Nadir Omowale

"Sound: Funk with jazz and rock overtones. "Think mid-'70s Isley Brothers turned up to 10, or Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis in a funk band together," he says.
~~~~~~~

Name: Nadir.
Born: In Fort Knox, Ky.

Sound: Funk with jazz and rock overtones. "Think mid-'70s Isley Brothers turned up to 10, or Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis in a funk band together," he says.

Influences: Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Gil Scot-Heron, Prince, Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield, the Roots.

Day job: Nadir is part of the technology team at the Metropolitan Life insurance company in Southfield.

What's in a name?: Born Kurtis McFarland, he changed his name to Jonah Nadir Omowale for what he calls "cultural reasons. I don't really identify very much with my Irish heritage. As I was studying and reading a little bit more about my culture, I decided to take on this name." For performing he goes simply by Nadir, which is Arabic for "rare and unique." "Nadir just seems to be a little easier than Nadir Omowale or Jonah Nadir Omowale. I figured it would be easier for people to catch on - and they still mispronounce it." (It's nay-DEER.)

So you wanna be a star: Nadir was living and making music in Nashville until 1999, when he and his wife decided to move to the Detroit area. "Nashville is a great music town ... but it's still difficult to get noticed if you're doing something other than country. Around (1999), Eminem and Kid Rock were hitting and I knew A&R people were going to start looking at Detroit. And, of course, I grew up on P-Funk and Motown and jazz; all those musicians are here, and they're just amazing players. It was a good choice, I thought."

Who knew?: Nadir had a previous Michigan connection while in Nashville; in the early '90s he played bass for Me Phi Me, a rapper who was raised in Flint and moved near Nashville to start his career.

Favorite gig: While in a local cover band after he first moved to Detroit, Nadir found himself playing at a motorcycle rally in Hell, Mich. "As the bikers rode through, we were playing 'Born to Be Wild,' " he recalls. "That was pretty interesting; I definitely wasn't in Nashville anymore. But I gotta tell you, in that cover band, I played more country in Michigan than I ever did in Nashville."

What's next: "Ultimately," he says, "we would like to get wide acceptance of what I do and the music that I create. We really want to go hard after Europe. My music doesn't neatly fit into any of the current categories on radio or the marketing categories of major labels. Our focus has been to concentrate on doing as much as we can independently, and we'll see what happens as we build up our own sales."

Hear him: "Distorted Soul 2.0," a revised and improved version of Nadir's 2003 album, comes out Tuesday on his own Eclipse America Productions label.

See him: Nadir performs 6:30 p.m. July 5 on the Pure Detroit Stage at the Comerica TasteFest in Detroit's New Center area. Call (313) 340-3680 or visit www.tastefest. com.

Surf him: www.distorted soul.com.


By GARY GRAFF
- The Daily Oakland Press

"This is some great music that works in multiple contexts: the nightclub, the car, and the bedroom. How many current CD's can you say that about?"
~~~~~~~

A good friend of mine recently placed in my hands a copy of the latest CD by Jonah Nadir Omowale called "Distorted Soul". If I am interpreting Mr. Omowale's intentions correctly he is using that term to help the listener identify his particular musical style. I would call it pro-black, thinking folks music. And that's NOT a bad thing. If you listen to the radio these days, you can't help but wonder what today's black pop is saying about our culture, our motivations, our hopes, and our dreams. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't tap my foot to some of it but I think it's also healthy to listen to music that has a little substance to it. "Distorted Soul" is a perfect example.

"Distorted Soul" is the kind of music you might actually go to a nightclub to hear: varying in style with familiar and accessible themes (the state of the Black community, male/female relationships). The inside of the CD case mentions that NADIR's music is a fusion of rock, soul, and funk. His compositions do touch these genres with varying degrees of success. My personal standout is "The Low Road". Mainstream R&B/Neo-soul fans might not get this one but if you liked Badu's "Penitentiary Philosophy", by all means dive into this one first. Definitely black rock at its best.

Romantics should close their eyes and just listen to "All Over You". This cut brings all those good feelings about being with that special person and wraps them up nicely without falling into today's trap of being explicit. Marvin Gaye's thematic influence shows up on "Sanctified", another ode to love that illustrates how the language of the sacred can easily be used to describe the pleasures of physical love. "Queen of Sheba" is a refreshing ode to the beauty of black women that does not rely on unnecessary references to specific body parts or activities. Nadir even throws in a little somethin' somethin' for acid jazz fans. "Superstar" is just the kind of cut that's played in the hippest clubs. Upon closer listening, blackexploitation flick fans will hear some familiar sounds: an interpolation of "Escape from the Pimpmobile" by Issac Hayes. His commitment to the Black community is underscored by his use of interludes to frame the music. A lot of contemporary artists use interludes and a lot of music fans HATE them, but these are short and the language is perfect to frame the music, so don't skip them.

There are some less than stellar musical stops ("Leave It Alone"), but they really don't mean much. This is some great music that works in multiple contexts: the nightclub, the car, and the bedroom. How many current CD's can you say that about? If NADIR's CD is any indication of the R&B product that is to come from Nashville, we might just look up one day and see a focal point for the next great wave of popular R&B. In summary, go and pick up "Distorted Soul" if you like good, grown folks music.

By Keith Chandler - The Source: The Official Newsletter of Brothers United Nashville

The Lowdown: Fresh from a strong showing at the Independent Music World Series (IMWS), a national competition run by the New Jersey-based CD mastering and pressing outfit Disc Makers, Nadir -- Distorted Soul is set to perform for its biggest, most diverse audience yet at this weekend's Comerica TasteFest in the New Center area of Detroit.

The band, which mixes soul, rock and a grab-bag of other influences, was one of six Midwestern finalists selected from among 1,000 entrants that performed in an IMWS regional showcase in Chicago in May.

