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Interviews & Features

Detroit Free Press: Nadir Omowale and His Band a Must See at Arts, Beats and Eats 2019

Each year on Labor Day weekend, Royal Oak throws a huge block party that’s a treat for the eyes, taste buds and especially the ears. During the four days of Arts, Beats & Eats, which kicks off Friday, more than 200 musical performances will unfold on nine stages situated throughout downtown.

Though big-name acts like Third Eye Blind and the All-American Rejects will occupy the Michigan Lottery National Stage, much of the music at AB&E comes courtesy of made-in-Michigan acts like Stone Clover, Escaping Pavement and Jennifer Westwood & the Handsome Devils. Here’s a look at a terrific 10 local acts worthy of your time and consideration this weekend.

“Nadir Omowale is a songwriter, guitarist, producer (and more), who leads a high-energy ensemble that channels the unhinged party vibe of Funkadelic, samples the showmanship and virtuosity of Prince and then accelerates it all with a rock ‘n’ roll engine. The artist and his band, winners of multiple Detroit Music Awards, have garnered reviews that name-check Jimi Hendrix and Sly and the Family Stone as comparative reference points.”  

Friday, August 30, 2019
Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats
5:30 p.m., Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Rock Stage

Read More HERE

 

Too Much Life To Be Lived – Jane Asher’s Interview with Nadir Omowale on The Next Room

On The Next Room, Jane Asher takes you on a soulful journey to explore and embrace the bigger picture surrounding life on earth…and what follows. She speaks with authors, friends, transition specialists and other experts about death, dying, grieving, beliefs and cultural traditions surrounding this journey we all must ultimately take. So, what is next, after life on this plane?

Jane has Nadir Omowale on the Next Room to talk about the legacy we leave behind. How do we honor our loved ones principles once they transition? How do we uphold their memory at the same time do justice to the lessons they taught us? These topics and more with a man that doesn’t have time to stand still while we explore the Next Room!

Part 1: CLICK HERE TO LISTEN:
Part 2: CLICK HERE TO LISTEN 

The Year of Living Stevie: Nadir Omowale and his Band Discuss and Perform The Music of Stevie Wonder

“The Year of Living Stevie” is host Daryl Bean’s biweekly podcast about life, creativity, and the music of Stevie Wonder. In each episode, musicians explore Stevie’s influence, and the affect his music has had on them.

In this episode, musician/vocalist/songwriter/producer Nadir Omowale and his band (Steve Caldwell, guitar; Phil Whitfield, keyboards; Chris Spooner, bass; Lauren Johnson, drums) talk about political activism through music, their deep well of experience in the industry, and what made Nadir want to throw his bass at a drummer (not Lauren). Plus they perform two deep Stevie tracks, “That Girl”, from Original Musiquarium, and “Let’s Get Serious” (a hit for Jermaine Jackson, but written and produced by Stevie).

Click HERE to Listen.

Voices of Vision: Live An Inspired Life with Nadir Omowale

[Click Here to Listen]

Voices of Vision is a weekly radio show with radio and voice over personality, Jane Asher. She is motivated and inspired daily by discovering the deepest passion in others. So, what exactly is it that excites, motivates and empowers individuals to explore and achieve their full potential? To find answers, Jane searches through her vast network of connections, and each week she interviews thought provoking influencers, change agents, positive authors, non-profits with a mission of bettering humanity and the humble hero next door who elevates one person at a time. She is curious by nature and a natural bliss broker. Jane loves people and thrives on the opportunity to give a voice to their vision.

In this episode, Jane gets up close and personal with her friend Nadir Omowale. Nadir is an Artist, Musician, Producer, Writer and Creative Strategist. When he’s not working on a creative project he is working with his most inspired life’s calling,  being present with his four-year-old twins Maya and Miles. From chasing fire flies in the backyard to feeding their curiosity about life, this creative soul is busy with his beautiful wife, Akanke and their two children living in the now. This show also features Nadir’s latest single Blue Lights. Join Jane and Nadir as they talk about the big picture, play some music and have a few laughs on Voices of Vision.

