![]() ![]() Michelle May has been a performer, educator, writer and producer for over 35 years. Musique Noire was also awarded "Best Black Female Band of the Year" at the 2015 Black Women inJazz and the Arts Awards in Atlanta, GA. "Outstanding World Artist/Group" and "Outstanding World Recording". ![]() Musique Noire was nominated in 2018 by the Detroit Music Awards as ![]() TheĮnsemble were 2018 TEDx Detroit performer/presenters. Jazz Group through Black Women in Jazz Awards out of Atlanta, GA. Outstanding Jazz Recording (2009, 2018) and Outstanding World/Reggae Noire were 2009, 2010, 20 Detroit Music Awards nominees for I will be doing both because it is a recording that I found extremely enjoyable. Mostly instrumental, Good Hair is one of those rare recordings that can be listened to closely with headphones or put on for an ambient background effect. Musique Noire is a classy group that can move in any musical direction with ease and grace. They may call it "Good Hair," but the 10 tracks on this CD add up to what I call "excellent album." Other original works are wrapped around a jazzy version of "Eleanor Rigby," before culminating in the title track. At times reminiscent of Jean-Luc Ponty, there are other offerings that certainly are enough to make this gypsy weep. Opening with "Uncle Check's Cha-Cha," the group moves through two original compositions, one sounding very eastern European, before taking a turn at Chick Corea's "La Fiesta." It's probably a safe bet to say that was not written for violin, but it sounds like it could have been. That made for a very enjoyable listen as the group took me around the musical world in style and structure. Unlike Orpheum Bell, which maintained a clear style throughout each track, Musique Noire seems to change styles with every song. The group Musique Noire, which recorded its debut album Good Hair (2008) around the Livonia area, is made up of Michelle May, Leslie Deshazor Adams, Leah Lucas, Jovia Armstrong, and Mark Sawasky. It's an inspirational listening experience. Each member takes on production roles with different tracks and is each trade off as lead arranger from piece to piece. The groups core, May on violin, Leslie DeShazor Adams on viola, Leah Lucas Celebi on viola/violin and JoVia Armstrong on percussion, are featured throughout the album, along with several guests like Marion Hayden on bass and Elden Kelly on guitar. "If you look in our eyes, you see our wisdom / our survival / our trials. The bass can shine on the groove-centric "We Breathe," which closes things out with a poignant spoken-word performance by violinist Michelle May. "Reflections" slows the tempo and all but takes it away for a nocturne of quiet contemplation until it can't help but burst just past it's 1-minute mark with ebullient symbols and a minimalist guitar giving nice augmented radiance to the impassioned strings. The Spanish guitar flourishes of "Whiskey & Sangria" are transportive and given extra evocation by the taut expressiveness of the strings. The ribbon-like kite gust of "Ibelec's" primary melody is indelible and carries you away. Mesmerizing vocals and sinewy/smooth strings set the stage for what will be a venturous and stylized album that celebrates women warriors, while combining vibes, rhythms and signature phrasings from all over the world. Musique Noire open their latest album with a vibrant interpretation of Nina Simone's "Four Women," springing forth from the indefatigable spirit of its lyrics and suturing a sureness and empowerment from its outset, a theme and an energy that will continue throughout. Marion Haden's (sic) liquid bass lines and Armstrong's lively percussion add danceable rhythms, and soon, violist Leslie Deshazor and guitarist Elden Kelly are lifting their feet and dancing along on their respective instruments." - Jazziz Magazine Written by JoVia Armstrong, the instrumental "Reflections", included here, begins with the gentle strum of the acoustic guitar and the plaintive sound of the viola before the tune takes a turn for the celebratory. ![]() That the group comprises all women lends a powerful point of view, particularly on a potent interpretation of Nina Simone's 'Four Women', the vocal parts shared among the group. But jazz and blues provide the bedrock on which they build, as they and their guests draw connections between America's grand music and its antecedents and analogs on 'Reflections: We Breathe' (Ann Vincent Productions), their latest recording. Led by violinist and flutist Michelle May, Motor City quartet Musique Noire weave elements of Spain, Africa, India and the Middle East into their sonic tapestry. "The cultural melting pot of Detroit has produced remarkable jazz artists who incorporate diverse ethnic sounds into their music. ![]()
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