Tawanda - Smile (Official Video Promo)
The 9th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, held in Newark, New Jersey on June 6, 2021, uncovered a 25-year-old singer with such grace, musicality, and emotional directness that it was hard to imagine how she had learned so much, so soon. Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim, now known simply as Tawanda, could have rested on the natural beauty of her alto voice, with its trombone-like low notes, a middle register as clear and polished as glass, and a distinctively sweet-and-sour tone. But in the course of three songs—“All or Nothing at All,” “Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry,” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business”— she revealed a deeper aim: to share stories with the utmost clarity and the least amount of clutter. She was rhythmically spot-on, with impeccable diction, but underneath it, all lay wisdom unusual in one so young.
For her debut album Tawanda took on a broad, demanding repertoire, much of it suggested by Resonance owner-producer George Klabin. Through it runs a strain of steadfast optimism. After her hard times, she says, “these songs were like medicine. To go into the studio and sing about joy and dreams and love was a big challenge but at the same time it inspired me to keep my head up. You can manifest through singing.”
The opening medley "Smile", tells of the need to soldier forth with hope in one’s heart. When the background turns to trio jazz and the song to “I’m All Smiles,” Tawanda floats over the chart’s rhythmic breaks as blithely as if she were taking a stroll in the park.
Featuring:
Tawanda on Vocals
Josh Nelson and Tamir Hendelman on Piano
Kevin Axt on Bass
Gene Coye and Ray Brinker on Drums
Anthony Wilson on Guitar
Gary Meek on Saxophones
Arrangements by Josh Nelson, Tamir Hendelman, and Kuno Schmid
Produced by George Klabin
Find us at
https://www.resonancerecords.org
/ resonancerecordsjazz
/ resonancerecordsjazz
Follow Tawanda at
https://Tawandamusic.com
/ hakunatawanda
Video Production:
@Gala Sound N Vision