WHASINGTON, DC. (The Ghatt Law Group/ www.wayna.net) - Neo-soul recording artist, Wayna, who
Stevie Wonder has tapped to be a featured artist on his upcoming independent label, will release her debut full-length compact disc, Moments of Clarity: Book 1 this November 30, 2004 under her Indie imprint Quiet Power Productions.
Fans who appreciate fusion of soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and hip hop will fall in love with the singer/songwriter, whose vocal styling has been compared to Minnie Riperton, Billie Holiday and Erykah Badu. 'Her voice reminds me of Serita,'
Stevie Wonder said. 'She's wonderful.' True followers of the music scene can look forward to hearing powerful beats and arrangements by acclaimed producers, Kev Brown formerly of DJ
Jazzy Jeff's A Touch of Jazz Productions and famed DJ, Roddy Rod, part of a collection of local and national producers who collaborated with Wayna to complete this album.
The voyage to create Moments of Clarity began five years ago when Wayna, a former pageant queen, left her job at the White House as a writer for President Clinton to concentrate on her music. The journey climaxed following a January 2004 twilight performance at the renowned
Santa Monica hot spot The Temple Bar, where the band was joined by special guest, Stevie Wonder. Moved by Wayna's expressive vocals and impassioned lyrics, Stevie approached Wayna after the show and invited her to collaborate with him on his upcoming launch of an independent label. One would expect that being exalted by such a music powerhouse as the equivocal of 'the next big thing' would have given Wayna the motivation to create the best music she had ever written.
Instead, Wayna fell into a writing slump, struggling to complete the remaining songs on the album.
The woman who had the patience and musical ear to teach herself to play the piano practicing on the old Steinway in her college dormitory would eventually dig herself out of that slump, but not without summoning the spirit of musical legends of the past.
Wayna locked herself in a room full of old albums and absorbed day in and day out the music of soul, jazz and R&B greats, Minnie Riperton, Curtis Mayfield, Billie Holiday and Donny Hathaway. She came up with a daily routine that required her to dedicate most of her time and energy to concentrating on her writing. 'I found that my study of those legends was all I needed to break out of that slump,' Wayna recalls, 'that and my discovery of Minnie Riperton, who I learned ironically had collaborated with
Stevie Wonder on her most successful album before her untimely death.'
What has emerged is a collection of infectious, introspective songs that fuse soul, jazz, and hip hop music to speak in a universal voice about love, loss, faith and courage. 'I've poured some of the hardest lessons I have had to learn into these songs,' says the Ethiopian-born singer.
The album will be released this November 30, 2004 at a CD release party at the
Pearl Restaurant and Lounge, 901 9th Street, NW, Washington, DC at 6pm. Following the release, Wayna will be performing locally and nationally to promote the album, which will be available online and in local record stores.
