Introducing Traciana Graves – Tales of a Prodigal Daughter
THE NEW CD
from TRACIANA GRAVES
"SONGS OF A PRODIGAL DAUGHTER"
Click here to check out the NEW CD from TRACIANA GRAVES "SONGS OF A PRODIGAL DAUGHTER"
Soul-Patrol Newsletter Headlines
* BIO: Traciana Graves
* CD review: Traciana Graves – "Songs of a Prodical Daughter"
* Upcoming NYC Soul-Patrol Event w/Traciana Graves @ the Sugar Bar
Welcome To The Soul-Patrol Newsletter
I want to share the following picture with you…
Traciana Graves and Billy Paul @ the Philadelphia Black Heritage Festival
I got the chance to see Traciana Graves perform live recently.
She got up on the stage at the Philadelphia Black Heritage festival on a hot and pre-maturely sweltering Memorial Day. It was her first performance in Philadelphia and instead of a fancy nightclub of "upscale critics", Traciana was making her debut in front of an audience of regular/everyday Philadelphians, Black, White, Hispanic, ranging in age from eight to eighty. It was the typical sort of a crowd that one would expect to see at an urban music/cultural festival.
Traciana performed an acoustic set, she played guitar and sang. As she sang link an angel I watched the crowd reaction. I was quite interested in watching the faces of the younger people who were there, since this is of course 2006, I knew that many of them had perhaps never seen someone actually singing live. Usually when younger people in Philadelphia or in most big cities around the country are told that someone is going to "perform", their images are not those of a singer/band. Their image is that of a disc jockey, turntables, a sound system and speakers.
She had the crowd mesmerized and then suddenly the speakers went out. It seems that the generator supplying power to the PA system had stopped working.
For a moment Traciana stood on the stage with a stunned and confused look on her face.
She remained still for a few moments. You could see that she was weighing the situation.
And then she resumed singing and playing the guitar, without ANY AMPLIFICATION and finished her set.
When she was done, the crowd applauded. They recognized not only her talent, but also recognized her character. It is impossible to tell anything about the character of a person simply by listening to their CD. But you can when you see them perform live and all of those people who watched Traciana Graves perform on that hot Saturday afternoon learned something about her character that day. And in my opinion she gave them a performance that they will never forget
And for the younger people who perhaps for the very first time in their lives were seeing/hearing a live artist performance, she is going to forever be the measuring stick by which they will judge all others in the future.
How’s that for creating a legacy…
–Bob Davis
earthjuice@prodigy.net
INTRODUCING TRACIANA GRAVES – SONGS OF A PRODIGAL DAUGHTER:
BIO: Traciana Graves
One habitually thinks of World Music as a term that covers all music that is not part of mainstream popular or classical music and that has some kind of "ethnic" component. The term is used primarily as a marketing/classificatory device, it sometimes referring to any kind of foreign music, especially in a foreign language. Traciana Graves, a native of Harlem, New York who sings and composes songs in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili and English is redefining what "world music" is with a sound crafted from all over the globe that is on the cutting edge of something worth listening to
Traciana’s music has been described as "a haven soaked in cultural originality, a cultural bridge bringing together a global audience." Traciana skillfully merges the sounds of Africa, America, Europe and the Middle East. There is a distinctive quality to her music that articulates more than just her individual journey and resonates with her listeners, a powerful and soulful vocal style that has brought her international acclaim.
Her songs are beautifully crafted stories of the people she has met on her journeys and the struggles she has overcome. Traciana’s music transports the listener into her world through its vivid emotionality and precise musical styling.
Across the Ocean:
Uprooted from her native Harlem at an early age by her mother’s career, Traciana landed in Paris. While in Paris at an International school, she became enchanted with the discovery that there was a much broader world than she had ever known, as she met people from all over the globe. Being exposed to myriad cultures and their rich musical legacies had a profound impact upon Traciana’s musical landscape and helped to broaden her lyrical and musical styles.
And they inspired her to work. Traciana studied singing and taught herself to play the guitar. She also became a classically trained actress- the first American ever accepted to the National Acting Conservatory in France (L’Ecole Superieur de l’Art Dramatique du Theatre de Strasbourg). She studied Eastern Philosophy for many years. She hosted her own prime time talk radio show in Lebanon– The Traciana Talk Show on the number #1 radio station in Beirut 3 nights a week.
Over time, Traciana became a popular session artist singing with such well-known artists as Celine Dion, Youssou N’dour, and Andrew Lloyd Webber
She than went on to do background vocals for the renowned reggae band, Steel Pulse. While on one of their world tours, Traciana began working closely with David Hines. Working in such a creative environment she found herself drawn to crafting her own music and word-smithing new vocals. Later, with musical creations burning inside her soul and at an artistic crossroads somewhere between discipline and desire, she left Steel Pulse in order to pursue her own music. Traciana met the acclaimed producer V.Jeffery Smith, a founding member of the Family Stand who has worked with artists such as Heather Headly, Desiree, Paula Abdul and Cory Glover. Traciana had long admired Smith–known for his eclectic style that often pulls from many genres and experiments to create new diversities of thematic sound. Walking firmly on her own path, Traciana and Smith joined forces to forge a new imagery of sound that defies genre definition. A dream was being born.
