November 17 2010
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!
• Read more on BlogFromItaly.com
November 2 2010
It was a residency in New York last year that took award-winning vocalist and composer Daniela Nardi on her new path back to her Italian heritage. "I went to New York for some creative time, to be inspired, take in new sounds. I didn't think or expect I'd come back wanting to sing and write in my mother tongue - Italian"
Thus was born her 3rd recording project, "Espresso Manifesto" timeless Italian songs set in a cool jazz environment. It's a collection of songs by Italy's Cantautori, hip singer-songwriters like Paolo Conte, Luigi Tenco, Gino Paoli - universally loved and admired. "Espresso Manifesto" also introduces some songs penned by Nardi herself. All the tunes represent a new breed of Italian song - groovy, sophisticated, meaningful and emotional. The arrangements are equally
innovative. They blend Nardi's signature nujazz-world-electro sound
with Brazilian, Soul and Jazz.
The result: in "Espresso Manifesto" Italian cool meets Toronto-NewYork alternative hip.
"Something was pushing to go back to my roots, my Italian roots." says
Nardi. I wasn't inspired to go back to the folk songs of my parents' hometown in Calabria. I was more enchanted with the Italy of the 60's - Fellini, Loren, Mastroianni - and the songwriters who found their voice during this rich creative time. I was also drawn to the Italy whose Jazz tradition was censored by Mussolini in WW2, yet survived clandestinely, only to explode in the 50's and 60's."
Nardi had been singing a few Italian songs in her live sets. They all provoked great audience reaction. "This inspired me to search out more songs from some of Italy's most revered songwriters. I found some incredible gems. Brilliant and timeless songs."
At the same time, Nardi was diving deeper into cool, contemporary jazz sounds coming out of Europe, especially Italy, through her work as dj/host of "On the Rocks", a weekly radio program showcasing lounge, downtempo, nujazz and electronic music. "Artists like Gerardo Frisina, The Invisible Sessions, The Dining Rooms are producing truly fresh sounds with electronic production methods. They blend DJ energy with jazz musicianship and skill."
"Espresso Manifesto" will be Nardi's 3rd release after her critically acclaimed CDs "One True Thing" (Smooth Jazz Award Group of the Year nominee 2006) and "The Rose Tattoo". "Espresso Manifesto" is also Nardi's first collaboration with her husband, renowned jazz pianist Ron Davis.
The recording is in pre-production in Toronto, and is slated to be released in the fall of 2011.
The Old Mill performances will be two nights of previews of what's to come with this new project!
• More info on Old Mill Website
July 24 2010
Daniela Nardi will be featured as one of the "voices to watch" on Italy's Jazz program Anima Jazz hosted on Puntoradio.fm on Saturday July 24th, 9:30pm (Italy time)
• Read more on AnimaJazz site
June 1 2010
Alternative Emotive Rock singer/songwriter and Canadian Idol winner Theo Tams and EarthyModernJazzCool singer/songwriter and Female Vocalist of the Year for the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards Daniela Nardi present an evening of their work in a very close and intimate setting of the Studio Theatre at the Toronto Centre for the Arts.
• For Tickets and More Info
March 3 2010
Recent review of live show for Daniela Nardi with husband Ron Davis.
• READ ONLINE REVIEW
Radio show hosted by DN showcasing downtempo, nujazz, electronic and soul - Listen Saturday and Sundays 9pm-midnight EST on smoothjazznow.com
