Female Vocalist/Songwriter

La Mesa CA

Description

Worldbeat band Diaspora is looking for a female singer that enjoys high-energy music from around the world, such as Afropop, reggae, and Latin, and would like to join us for shows and dance gigs. We are in the early stages of this band, just recovering from the isolation of the pandemic. We’re looking for a vocalist that is either already familiar with some worldbeat styles or is willing to explore similar styles with us. You can sing in any language. The vocal parts of these songs are inspired by music that regularly features very simple lyrical content, often only chanting a phrase or two; however, there’s room for longer, more complex lyrical content as well, as long as it fits into the energetic, dance music style. It’s a bonus if you can come up with simple, 2- to 4-chord melodic lines and words to give definition and identity to our songs. There are already two male guitarists that provide singing, but we are looking for a female vocalist that would do most/much of the lead singing. Assembling bands is not new for me, as I co-founded San Diego Taiko and formed the first run of Diaspora, which played samba reggae from Bahia. The philosophy of Diaspora is that music is an interactive experience in which the audience participates with the band, by dancing, hand clapping, and singing along. INSPIRATIONAL SAMPLES I have included links to a broad collection of inspirational clips from around the world for you to sample. We do not attempt to reproduce any of these styles authentically. They inspire our music (and we liberally steal from them). Africa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJkdjtphb5Q ***Hope Masike (Zimbabwe): “Ndinewe” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaMK3tHy_Ok *** Miriam Makebe (South Africa): “Pata Pata” (1990 version) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcf9F0tEA5U *** O-Yaba (South Africa): "Thube" www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqo7X8sSrQM *** Cheikh Lô (Senegal): "M'Beddemi" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d6YbZ1UsZE *** Indoda Yejazi Elimnyama (South Africa): “Amaswazi Emvelo” Latin America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4On7vHE09o *** KASSAV’ (French Antilles): “Mwen Diw Awa” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iALoWdVT26Y *** Jacob Miller and Inner Circle (Jamaica): “All Night till Daylight” www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW5l7dbH664 *** Banda Eva with Ivete Sangalo (Brazil): "Vem Meu Amor" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgTM6lTdVBM *** Los Fabulosos Cadillacs (Argentina): “El Matador” www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOb9kk6Kymg *** Banda Cheiro de Amor (Brazil): "Minha Paz" Middle East/Southern Asia www.youtube.com/watch?v=d43hAb8yrI0 *** Cheb Khaled (Algeria): "Didi" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfY-KW-bE7o *** Shweta Pandit (India): “Ringa Ringa” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ORo3292r4Q *** Rhany Kabbadj (Morocco): “Un Mot de Toi” www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VyCtVW1HOw *** Ayrılık Günü (Turkey): "Göksel" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_bRi9ofaWU *** Ras Muhamad (Indonesia): “Salam” ABOUT DIASPORA’S MUSIC (“DIASPORA GROOVE”) Diaspora Groove is a fast-tempo dance music genre based on rhythmic and harmonic elements throughout the area we’ll refer to as the Worldbeat Diaspora (WD). The music in this area tends to follow many common characteristics, and Diaspora plays music that is a fusion of these elements. The WD region includes all of Africa, all of Latin America and Caribbean, and a region of southern Asia running from Turkey and Palestine eastward to India and Nepal and the Pacific Islands. Diaspora Groove distills the seductive ingredients that make dancing to the music of the WD so incredibly impossible to resist. Ultimately, the Diaspora band will perform Diaspora Groove music to an active, dancing audience, which can be a euphoric, almost spiritual experience. Here are some of the characteristics of Diaspora Groove music. Percussion-driven--The music is driven not by rhythm guitar and bass, but by percussion, such as congas, timbales, and shakers. The busy percussion allows freedom for guitars, bass, and keyboards to intentionally drop notes, which can give the music a fun, syncopated feel and melodic tension. The undulating percussion compels the audience to get up and move. Syncopation creates an important tension in music. Tension is a magical element in all arts. Up-Tempo--The music moves at a quick pace and is energetic. Relatively sparse melodic parts--the music, especially the guitars, keyboards, and bass, generally leave a significant amount of space. Except for percussion, much of Diaspora Groove leaves room for the senses to absorb the sensuality of the music. Lines are simple but effective, hitting the right spots rather than all of the spots. Any complexity comes from the artful interaction of these parts. The space that the melodic instruments leave is filled with the complex layers of percussion. Often lyrically simple--The music is generally lyrically very simple. It is often made up of nothing more than repeating a single line with a choral response. Singing is performed much like chanting. This is not universal, however, as some songs have a full set of lyrics. Few chord changes--Normally 2-4 chords with some exceptions. While Western music often has complex chord structures and frequent changes, Diaspora Groove music emphasizes rhythm over harmonic complexity. Having fewer chord changes allows for the music to settle into a distinct and mood-setting groove. 4/4 timing-- to anchor all that syncopation and make the music more attractive for dancers, most music is in 4/4 time. Occasionally there are some songs in a 6/8 rhythm to add some variety. A somewhat open structure--This allows the ability to extend songs when revelers don’t want a break in their dancing. Other than these parameters, Diaspora Groove allows a band to develop its own voice, style and character. Within certain guidelines or tendencies, such as those listed above, the band should be able to explore ideas, inspiration, and influences that move the musicians within it.