Back To The World:
Traciana’s power as a singer/songwriter, has won her adoration from some of the most highly acclaimed African musicians in the world, artists such as Ivorian drummer, Paco Sery, the formidable Malian pianist/composer Cheick Seck (producer for Salif Kieta and Hank Jones), and the songwriter Louka Kanza
When guitarist Vernon Reid (Living Colour) heard Traciana’s demo, he encouraged her to return to America, to widen her exposure to new audiences and to begin recording in New York City. It was with this intent that Traciana recently returned to her native roots in Harlem.
Now with a new collection of refined music about to emerge, with tracks produced by Smith and by Gil Small (Cassandra Wilson, Rodney Kendrick and Asaph Womack) and a growing public following awaiting it’s release, Traciana is ready to bedazzle you with her musical poetry and her rhythmic vocals, ripping through the boundaries that would separate us, one beautiful, daring note at a time.
"Traciana Graves is a new kind of artist in today’s world. An African American woman who has chosen to embrace a wide range of global musical influences focused through an extraordinarily powerful and sensual voice in imitation of no one. Her music gives voice to the joy and pain of living in a world beset with turmoil and conflict, and yet filled with beauty and the possibility of love."
–Vernon Reid
"The transcultural, chakra-messaging music of Traciana traverses space, time, nations and languages with a lyricism born of soul, swing and spirit–surely the lingua franca of the triple goddess herself."
–Greg Tate
"Traciana’s music is a refined yet moving example of the next wave in "So Called ‘World Music’ ". In fact she redefines the label and transcends it through her powerful songwriting and the brilliant production of her album."
–Peter Lord
INTRODUCING TRACIANA GRAVES – SONGS OF A PRODIGAL DAUGHTER:
CD Review: Traciana Graves – "Songs of a Prodical Daughter"
If the "Black music experts" at Rolling Stone Magazine were to draw a picture of The history of soul music it would probably look similar to a timeline. A more accurate picture would look more like a spiders web, with no real beginning or end with every point being interrelated with all other points either directly or indirectly. One of the more interesting interrelationships is that between Soul music and the music of Africa/Caribbean (sometimes referred to"world music"). The album "Prodigal Daughter" from Traciana Graves is a good modern day example of this particular inter relationship. Traciana Graves was born in Harlem, U.S. A. and was largely raised in France. I’m guessing that such an upbringing must have provided her with the international perspective that runs like a thread thru ought this album.
Now having said all of that I don’t want you to walk away with the impression that this album is yet another one of those over hyped "world music albums" that it’s politically incorrect to not like so nobody ever says anything bad about them. People buy them, listen to them once and then they gather dust until they find their ultimate home in the used CD store.
In fact Traciana Graves – "Songs of a Prodical Daughter" is not a "world music album" at all. It’s a soul music album that is comparable to those by an artist such as Julie Dexter, however it’s got some "African/world spice". Standout tracks on this 15 song CD include "Si Bon", "When I’m With You", "My Revolution" and the all too short instrumental "On Dit Quoi". The tracks on this album are produced by V Smith (of Family Stand) and by Gil Small (Cassandra Wilson, Rodney Kendrick and Asaph Womack). Of course Soul music (and really all music of the Western Hemisphere) has it’s roots in Africa and at the end of the day isn’t that really where we all need to return to anyway?
Bob Davis:
earthjuice@prodigy.net
INTRODUCING TRACIANA GRAVES – SONGS OF A PRODIGAL DAUGHTER:
Upcoming Soul-Patrol Event w/Traciana Graves @ the Sugar Bar
Traciana Graves @ the Sugar Bar 254 W. 72nd St, NY, NY 10023
212.579.0222
Please rsvp with me as soon as possible.
See you there!!!!!!
Cheryl Y. Russell
New York Coordinator
www.soul-patrol.com
917-750-3472
INTRODUCING TRACIANA GRAVES – SONGS OF A PRODIGAL DAUGHTER:
THE NEW CD
from TRACIANA GRAVES
"SONGS OF A PRODIGAL DAUGHTER"
Click here to check out the NEW CD from TRACIANA GRAVES "SONGS OF A PRODIGAL DAUGHTER"
If you have a news item, update, review, commentary, etc that you would like to submit to the Soul-Patrol Newsletter, please send them via email for consideration to:
Hopefully you enjoyed this edition of the Soul-Patrol Newsletter.
We will be back soon with the next edition, with email alerts for local events, Soul-Patrol website updates/chat sessions or breaking news in between, as required.
If you have any comments, questions, etc feel free to drop me an email and let me know what’s on your mind.
Bob Davis
earthjuice@prodigy.net
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