The Lineup: Jonah Nadir Omowale, 35, a native Tennessean who lives in Westland, is the singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist who leads the group. He has a BS in recording industry management with a minor in music from Middle Tennessee State University and spent several years in Nashville writing and singing with other bands.

He toured the United States and Europe as a bassist for the alt-hip-hop act Me Phi Me and led his own band, Jack Johnson (named for the first black heavyweight boxing champion), before coming to Michigan three years ago to soak up Detroit's musical vibes.

The current lineup of the band has been together since last year. It includes vocalists Tamara Jones and Ping Spells; Chris Sego, guitar; Brandon Holland, keyboards; Freeman Spells Jr., bass, and Earl Orr, drums. Jones is from Saginaw; the others are metro Detroiters.

The Name: Nadir (nah-DEER) is an Arabic name meaning rare and precious. Distorted Soul is the name of the CD, the band and its musical philosophy. Nadir's surname, Omowale, is Yoruba for "child who has returned home."

The Sound: Distorted Soul is an intimate commingling of soul and rock, with myriad other influences. You hear hip-hop, spirituals, blues, jazz and bits that instantly take you back to the sound of AM radio in the 1960s. The comparison to rocker Lenny Kravitz doesn't displease Omowale, who cites Prince, Miles Davis, Gil Scott-Heron, John Coltrane, Sananda Maitreya (ne Terrence Trent D'Arby) and Barry White as his inspirations.

Hot tracks on this debut CD include the funk-rock "Slave," "Daddy's Cane" and the erotic "Sanctified." Omowale's favorite is "Conspiracy," which he describes as political hip-hop funk.

On Record: You can hear the full Distorted Soul debut CD, released last fall, at www.distortedsoul.com, the band's very slick Web site. It's also available for purchase online via the band's Web site and www.amazon.com.

On his CD Player: Since he moved to Motown, Omowale has been steeping himself in Bob Marley and Fela Kuti. "So the next record will see an evolution into a Detroit-sounding, Afro-beat, Distorted Soul sound," he says.

Live gigs: Nadir -- Distorted Soul plays at 6:30 p.m. Monday at TasteFest. The band also performs at Royal Oak's Memphis Smoke July 29.

By Kim Silarski, Free Press special writer
- Detroit Free Press

"Praised by everyone from Detroit's Metro Times to Billy Bob Thorton, the Hendrix-meets-Marley-in-a-soul-kitchen sextet has forged a new niche in the funk and soul revival community."
~~~~~~~

Starting the New Year with two freshly-received Detroit Music Awards, and the pleasure of headlining the Diversity Stage of the Concert of Colors - the largest [world] music festival in the United States - Nadir and co. have received huge notoriety in the Motor City. individually, the members have accompanied, recorded, produced and/or shared the stage with the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Charlie Hunter, Public Enemy, Aretha Franklin, Arrested Development and many, many more. Praised by everyone from Detroit's Metro Times to Billy Bob Thorton, the Hendrix-meets-Marley-in-a-soul-kitchen sextet has forged a new niche in the funk and soul revival community. Join the band at Maumee's only hippie haven, The Village Idiot, 309 Conant, Maumee, Ohio. - RAB - Toledo City Paper

"…It’s STONE COLD FUNK, it makes you DANCE, it ROCKS your world, it’s got GREAT LYRICS, it's
got POWERHOUSE SOUL SINGING, it's got GREAT MUSCIANSHIP, it makes you THINK about the world
and it makes you SMILE."
~~~~~~~

This album is coming from a point of view that is totally and out of step with what is happening today in the world of music.

It puts it in your face, right from the start, the first voice that you hear on the CD is that of Fannie Lou Hammer, followed more spoken word from word from the Civil Rights era in a song called “Prelude To Revolution”. Then it rips into a mind blowing
FUNK/ROCK groove that would have Lenny Kravitz peeing in his pants if he were to ever hear it, entitled “Slave” with the
opening lyric that goes like this “I don’t want to feel the pain anymore, and I don’t wanna feel the whip across my spine”…

Song #3 called “Daddy’s Cane” is a great song in tribute to Black fathers and how hard they work. When is the last time we heard a song with that theme? Especially done to a serious Funk/Rock groove, with stellar vocals to boot, which even quotes “Cosmic Slop” in it’s
lyrics??

And that’s how it starts…

So who does Nadir remind me of????
Living Colour?, Lenny Kravitz with talent?, Prince on steroids?, George Clinton (back when he used to care?), Led Zepplin with a melanin injection (after a beating from the police?), The Last Poets (backed up by the Band of Gypsy's?), Bo Diddley freed of
his shackles?, The Miles Davis Band (with Oscar Brown Jr. as their lead singer?), Malcolm X with a guitar?

I dunno, I just know this CD is badd...

Oh but I don’t want to take you down a you down a certain path……This album isn’t wholly on a “political/social” tip.

Song #4 is a badd azz slow jam; Song #5 is a hypnotic stank azz funk groove called
“Sanctified”. And so on and so fourth…Hell this CD even gets into a jazz groove before it's all over

I could write about this album all night long if I had enough space...I have been listening to it for most of the year and now that I have started to finally write about it, I damn near can't stop....lol

This is the type of album That P-Funk used to make. This is the type of album that Sly Stone used to make. It DEMANDS that you pay attention. This is the type of album that made us dig Living Colour in the first place. Hell this is the kind of album the
Temptations used to make.

This is the type of album that some of these Neo/Organic Soul people need listen to to actually provide them with some REAL SOUL. It's the kind of album that makes you think that Black music, culture and people truly have a future...

It’s got everything that Funkateers/Black Hippies need plus the Wheaties and milk to go with it….

