Music In Homes: A. Spencer Barefield, Shahida Nurullah & Friends

Vocalist Shahida Nurullah • Guitarist A. Spencer Barefield
Pianist Pamela Wise • Bassist Jeff Pedraz • Drummer Djallo Djakate

The epitome of great Jazz and Blues that emanates from Detroit’s musical legacy, Shahida Nurullah is one of the motor city’s most treasured jazz vocalists. Her repertoire includes jazz, blues, samba, bossa nova, show tunes, American Songbook, and Brazilian and New Orleans gems. Shahida’s talents have been internationally lauded from the stages of the Detroit Jazz Festival, Preservation Hall, New York City, Paris, Amsterdam and beyond. Singing in three languages, her lush and upbeat voice is reminiscent of the classic styles of Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McRae and is steeped in the musical nuances garnered with performing with luminaries such as Geri Allen, Marcus Belgrave, Charlie Gabriel, Donald Walden and others.

Guitarist A. Spencer Barefield shares this musical legacy with Shahida. The artistic director of Music in Homes, is “an extraordinary guitarist/composer” according to JazzTimes. He has performed extensively throughout Europe and the U.S. with legends Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Oliver Lake, and Reggie Workmen, to name a few. A Kresge Arts Fellow, and recipient of numerous grants for composing, he recently was awarded support from the prestigious Knight Foundation.

Creating the holiday spirit with Shahida and Spencer will be pianist supreme, Kresge Arts Fellow Pamela Wise, bassist Jeff Pedraz and drummer Djakate Djakate.

“The motivation, inspiration, passion and vision of Pamela Wise’s music comes from tracing the music of her African ancestors. Drum rhythms and patterns are the basis of her work…,” states Kresge Arts, awarding Wise with the prestigious 2016 Kresge Artist Fellowship. Dan Ouellette of Downbeat raves, “Wise, an assured bop pianist with a Tyneresque (as in McCoy Tyner) touch, composes strong melodies and braces them with the simmering rhythms of the Afro-Cuban tradition.” A powerful voice on the keyboards, Wise is one of Detroit’s Jazz leaders making a strong impact around the globe, as well as mentoring young, emerging talent.

Jeff Pedraz is a native of Philadelphia, and yet another outstanding composer/educator. While there, he worked with jazz luminaries, such as drummer Mickey Roker, saxophonist Cecil Payne and others. He has toured internationally with jazz guitar legend Pat Martino. In the faculty of the University of Windsor, Pedraz is known for his versatility and virtuosity on both the double bass and electric bass. A sought after bassist, he has worked in a range of musical genres ranging from orchestral to jazz and beyond.

Well respected for his versatility, Djallo Djakate is one of the most in-demand drummers in town, equally at home hitting the bebop rhythms as he is playing techno, reggae, gospel, avant garde or blues. He’s performed countless gigs at the Detroit Jazz Festival, as well as at the Montreux Tokyo International Jazz Festival and the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. He has toured and recorded internationally with Marcus Belgrave, Charlie Gabriel, Harvey Thompson, Alvin Waddles and many others.

Their musical magic will pave a journey for a new year of enchantment for Music in Homes! The festivities include a delicious light meal, gourmet pastries and desserts, and sparkling wine for a pre-New Year’s Eve toast. Tickets: $60; VIP seating in front rows with additional leg room, early admission, first on line for dinner: $70.