[Click Here to Listen]

SoulTracks.com: First Listen: Nadir funks it up with a message on “Blue Lights”

We’ve had an awesome response to “Blue Lights” so far, and here’s a beautiful example. SoulTracks.com the biggest soul music site on the planet, offered Nadir’s new funk single to their audience as a First Listen. Check it out:

SoulTracks.com says:  Working For the Man, J. Nadir Omowale’s 2008 polemical album dropped like a bomb into the political, military and economic upheavals taking place in that year. The urgent and powerful funk of the title track pretty much captured the feelings of every working man and woman at a time when the economy was in free fall, mainly due to the greed and incompetence of the people at the top. The rocking Detroit funk man came back in 2012 with the very good, though less overtly political The Book of Jonah, and in the year 2017, Nadir has returned.

A lot transpired – particularly in the fraught relationship between law enforcement and minority communities – between 2012 and 2017, and Nadir has something to say.

READ MORE HERE

 

Detroit Free Press: For Detroit musician Nadir, it ‘all comes from the funk’

Nadir_Nader_door-ENT-IMG-7733Originally published in the Detroit Free Press

The multifaceted music of Nadir Omowale is rooted in funk, but it always expands. It takes on the vibes of soul, R&B, rock, dance-pop and mashes it into a diverse blend that’s built on emotion: celebratory sing-alongs, cathartic, guitar-heavy head-bangers and poignant ballads bared with thought-provoking social commentary.

READ MORE HERE

 

The Productivity In Tech Podcast: Good Work/Life Balance with Nadir Omowale

Sketchnotes by Jay Miller for the Productivity In Tech PodcastOn the Productivity in Tech Podcast, Jay Miller sits down every week to discuss productivity with people in the technology industries.

In this episode, Jay interviewed Nadir, and they discussed work/life balance, an illusive, ever-evolving concept, especially when you’re “over ambitious with time management” like musician, entrepreneur, husband and father Nadir.

Interesting topics they discuss:

Follow Jay on Twitter – @ProdTechPodcast
Join the Productivity in Tech Slack Team – productvitiyintech.com/joinpit
Join his Facebook Group – productivityintech.com/fb

Support him on Patreon to Hear the Unedited version of this and all other Episodes

Outside The Box: Mixing on the Icon Pro Audio Qcon Pro with Nadir Omowale

Originally Published in the Icon Pro Audio newsletter

It’s difficult to place Detroit-based singer songwriter, musician, engineer/producer Nadir Omowale into a box. He’s best known as an artist and performer, laying down his own unique blend of guitar-driven funk, rock and Distorted Soul. But over the past few years, the Tennessee raised multi-instrumentalist has spent much of his time engineering, producing and collaborating with talent as varied as RocNation phenomenon Mayaeni, spoken word maven jessica Care moore, indie soul stalwart Amp Fiddler, Detroit techno legends Underground Resistance, Midwest Americana queen Jill Jack and a growing client base of young rock, soul, hip hop and even country artists.

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Metro Times: Nadir Omowale to perform free concert in Troy on Friday

Originally Published in the Metro Times

Two of the hottest names in modern media technology – Antelope Audio and GoPro personal video cameras – will join forces to offer a peek at the future of live music Friday night (Nov. 21) at a free concert in Troy.

“Nadir’s Electric Lounge: A Multimedia Funk Experience,” a Detroit R&B extravaganza starring bass guitar virtuoso, producer and 13-time Detroit Music Award winner Nadir Omowale, rolls out at 8 p.m. at NextWave Media Lab, 950 Stephenson Highway.

Nadir_wecare_crop_LindsayKing430 In addition to Nadir’s eight-piece ensemble, the show will feature guest appearances by emerging rocker Steffanie Christi’an and soul exciter Michael Turner. The Detroit rock emcee Volcano will host, and DJ Ray 7 of Underground Resistance will fill in the sonic gaps. Nadir and his band were invited to be the subjects of this showcase after executives at Antelope Audio were introduced to his high-energy performing style. Continue reading

Big & Bigger on CaveRadio with Nadir, Volcano, Chris Spooner, and DJ Ray 7

Friday, November 14 was a night full of surprises as Nadir, Christopher Spooner, DJ Ray 7, and Volcano visited the CaveRadio studios and appeared on the show Big and Bigger.

The fellas talked about Nadir’s Electric Lounge, discussed their favorite war movies, and played a few funky tunes including an unexpected and highly unorthodox rap battle between Volcano and some random dude from the bar next door. Hilarity ensues…

Click HERE to LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE SHOW ON PODCAST

Or check out a clip of the guys’ performance below.

Post by Alan Isaacson.<

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