It’s totally out of step with today’s music scene…

…It’s STONE COLD FUNK, it makes you DANCE, it ROCKS your world, it’s got GREAT LYRICS, it's
got POWERHOUSE SOUL SINGING, it's got GREAT MUSCIANSHIP, it makes you THINK about the world
and it makes you SMILE.

This isn't a CD in search of a market, it's a CD that demands the
marketplace find it.

We need this album, we need it REAL bad...

EVERY SONG ON THIS CD IS GREAT
(Hell, even white people would like it if they heard it)

So what is it in a word???
(it’s a modern day iteration of the album “STAND”)

Ok, I’ll stop now.
Just go and buy it
Save Your Soul before it’s too late….
http://www.distortedsoul.com

Track Listing:

1. Prelude to Revolution
2. Slave
3. Daddy's Cane
4. All Over You
5. Sanctified
6. Conspiracy (featuring Rev)
7. Leave It Alone
8. Evolution is Revolution (featuring Iayaalis)
9. Fortune & Fantasy
10. The Low Road
11. SoulMate
12. Superstar (revisited)
13. Can't Leave It Alone
14. Queen of Sheba

--------------------
Bob Davis
earthjuice@prodigy.net
--------------------
http://www.soul-patrol.com"

LISTEN TO: SOUL-PATROL.NET RADIO
- www.soul-patrol.com

"Nadir embodies that 'do it yourself' mentality that is at the root of Detroit’s creative ingenuity."
~~~~~~~

Somewhere in Detroit sits an anonymous building on a nondescript block. Throughout any given day, a steady stream of conspicuously awesome people carrying guitars, keyboards, etc. flow in and out of this seemingly forgettable building on a seemingly forgotten block of a city whose demise some people seem to think is a foregone conclusion. If music is indeed the soundtrack to life, then Detroit and more specifically, this building, is very much alive thanks to its long list of strong-winded musicians who blow life into it daily. One of the musicians you can find in this building, and who is most responsible for the city’s current musical pulse is none other than 11-time Detroit Music Award winner, Nadir Omowale.

Nadir embodies that “do it yourself” mentality that is at the root of Detroit’s creative ingenuity. As a musician, singer-songwriter, and producer-engineer, he possesses the rare ability to go into a studio alone and create a finished, polished product that is ready for public consumption. The fact that he is also a journalist and a political activist has led him to write songs that have been the perfect accompaniment to the socio-economic and political REBELution that has been taking place over the last decade. Nadir blurs the boundaries of funk, soul, blues, rock, hip-hop, and world music and adds to it lyrical social commentary. The result is a sensual, pure form of music that in effect seduces its listeners into having minds of their own. After listening to Nadir ’s first two albums Distorted Soul 2.0 (2004) and especially Workin’ for the Man (2008) it becomes evident that this man could sing the alphabet in a way that would make Y and Z question their placement and make W change its name to Double Yousef.

But that was then and this is now. With his next release The Book of Jonah, Nadir focuses his efforts on the subject of love. That’s not to say that the previous albums didn’t speak on love and relationships- they did. And musically, this album is as funky as the others, more so even. Gone, however, is the restlessness of a man trying to conquer the world by song, and in its place is the vulnerability of a man allowing himself to be conquered by love.

Nadir sat down with the TheDetroiter.com to discuss many things, including his new album The Book of Jonah, which is scheduled to be released this July.

TheDetroiter.com:Let’s talk about The Book of Jonah, the sound of it and how it differs from your previous releases.

Nadir: I started my first record as I was coming out of a rock band, and I wanted to go in a more soulful direction. It still had that rock feel and rock elements, but I really wanted to express the soul music side that I didn’t get to express with my band Jack Johnson. So, it definitely leans a lot more on the soul side.

The Workin’ For The Man album, I think, expressed me really getting back to the rock thing and then also, adding the hip-hop and dance music elements that I love so much. With [The Book of Jonah], the main difference in production and sound is that I have upgraded my studio. I now have a place where I can stretch out, bring in my band and record live drums.

So I think this [album] reflects a broader range of the styles that I do, because now I don’t have as many of the limitations as I did before. My studio is in the Metroplex Room at the Submerge building and we’ve got the ability to record incredible drum sounds. We even cut a string section for one tune.

Also, technology has caught up with us. On three of the songs, I got drum tracks from my friend Simone White who lives in Australia. (He used to play with Michael Franti, George Clinton, and a bunch of different people.) He records drums in his studio and sends them over. So, some of the things that happened on this album revolved around just being able to remove those limitations and do some things I’ve always wanted to do.

TheDetroiter.com:The theme of this album seems to be more about human interactions.

Nadir:Yeah, some of it is autobiographical, but most of it involves universal themes. I always get into a lot of social commentary; but this album is not as overtly political as Workin’ For The Man. My brain is just not there right now.

It’s definitely more about relationships and the politics of humanity, the politics of love. For instance, “Stickin’” is a song about dishonesty. It could be political, but it could also be about the relationship between a man and a woman. Even with all the madness in the world, I wasn’t writing political songs over the last couple of years. I’ve been writing more about just being a human being.

TheDetroiter.com: You just released a seven-inch vinyl record with an awesome video for the single “Go It Alone”.

Nadir : Thank you. Yeah, Drew Parfitt did an awesome job on that video. It’s like an action movie without the sex and vio - TheDetroiter.com

"Nadir embodies that 'do it yourself' mentality that is at the root of Detroit’s creative ingenuity."
~~~~~~~

Somewhere in Detroit sits an anonymous building on a nondescript block. Throughout any given day, a steady stream of conspicuously awesome people carrying guitars, keyboards, etc. flow in and out of this seemingly forgettable building on a seemingly forgotten block of a city whose demise some people seem to think is a foregone conclusion. If music is indeed the soundtrack to life, then Detroit and more specifically, this building, is very much alive thanks to its long list of strong-winded musicians who blow life into it daily. One of the musicians you can find in this building, and who is most responsible for the city’s current musical pulse is none other than 11-time Detroit Music Award winner, Nadir Omowale.

