpet, Sam Bevan on bass as well as guest trombonist Adam Theis and Ethiopian piano sensation Samuel Yirga, who contributes a beautiful solo on “Kemeken.”
A TED Senior Fellow, Meklit and novelist Walter Mosley met and struck up a quick friendship at a speaking event in 2010. Mosely contributes liner notes to the album noting: “We don’t have to be trained in order to understand the highly-developed themes of her lyrics because Meklit’s music is a spiritual gravity for our hearts. She spins her songs and we drift unerringly toward a common center.”
Meklit has confirmed an initial run of U.S. tour dates including stops in New York, Boston, LA, San Francisco and more. Go here for a full list of dates confirmed so far: http://www.meklithadero.com/shows/
Track listing For We Are Alive:
Waiting For Earthquakes
Slow
In Sleep
Overgrown
A Train
Bring On The Night
Kemekem (I Like Your Afro) feat. Samuel Yirga
Far Away
Stuck On The Moon
Plume
In Love With Love
Rest Now
We Are Alive
Meklit online:
http://www.meklithadero.com/
https://www.facebook.com/meklitmusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/meklithadero