Savory Soul

For pure musical catharsis, There is just no substitute for some jazzy, funk-infused R&B served up on a platter of old school soul.

If your hostess happens to be a sassy diva with a pocketful of throwback Peggy Lee attitude, then so much the better.

That thought came to me as I watched Andria Simone perform at the Drake hotel in Toronto last month.

Now, any reality TV viewer knows there is no shortage of cute girls who can sing. Some may even convey profound angst about the boy who took her friend to prom, or how they’re “Never ever, ever, ever” going to get back together. But if there is one gaping hole in the current cruise-ship shmorgasbord of music, it’s that ever-elusive quality: Soul. We know it when we hear it in any genre. It can exist in the tiniest little inflection, but it’ll makes your ears stand at attention, and is a precious element that can only be unearthed from deep beneath the surface.

So when I showed up at a bar that holds a hundred or so people, and saw a cheeky, 25 year-old white girl with the pipes of a much larger woman, singing Sam Cooke, Etta James and Amy Winehouse, mixed seamlessly with her own material, I was feeling it.

The vibe was laid out by a group of young musicians with some very old spirits. 3 horns, a bass, drums, guitarist playing licks right out of a 70s porn flick, and a deceptively rhythmic keyboardist kept the energy high, but it was Simone’s stirring tone and fiery stage presence that kept our focus center-stage.

Raphael Saadiq, who produced Joss Stone’s first album, was eventually moved to record one of my favorite CDs of the new millenium, The Way I See It, in 2008. It contained original songs inspired by the sounds of Motown, Stax and 70s Phillysoul, and he might have experienced re-invigorated musings if he had seen what that audience was privileged to witness. And that was on a Wednesday night.

My enthusiasm may be intensified by having watched too many wannabe stars perform uninspired covers, only slightly less self-indulgent than their own original material. Occasionally, we come across someone who possesses the talent coupled with the passion and maturity to produce something authentic, and when we do, it is undeniable.

An important part of any artist’s work is their attitude. Simone remarks that her musical taste was odd from a young age when her peers were listening to the Backstreet Boys, and she was drawn to sounds from the 50s, 60s and 70s. It would be years before she could muster the courage to become a singer, and says she never gave any thought to being famous, or even to any specific genre. She simply followed her passion, accepting failure as an occupational hazard, and adds “I’m a lover of all sounds, but when you black out on stage, and have everyone tell you that it’s Soul music, then I guess that’s just what’s meant to come out of me.”

Therein lies the dichotomy of her charisma. On stage, we see a confident performer who introduces the drummer sitting behind her as “the guy with the best seat in the house”, but continues her impromptu chatter, painting herself into an awkward corner, from which she simply shrugs, and waves in the next track. That one honest moment exposes the vulnerability for which she is unapologetic, and segues into a soul-baring ballad.

That’s what makes her the real deal. She revels as much in her strengths as she does in her imperfections, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is what puts the “blues” in Rhythm & Blues.

Andria studied flute, piano, voice, and writes her own songs. With the expert team of Demetri James and Greg Kavanagh in her corner, she recently released her debut EP, Nothing Comes Easy, and that’s not just a title, it’s a maxim. Andria plainly says “If your life is a breeze, you’re probably not living it right. Fear just means it’s worth it.”

Breeze through the fear, sista. Breeze throught the fear.

Check out her video for Do What I Want here, and stay-tuned for more Andria Simone.

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