Nadir embodies that “do it yourself” mentality that is at the root of Detroit’s creative ingenuity. As a musician, singer-songwriter, and producer-engineer, he possesses the rare ability to go into a studio alone and create a finished, polished product that is ready for public consumption. The fact that he is also a journalist and a political activist has led him to write songs that have been the perfect accompaniment to the socio-economic and political REBELution that has been taking place over the last decade. Nadir blurs the boundaries of funk, soul, blues, rock, hip-hop, and world music and adds to it lyrical social commentary. The result is a sensual, pure form of music that in effect seduces its listeners into having minds of their own. After listening to Nadir ’s first two albums Distorted Soul 2.0 (2004) and especially Workin’ for the Man (2008) it becomes evident that this man could sing the alphabet in a way that would make Y and Z question their placement and make W change its name to Double Yousef.

But that was then and this is now. With his next release The Book of Jonah, Nadir focuses his efforts on the subject of love. That’s not to say that the previous albums didn’t speak on love and relationships- they did. And musically, this album is as funky as the others, more so even. Gone, however, is the restlessness of a man trying to conquer the world by song, and in its place is the vulnerability of a man allowing himself to be conquered by love.

Nadir sat down with the TheDetroiter.com to discuss many things, including his new album The Book of Jonah, which is scheduled to be released this July.

TheDetroiter.com:Let’s talk about The Book of Jonah, the sound of it and how it differs from your previous releases.

Nadir: I started my first record as I was coming out of a rock band, and I wanted to go in a more soulful direction. It still had that rock feel and rock elements, but I really wanted to express the soul music side that I didn’t get to express with my band Jack Johnson. So, it definitely leans a lot more on the soul side.

The Workin’ For The Man album, I think, expressed me really getting back to the rock thing and then also, adding the hip-hop and dance music elements that I love so much. With [The Book of Jonah], the main difference in production and sound is that I have upgraded my studio. I now have a place where I can stretch out, bring in my band and record live drums.

So I think this [album] reflects a broader range of the styles that I do, because now I don’t have as many of the limitations as I did before. My studio is in the Metroplex Room at the Submerge building and we’ve got the ability to record incredible drum sounds. We even cut a string section for one tune.

Also, technology has caught up with us. On three of the songs, I got drum tracks from my friend Simone White who lives in Australia. (He used to play with Michael Franti, George Clinton, and a bunch of different people.) He records drums in his studio and sends them over. So, some of the things that happened on this album revolved around just being able to remove those limitations and do some things I’ve always wanted to do.

TheDetroiter.com:The theme of this album seems to be more about human interactions.

Nadir:Yeah, some of it is autobiographical, but most of it involves universal themes. I always get into a lot of social commentary; but this album is not as overtly political as Workin’ For The Man. My brain is just not there right now.

It’s definitely more about relationships and the politics of humanity, the politics of love. For instance, “Stickin’” is a song about dishonesty. It could be political, but it could also be about the relationship between a man and a woman. Even with all the madness in the world, I wasn’t writing political songs over the last couple of years. I’ve been writing more about just being a human being.

TheDetroiter.com: You just released a seven-inch vinyl record with an awesome video for the single “Go It Alone”.

Nadir : Thank you. Yeah, Drew Parfitt did an awesome job on that video. It’s like an action movie without the sex and vio - TheDetroiter.com

