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NIKARA presents Black Wall Street: ‘The Queen of Kings County’ (Switch Hit Records) Brooklyn, New York is a city that remains quasi-mythologized within the American cultural mind. To the layman, perhaps thoughts of a bustling city, smatterings of diversity, and maybe even some underground music come to mind. For vibraphonist and composer Nikara Warren and the swath of others who were born and raised in Brooklyn, the city is a place of the relentless pursuit of dreams against all odds - an incomparable cocktail of affluence, social struggle, and unique cultural intersection. And yet, amidst these intermingled impressions, for Warren and her peers this city is unequivocally home. It is the womb that has birthed brilliance amidst hardship and the nest that has nurtured the artistry of myriads. It is from this intermingled tapestry of diversity that comprises Brooklyn’s collective identity that Warren felt irrevocably moved to once more create something new. As the times shift and change, Brooklyn remains forever her home, and the deep affections which dwell within Warren for the city led to The Queen of Kings County, releasing October 18th, 2024. Warren’s sophomore album, and released under the moniker NIKARA presents Black Wall Street, The Queen of Kings County utilizes a curation of original compositions and eclectic arrangements to explore the rich depth of Black American Music, from Brooklyn’s Caribbean heritage to the voices of icons such as Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, and Curtis Mayfield. The nature of this album as Warren’s love poem to the city of Brooklyn is evident immediately upon reading the title. “Kings County” is a reference to the county in Brooklyn, while the “Queen” expresses to the audience how Warren feels about her relationship with this great city. “The album refers to an alter ego of sorts, ” Warren says. “Even if I have more that I want in my career, there are times when I feel like I’ve achieved some level of mastery when it comes to my hometown.” As a benevolent monarch lavishes love upon the dominion of her home, so Warren adores the city that shaped her into who she is today. “The Queen of Kings County is a tribute to the spirit of Brooklyn and its people, ” Warren says. Musically, Warren steeps this album in the mosaic of sounds that fill the streets, radios, and clubs of Brooklyn. Self-described as “‘feel good’ music with jazz as its roots, ” Warren notes that her focus as a vibraphonist throughout the album is on rhythm and feel rather than on intricate harmonies. “My compositions pull from hip-hop, R&B, house, and electronic music, all while fitting in an improvisational space, ” says Warren. “My music is eclectic, but much of it has an emphasis on dance and groove.” The album’s song selection stands as a masterful exhibition exemplifying the nuances of the heart and soul of Brooklyn. Opening with Warren’s arrangement of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues, ” the album’s genesis stands as a poignant call that sets the tone - both thematically and musically - for what lies ahead. “Eastern Parkway” is one of Warren’s original compositions. Dedicated to Brooklyn’s Caribbean heritage, the piece derives its title from the yearly Carnival parade on Labor Day that takes place on Eastern Parkway, showcasing music, dance, and food from different Caribbean countries. “My father has Trinidadian heritage, ” Warren says, “and growing up in Brooklyn, dancehall, soca and calypso are a part of the soundtrack for life.” A different mood, “Stratford Penthouse” is an ode to her childhood home on Stratford Road. Featuring her grandfather, jazz legend Kenny Barron, this piece describes the joys of Warren’s childhood on the 3rd floor of Barron’s house, which felt to her like a penthouse of limitless creativity, safety, and respite. “Solar Plexus” is inspired by the house music scene in NYC during the 1980s, and is a joyous nod to Warren’s mother, from whom she learned about this music. The final track on the album is Warren’s arrangement of Nina Simone’s rendition of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” Warren uses this piece to embody her experiences as a Black woman experiencing many sides of a vast city. “I have often felt like my presence wasn’t welcome, or I wasn’t quite understood, ” Warren says. “This song is about being misunderstood emotionally after less-than-ideal behavior, which can come from trauma - responses which can come from living in a place where you constantly have to keep an eye out for your safety.” In order to achieve the varied and detailed sonic palettes present on this album, Warren recruited a wide range of top-tier musicians. The Queen of Kings County features the contributions of: Nikara Warren (vibraphone, vocals, synthesizers), Craig Hill (tenor saxophone), Alonzo Demetrius (trumpet), Hailey Niswanger (bass clarinet, clarinet, saxophones, flute), Corey Sanchez (electric and acoustic guitars), Axel Tosca (piano, keyboards, rhodes, organ, synthesizers), Parker McAllister (electric bass), and David Frazier Jr. (drums, SPD). The album also features special guests Kenny Barron (piano), Tamir Shmerling (bass), and EJ Strickland (drums) on the aforementioned “Stratford Penthouse”. With The Queen of Kings County, Warren paints a picture not merely of a city, but of the depth of interconnectedness a city can create between it and its people. “As you listen to The Queen of Kings County, I invite you to feel the pulse of Brooklyn—the creativity, the defiance, the beauty, and the grit, ” Warren says. “Let the music be a reminder of the power of art in our fight for justice, as well as a celebration of the unbreakable spirit of New York City.” NIKARA presents Black Wall Street: The Queen of Kings County releases with Switch Hit Records on October 18th, 2024. |
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