I’ve met some very interesting people via Twitter, and the adventure continues. Today, via a retweet, I came across Toronto singer/songwriter Italian-Canadian Daniela Nardi. I then found out, after listening to Nardi’s music and visiting her website, that she was named Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2009 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards and Top Female Vocalist in Toronto for 2009 by NOW Magazine. If you listen to her sing, I think you’ll understand how she earned these accolades. She is a superb vocalist.
As you can probably tell from her name, Daniela Nardi is of Italian origins, and I would say the warmth and emotion she exhibits in her music comes from her Italian side. Today Daniela Nardi lives and works in Toronto, Canada. As I said, I had a listen to Daniela’s work, found it absorbing and very much liked what I heard. I suspect others might like Daniela’s “superior pop” blend too. Hence this post. I also wanted to tell you about an Italian flavoured project Nardi is cooking up. It was after a trip to New York that Nardi decided she wanted to do more in Italian. I guess she must have ended up in NYC’s little Italy!
Espresso Manifesto
The consequence of the New York trip is an album project called “Espresso Manifesto” which Nardi describes as “timeless Italian songs set in a cool jazz environment.”. Sounds intriguing. Once it hits the streets, or rather, nowadays, the world wide web, “Espresso Manifesto” should be Nardi’s versions of the songs of some of Italy’s best known singer-songwriters; Italian legends like Paolo Conte, Luigi Tenco, and Gino Paoli. The album will also feature Nardi’s own work, which will be in English (although I’ll try to persuade her to write something in Italian). Her new album is something to look forward to. While we wait for that treat, maybe you’d like to hear her album ‘The Rose Tattoo’, which is what I’ve been listening to tracks from.
Smooth and Sophisticated
Always smooth and sophisticated, Nardi’s vocal style is at times intense and a little dark. Her vocal virtuosity need to be complimented by an equally able band, which Nardi, fortunately, has. The presence of a clarinettist adds to the jazz, but not quite, feel of her music. I also loved guitarist Greg Kavanagh‘s contribution to the track you’ll hear shortly, 485. To be honest all of the musicians in her group do a great job. The result is inherently listenable. Music to chill to ostensibly, which is something we all need to do at times in this hectic world.
There’s a mix of influences in Nardi’s music too – from Arab to jazz to pop, R’nB, plus a dash of funk. I think I also detected a hint of country too, as well as an Italian feel at times. Her warm, soft and silky tones hug and hold onto you, or that’s what I found after having listened to a few of the tracks from her album The Rose Tattoo. Nardi’s music has been described as having a ‘signature nujazz-world-electro sound with Brazilian, Soul and Jazz’. I think the description is a wee bit confusing, I will admit. Just listen and you’ll understand. I’ve been listening and I think I can feel an iTunes purchase coming on.
Songs in Italian
During her stage shows Nardi told me that she sings a few songs in Italian, and that these get a good reception. This means Nardi has not forgotten her Italian roots, which is good to hear. Daniela Nardi’s mother, who sadly passed away two years ago, was from Crotone, near Catanzaro, and her father hails from a tiny mountain town named Carolei, which is near Cosenza. Both Crotone and Carolei are in Calabria in Italy’s south.
Stop reading, start speaking
Stop translating in your head and start speaking Italian for real with the only audio course that prompt you to speak.
Right, with a little luck I’ve piqued your musical curiosity, so here’s Daniela Nardi’s 485 for you to savour:
Daniela Nardi – 485
[youtube width=”480″ height=”385″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJDunu87taE[/youtube]
More about Daniela Nardi
If you’d like to know more about Daniela Nardi and hear more of her music, then you can via her website: DanielaNardi.com, or you can listen here: Daniela Nardi on MySpace, and should you like what you hear, you can “like” her Facebook page: The Music of Daniela Nardi. On iTunes you can pick up a copies of her albums The Rose Tattoo and One True Thing, as well as the EP Fugitive Kind Remix (Remix By Tyrrell).
Should someone want to book Nardi for a gig, at some event like Umbria Jazz, for example, her EPK is here on SonicBids.
I’ve asked Daniela Nardi to let me know when her Expresso Manifesto album is ready – so I can listen to and write about it. And if anyone reading knows the great Paolo Conte – get him to listen to Nardi’s work and, if he likes it, I’m sure Nardi would love to hear from him. She’d like to work with Conte too, I believe.
Images used with kind permission of Daniela Nardi.