"Imagine if you could listen to an album that sounded like it was James Brown + Gil Scott-Heron + Public Enemy..."
~~~~~~~

Album Review - Nadir - "Workin' for the Man" (The Phuture of Phunk)


Available only at: http://www.distortedsoul.com

At this point I haven't written an album review in about 3 months. It might not seem that way to you, but I haven't. The reason I haven't isn't because I haven't heard any good music. it's because I simply haven't felt like it. With everything that has been going on in my personal life combined with everything that has been going on in the world at large, spending even 5 minutes writing an album review has been pretty low on my list of priorities. Although I have been listening to a whole lotta good music during the "summer of my discontent", none of it has been:

C-O-M-P-E-L-I-N-G

(till now)

Last night Nadir sent me his new album via email. For those of you who have been following the story, I have previously described Nadir as "Malcolm X With a Guitar." He was named as Soul-Patrol.com's BEST FUNK ARTIST OF 2005. At the date of this writing, Nadir is headed to the most unlikely location of St. Paul Mn. to cover the 2008 Republikkkan National Convention for his "side gig" @ MTV News. He is an artist for whom there is truly no musical genre that applies, except for FUNK. I have also described his music as "out of touch with the reality of today." That's because his music combines:

SERIOUS RAW FUNK + A CALL TO SOCIETAL & PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

I am a fan of Nadir's music because it is un-yielding, un-compromising in it's "groove" and it's "politics." The listener is forced to confront their own personal comfort zone and simply put, you are....

FORCED TO SHAKE YOUR AZZ

AND

THINK ABOUT WEIGHTY ISSUES OF THE WORLD

(at the same time)

T-H-A-T-S C-O-M-P-E-L-I-N-G

Right now we are at a special point in Amerikkkan history.
It's the morning of August 30, 2008...

--The Democratic Convention has just ended on a note of hopefulness and optimism about the possibilities of an Amerikkka (without the "kkk's")
--The presumptive Republikkkan presidential nominee has just announced that his selection for a vice presidential running mate is a gun toting, moose meat eating, anti abortion housewife from Alaska
--A killer hurricane is headed for New Orleans on the anniversary of Katrina

(did I just hear someone out there utter the words "historical convergence?")

And as I sit here at this desk I am listening to an album of mp3's by Nadir called "Workin' for the Man."

And yes Virginia, I find myself: C-O-M-P-E-L-L-E-D
(to write an album review of an album that is right on time)

Imagine if you could listen to an album that sounded like it was James Brown + Gil Scott-Heron + Public Enemy? You might just think that you had entered a time machine and were now living in a different century? However you would be wrong. (o so wrong)

The political implication of an album with song titles like; "Guantanamo", "impeach the president", "no more war", "Running Rebel", "Workin' for the Man" and more are obvious. This is an album that could just as easily be titles "Black To The Future", it's fun to listen to and it also makes you THINK at the same time. The rap songs remind me of Public Enemy, the Funk joints remind me of the JB's, the political songs sound like the speeches of a political rally.

1. Life In the Fast Lane (Live at The Buzz Bar)
2. impeach the president
3. Is That What You Wanted?! (DJ Butterface Casio Funk Radio Edit)
4. Workin' for the Man (Live at Memphis Smoke)
5. Sign Your Name
6. Running Rebel (Featuring WAE & Ron Rutherford)
7. no more war
8. Guantanamo
9. Just One Journey (Featuring Just-One)
10. Traffic Jam (Live at The Buzz Bar)
11. Is That What You Wanted?! (Rev & Nadir s Explicitly Pissed Off Mix)
12. Workin For The Man (Badmitten s Workin Overtime Mix)

- Nadir is a revolutionary artist
- Nadir has a revolutionary agenda
- Nadir thinks that it is ok to HAVE FUN and THINK
- Nadir's new album "Workin' for the Man" makes you do both

I give it my strongest recommendation possible, as we close in on the end of "my summer of discontent." This is clearly one of the best new releases of 2008 and something that is truly worthy of your attention at this time.

And it's available online only at: http://www.distortedsoul.com

That is unless you will be attending the 2008 Republikkkan National Convention. If you are then you can buy an autographed hard copy Compact Disk from Nadir himself. He should be easy to spot in the crowd...

--Bob Davis - Soul-Patrol.com

"Imagine if you could listen to an album that sounded like it was James Brown + Gil Scott-Heron + Public Enemy..."
~~~~~~~

Album Review - Nadir - "Workin' for the Man" (The Phuture of Phunk)


Available only at: http://www.distortedsoul.com

At this point I haven't written an album review in about 3 months. It might not seem that way to you, but I haven't. The reason I haven't isn't because I haven't heard any good music. it's because I simply haven't felt like it. With everything that has been going on in my personal life combined with everything that has been going on in the world at large, spending even 5 minutes writing an album review has been pretty low on my list of priorities. Although I have been listening to a whole lotta good music during the "summer of my discontent", none of it has been:

C-O-M-P-E-L-I-N-G

(till now)

Last night Nadir sent me his new album via email. For those of you who have been following the story, I have previously described Nadir as "Malcolm X With a Guitar." He was named as Soul-Patrol.com's BEST FUNK ARTIST OF 2005. At the date of this writing, Nadir is headed to the most unlikely location of St. Paul Mn. to cover the 2008 Republikkkan National Convention for his "side gig" @ MTV News. He is an artist for whom there is truly no musical genre that applies, except for FUNK. I have also described his music as "out of touch with the reality of today." That's because his music combines:

SERIOUS RAW FUNK + A CALL TO SOCIETAL & PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

I am a fan of Nadir's music because it is un-yielding, un-compromising in it's "groove" and it's "politics." The listener is forced to confront their own personal comfort zone and simply put, you are....

FORCED TO SHAKE YOUR AZZ

AND

THINK ABOUT WEIGHTY ISSUES OF THE WORLD

(at the same time)

T-H-A-T-S C-O-M-P-E-L-I-N-G

Right now we are at a special point in Amerikkkan history.
It's the morning of August 30, 2008...

--The Democratic Convention has just ended on a note of hopefulness and optimism about the possibilities of an Amerikkka (without the "kkk's")
--The presumptive Republikkkan presidential nominee has just announced that his selection for a vice presidential running mate is a gun toting, moose meat eating, anti abortion housewife from Alaska
--A killer hurricane is headed for New Orleans on the anniversary of Katrina

(did I just hear someone out there utter the words "historical convergence?")

And as I sit here at this desk I am listening to an album of mp3's by Nadir called "Workin' for the Man."

And yes Virginia, I find myself: C-O-M-P-E-L-L-E-D
(to write an album review of an album that is right on time)

Imagine if you could listen to an album that sounded like it was James Brown + Gil Scott-Heron + Public Enemy? You might just think that you had entered a time machine and were now living in a different century? However you would be wrong. (o so wrong)

The political implication of an album with song titles like; "Guantanamo", "impeach the president", "no more war", "Running Rebel", "Workin' for the Man" and more are obvious. This is an album that could just as easily be titles "Black To The Future", it's fun to listen to and it also makes you THINK at the same time. The rap songs remind me of Public Enemy, the Funk joints remind me of the JB's, the political songs sound like the speeches of a political rally.

1. Life In the Fast Lane (Live at The Buzz Bar)
2. impeach the president
3. Is That What You Wanted?! (DJ Butterface Casio Funk Radio Edit)
4. Workin' for the Man (Live at Memphis Smoke)
5. Sign Your Name
6. Running Rebel (Featuring WAE & Ron Rutherford)
7. no more war
8. Guantanamo
9. Just One Journey (Featuring Just-One)
10. Traffic Jam (Live at The Buzz Bar)
11. Is That What You Wanted?! (Rev & Nadir s Explicitly Pissed Off Mix)
12. Workin For The Man (Badmitten s Workin Overtime Mix)

- Nadir is a revolutionary artist
- Nadir has a revolutionary agenda
- Nadir thinks that it is ok to HAVE FUN and THINK
- Nadir's new album "Workin' for the Man" makes you do both

I give it my strongest recommendation possible, as we close in on the end of "my summer of discontent." This is clearly one of the best new releases of 2008 and something that is truly worthy of your attention at this time.

And it's available online only at: http://www.distortedsoul.com

That is unless you will be attending the 2008 Republikkkan National Convention. If you are then you can buy an autographed hard copy Compact Disk from Nadir himself. He should be easy to spot in the crowd...

--Bob Davis - Soul-Patrol.com

"To label Nadir as a neo-soul artist would be neglecting his rock roots; to call him a rock artist would be overlooking his hip-hop and jazz influences. Fully encompassing all the talents that Nadir possesses would be comparable to expanding the mathematical term Pi to its last digit."

~~~~~~~

Nadir is a movement and his biggest hope is that his listeners will find their own rhythm and march beside him. Multifaceted musician Nadir says “since (he) can remember, music has been an important part of (his) life.”

And he has used it to inspire people to action with each lyric. To label Nadir as a neo-soul artist would be neglecting his rock roots; to call him a rock artist would be overlooking his hip-hop and jazz influences. Fully encompassing all the talents that Nadir possesses would be comparable to expanding the mathematical term Pi to its last digit.

There is a legend that at the age of 18 months, Nadir was seen in his backyard using a stick as a guitar and singing. And he has been seriously pursuing music ever since.

Penning lyrics as broad as love, and as specific as the love for his wife, Nadir says his music is a “reflection of what’s going on in everyday life.” And because life is better lived in color, out loud and passionately, the intended end result of hearing Nadir’s music is “action, (and) what kind depends on the person.”

As an independent artist, Nadir has enjoyed significant success. He has performed the greater part of the United States as well as in Europe, Canada.

Most people think of promoting music on the Internet as the hip-hop and pop music method of exposure, but Nadir understands the true meaning of promoting on the Web. He says social networking sites like Myspace, YouTube and Facebook have helped him go from “being a local artist to an international artist,” and are a critical part of his career.

Constant promotion coupled with talent has also brought Nadir countless awards and opportunities. He’s won ten Detroit Music Awards, was a correspondent on MTV’s “Choose or Lose,” and won “Best Funk Album of 2005” from soulpatrol.com. And while “awards are cool,” Nadir says the biggest reward is “having people really be touched by what I do.”

Moving from Elizabethton, Tennessee, to Detroit in order to gain more exposure for his type of music, Nadir has always tried to position himself where he can be heard by as many people as possible. Since he writes about the happenings of everyday life, he wants his music to inspire movement, be it to “work harder, think harder, dance, or vote.” If the music he writes moves him, hopefully it will move his listeners as well.

Nadir’s efforts in inspiring people to action have led him to become an official for the City of Detroit. Recently, an Entertainment Commission was formed in an effort to “rebrand the city of Detroit as the entertainment and media capital that it is.”

The Commission had an event called “Laughing the Pain Away,” at which comedians went to local homeless shelters to bring light into the darkest of lives. The easiest way for Detroit to reaffirm its spot in musical history is to “do a better job of taking advantage of all the talent we have.”

If all the artists in the city can unite as a conglomerate, Detroit would be unstoppable. A unification of outstanding and diverse talent will take place Labor Day weekend during the Detroit Jazz Fest, showcasing local and national artists, Sept. 3-6, at 660 Woodward Ave.
Nadir will be performing Monday, Sept. 6, at 2:30 pm, and says the audience should expect a musical experience not to be forgotten. Believing that “as human beings, we’re wired to help other people,” Nadir says “you’re going to hear music that will make you think a little while you dance.” Find the rhythm and then move accordingly. - The Michigan Chronicle

"To label Nadir as a neo-soul artist would be neglecting his rock roots; to call him a rock artist would be overlooking his hip-hop and jazz influences. Fully encompassing all the talents that Nadir possesses would be comparable to expanding the mathematical term Pi to its last digit."

~~~~~~~

Nadir is a movement and his biggest hope is that his listeners will find their own rhythm and march beside him. Multifaceted musician Nadir says “since (he) can remember, music has been an important part of (his) life.”

And he has used it to inspire people to action with each lyric. To label Nadir as a neo-soul artist would be neglecting his rock roots; to call him a rock artist would be overlooking his hip-hop and jazz influences. Fully encompassing all the talents that Nadir possesses would be comparable to expanding the mathematical term Pi to its last digit.

There is a legend that at the age of 18 months, Nadir was seen in his backyard using a stick as a guitar and singing. And he has been seriously pursuing music ever since.

Penning lyrics as broad as love, and as specific as the love for his wife, Nadir says his music is a “reflection of what’s going on in everyday life.” And because life is better lived in color, out loud and passionately, the intended end result of hearing Nadir’s music is “action, (and) what kind depends on the person.”

As an independent artist, Nadir has enjoyed significant success. He has performed the greater part of the United States as well as in Europe, Canada.

Most people think of promoting music on the Internet as the hip-hop and pop music method of exposure, but Nadir understands the true meaning of promoting on the Web. He says social networking sites like Myspace, YouTube and Facebook have helped him go from “being a local artist to an international artist,” and are a critical part of his career.

Constant promotion coupled with talent has also brought Nadir countless awards and opportunities. He’s won ten Detroit Music Awards, was a correspondent on MTV’s “Choose or Lose,” and won “Best Funk Album of 2005” from soulpatrol.com. And while “awards are cool,” Nadir says the biggest reward is “having people really be touched by what I do.”

Moving from Elizabethton, Tennessee, to Detroit in order to gain more exposure for his type of music, Nadir has always tried to position himself where he can be heard by as many people as possible. Since he writes about the happenings of everyday life, he wants his music to inspire movement, be it to “work harder, think harder, dance, or vote.” If the music he writes moves him, hopefully it will move his listeners as well.

Nadir’s efforts in inspiring people to action have led him to become an official for the City of Detroit. Recently, an Entertainment Commission was formed in an effort to “rebrand the city of Detroit as the entertainment and media capital that it is.”

The Commission had an event called “Laughing the Pain Away,” at which comedians went to local homeless shelters to bring light into the darkest of lives. The easiest way for Detroit to reaffirm its spot in musical history is to “do a better job of taking advantage of all the talent we have.”

If all the artists in the city can unite as a conglomerate, Detroit would be unstoppable. A unification of outstanding and diverse talent will take place Labor Day weekend during the Detroit Jazz Fest, showcasing local and national artists, Sept. 3-6, at 660 Woodward Ave.
Nadir will be performing Monday, Sept. 6, at 2:30 pm, and says the audience should expect a musical experience not to be forgotten. Believing that “as human beings, we’re wired to help other people,” Nadir says “you’re going to hear music that will make you think a little while you dance.” Find the rhythm and then move accordingly. - The Michigan Chronicle

"What I enjoyed most about this group is the synergy that so easily flowed from them. All the instruments blended together seamlessly creating the perfect funk stew!"
~~~~~~~

I headed uptown to trendy Royal oak for some Funk Vibrations of Nadir Omowale and his band Distorted Soul. Memphis Smoke was the name of the space… and as I made my way to the bar for a glass of lemon water I couldn’t help but be thankful for the recent Michigan No smoking law. Although bars are not my cup of tea, my spirit insisted in leading me to the creations of these talented musician energy transformers.

Nadir was a warm soul..opening up the show with greetings and humor for the diners. Nadir is an award-winning Funk and Soul musician with one heck of a live show. He’s a champion for the entertainment industry, and the best part is, he calls Detroit home. His band rocked it with their raw detroit funk, and they were not afraid to get down with the crowd. At one point in the night Nadir jumped off stage right grabbed his beautiful Nubian Queen wife Akanke Omowale and was groovin’ right along with the crowd!

What I enjoyed most about this group is the synergy that so easily flowed from them. All the instruments blended together seamlessly creating the perfect funk stew! Mahindi Masai (percussion), schooled us with sounds of our African ancestors on Congas, Tate McBroom (drums) held it together with beats that did not over power the rest of the band but complimented like the right pair of earings to an evening gown. Derrick Benford’s snazzy finger work on the keys had my heart singing, and Chris Spooner on bass…. wow! That’s all I can say.. those who know Chi know I love some sexy smooth bass lines…and Chris was serving it up all night! To top it off like icing on the cake, Nadir on guitar with his soul-shaking lyrics and vocals.

As I soaked up the funk vibrations, my hips began to whine and sway. The music penetrated the layers of the Chi and the dance sprang forth like a high pressure geyser. My sandals came off, toes on the warm dance floor soaking up healing sound vibrations…. my heart was set free by the funk.

Creativity indeed breeds transcendence. - Calabar Theatre

"What I enjoyed most about this group is the synergy that so easily flowed from them. All the instruments blended together seamlessly creating the perfect funk stew!"
~~~~~~~

I headed uptown to trendy Royal oak for some Funk Vibrations of Nadir Omowale and his band Distorted Soul. Memphis Smoke was the name of the space… and as I made my way to the bar for a glass of lemon water I couldn’t help but be thankful for the recent Michigan No smoking law. Although bars are not my cup of tea, my spirit insisted in leading me to the creations of these talented musician energy transformers.

Nadir was a warm soul..opening up the show with greetings and humor for the diners. Nadir is an award-winning Funk and Soul musician with one heck of a live show. He’s a champion for the entertainment industry, and the best part is, he calls Detroit home. His band rocked it with their raw detroit funk, and they were not afraid to get down with the crowd. At one point in the night Nadir jumped off stage right grabbed his beautiful Nubian Queen wife Akanke Omowale and was groovin’ right along with the crowd!

What I enjoyed most about this group is the synergy that so easily flowed from them. All the instruments blended together seamlessly creating the perfect funk stew! Mahindi Masai (percussion), schooled us with sounds of our African ancestors on Congas, Tate McBroom (drums) held it together with beats that did not over power the rest of the band but complimented like the right pair of earings to an evening gown. Derrick Benford’s snazzy finger work on the keys had my heart singing, and Chris Spooner on bass…. wow! That’s all I can say.. those who know Chi know I love some sexy smooth bass lines…and Chris was serving it up all night! To top it off like icing on the cake, Nadir on guitar with his soul-shaking lyrics and vocals.

As I soaked up the funk vibrations, my hips began to whine and sway. The music penetrated the layers of the Chi and the dance sprang forth like a high pressure geyser. My sandals came off, toes on the warm dance floor soaking up healing sound vibrations…. my heart was set free by the funk.

Creativity indeed breeds transcendence. - Calabar Theatre

"Distorted Soul" is what this talented singer/songwriter raised in the Nashville music scene calls both his style of music and his immensely talented backing band. Nadir's moving blend of R&B, Hip Hop, Rock and Funk has led to shows with Rage Against the Machine, Michael Franti of Spearhead, Arrested Development and Public Enemy, which gives an idea of where his dynamic musical mastery fits in the musical universe. The "urban dread" has toured the U.S. and Europe and appeared on The Tonight Show, Soul Train, and the BBC, while his songs have been featured in movies like the Pam Anderson super hero flick Barb Wire. Funky and endlessly soulful, Nadir's recorded output is instantly ear-grabbing in its relentlessly powerful attack. - Cincinnati City Beat

MOTOR CITY MUSIC CONFERENCE: Band profiles
April 17, 2005

Nadir
The lowdown: Nadir (real name: Jonah Nadir Omowale) has given a name to his style: He calls it "distorted soul." It's soul music with rock guitars and a hodgepodge of other genres, hip-hop and jazz included. The singer came from Nashville to Detroit in 1999 and started gigging around town before launching a solo career in 2003. He's played at Royal Oak's Fifth Avenue and Memphis Smoke and Ferndale's Magic Bag. What to expect at one of his live shows? Imagine someone doing a hard rock cover of "Love TKO."

Lineup: Nadir, vocals and rhythm guitar; Tammy Jones, vocals; Soulspeak, vocals; Kris Kurzawa, guitars; Kamau Inaede, who is also in Black Bottom Collective, bass; Brandon Holland, keyboards; Earl Orr Jr., drums.

What's next: Nadir's 2004 album is his aptly titled "Distorted Soul 2.0," but he's working on new material for his new record and one for vocalist Tammy Jones. He's also working on a remix of the song "Slave," which will be out this summer.

On MC2: "I think it's got a lot of potential," Nadir says. "It's a really good thing to get a lot of the music industry folks to come to town and definitely for Detroit with the huge amount of talent that's here. I can only see good things happening with it. It's a first year, so there's going to be growing pains for sure. But otherwise, I think it's a positive thing. For the artists, it's really an opportunity to not only network with the music industry folks but to network with the other bands."

The song on the Freep's best-of disc: "Leave It Alone" is a fun hip-hop- and rock-inflected track representative of Nadir's distorted soul. The song was born out of a jam session, and when it's played live, it can extend into the 20-minute range.

MC2 gig: Midnight Saturday, Agave, 4265 Woodward, Detroit. 313-833-1120. Also on the bill: Funkilinium, Blair and the Urban Folk Collective and Black Bottom Collective.

By Kelley L. Carter, Free Press special writer

Copyright (c) 2005 Detroit Free Press Inc. All rights reserved. - Detroit Free Press

November 5, 2004


Detroit R&B artist Nadir and his group Distorted Soul celebrate two new achievements, winning the National Academy for Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) Demo Review Panel contest and landing its brand of funk and soul in rotation at Sirius Satellite Radio.


The song "Leave it Alone," a funky dance track from the group's self-titled debut, is making the rounds on Sirius satellite radio's Heart and Soul station. With Sirius' estimated 600,000 subscribers (as of Labor Day weekend), the group's music has the potential to reach a multitude of new listener.


Meanwhile, Nadir's song "Slave" was chosen as the winning entry among 120 submissions from local artists by the National Academy for Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) Demo Review Panel. The panel's makeup is a group of noted industry professionals including Shawn Murphy of ASCAP along with WDET-FM's (101.9) Ralph Valdez, media diva Barbara Deyo, musician-songwriter Vinnie Dombroski (Sponge, Orbitsuns). They and others gathered at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit last week to review music from local artists. The prize package included studio time, legal consultation and music gear.


Nadir is a Tennessee native who spent time as the bassist for RCA's alternative hip-hop artist Me Phi Me, enjoying tours of the U.S. and Europe and appearances with the group on MTV, "Soul Train" and other notable programs. He co-founded his next project, Jack Jackson, with guitarist Paul Cochrane and the two found their music landing in the feature films "Barbed Wire" and "1999."


Now a Detroit resident, Nadir's Distorted Soul features Earl Orr Jr. on drums, Freeman Spells on bass, Tammy Jones and Ping Spells on vocals, Brandon Holland on keys and Lamont Davis on guitar.


You can catch Nadir-Distorted soul in Royal Oak at 9 p.m. Sunday at Memphis Smoke and Nov. 13 at Fifth Avenue. For more: www.distortedsoul.com.

BY RACHEL MAY
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER


Copyright © 2004 Detroit Free Press Inc.
- Detroit Free Press

Slave is a great track from modern soul artist Nadir’s Distorted Soul 2.0 cd. If you’re not familiar with Nadir, think Lenny Kravitz with better lyrics.
“You were mother-something ruthless baby,
A jack-the-ripper in high-healed shoes
You cut me like a razor blade
And still I can’t get over you”
Nadir is doing what a lot of musicians are doing now - offering free MP3s at his site to let you try out his music. You can listen to the original of Slave,
below, get more free MP3s at his site and, if you like his stuff, check out his commercial releases.
Nadir also recently sent us a copy of his Slave: The Remixtape, which is a CD compilation of remixes of Slave. It’s a
fantastic example of what remixers can do when given good material.
The remixes take the original into completely new territory. Discoslave is a full-on house remix; the Distorted Soul Rock
Radio edit has more of a classic rock feel; the Power X-Change Flip version turns it into a trance/techno number; the
Hip-Hop Radio Edit strips it down and adds a rap; and the Covert Ops Mix takes it into minimal techno territory.
If you’re into remixes, Nadir’s Slave: The Remixtape is a tour-de-force of remixing. - Synthtopia

“Nadir effortlessly blends hip-hop, jazz and R&B in such a delectable manner that his musical renditions are certain to satisfy any musical palate.…I was enraptured by the utter beauty of his voice, the timelessness of his phrasing, and the mellow mood it induced me into, I had to acknowledge the rawness of his message. It was like sardines and pork ‘n’ beans. And until you have had such a concoction, you don’t really know what I mean. It’s sweet and funk coming together to create something deliciously forbidden…Jonah Nadir Omowale’s music is revolutionary. He is a musician, a lyricist, a song stylist. He is all that and more. Call him what you wish. But don’t call him conventional.”…Dr. Omowale Akintunde, University of Wyoming - Dr. Omowale Akintunde, Alabama