Interview with Naima Shamborguer


Q: Please tell me a little bit about yourself and your influences. When did you start singing and when did you discover your love for jazz music?

Naima Shamborguer: I'm from a family of professional musicians who perform religious, classical, jazz and R&B music. I have extensive training in classical and jazz music. My influences just to name a few are, Sarah Vaughan, Dexter Gordon, John Coletrane, Miles Davis, Carmon McCrea. The City of Detroit is known for it great jazz history and from a very early age I have had the opportunity to be exposed to the great music at school, clubs and dances.

Q: A Blossom Sings is your second album. In which way is it different from your debut album Naima's Moods and where do you see your progress as a musician?

Naima Shamborguer: Since the time of Naima's Moods I feel I have become more creative to my approach and the feel is different even on the same tunes. During that time I was searching, and now "I have found my niche in A Blossom Songs, and I am more satisfied with the finished product." A Blossom Sings was a very exciting venture for me in that I was able to write and co-write original tunes with my friends.

Q: Please tell me something about the recording process of A Blossom Sings. How did you meet the musicians and what memorable stories did happen?

Naima Shamborguer: The process: The selection of tunes, arrangements and musicians to perform to interpret the music. Lay the rhythm with me singing. then ad the horns and all other instruments.
I have worked with all the musicians who have been my friends for many years. this is one of the joys of recording the CD.
Memorable moments:
The night that we recorded Music In The Air. Pamela Wise- Piano, Marion Hayden-Bass, Gayelynn Mckinney-Drums Steve Turre-Trombone and Seashells, Rayse Biggs-Trumpet Juma Santos-Percussion and Mahandi Masi Percussion, all just finished playing at the Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival that night and that week-end. It was twelve-thirty at night (morning) and everybody was ready to have a good time. We recorded that tune and finished it three takes. The tune was hot and ready for a party. We had a ball.

Q: You've chosen some rather obscure cover songs for A Blossom Sings like Hello Like Before, You And Me Against The World or Rhythm-A-Ning. Please tell me why you've chosen these songs.

Naima Shamborguer: Hello Like Before is a great song. The melody and lyrics are very strong. By the way lyrics and melody are very important to me in all the songs that I sing. You and me against is song about life and I can relate to it. Rhythm-A-Ning, I like Monk's unique approach to music and the challenge of singing it.

Q: The album's title song, A Blossom Sings, is your tribute to Sarah Vaughn. You've also written compositions and the narration of The Life of Sarah Vaughan. Please tell me more about this project and what does Sarah and her music mean to you?

Naima Shamborguer: I received a Creative Artist Grant from ArtServe Michigan and Michigan Council For The Arts and Cultural Affairs to compose music and write a story about the Life of Sarah Vaughan. The Life of Sarah Vaughan is designed to educate and increase awareness of the artistry of Sarah Vaughan to today's generation of students and other interested persons. The compositions include ballads, Latin and jazz tunes in the style made famous by Sarah Vaughan. In addition the history of her life is presented in narrative form by actor John Hardy and accompanied by an ensemble of musicians. The project is available for public performances, educational institutions and private organizations.
Sarah Vaughan's phrasing, her range her creativity and the way she could take an old standard and make it new, and how she stayed current throughout her entire career greatly influences my thinking about the music that I sing

Q: I suppose Shambones Music is your own imprint. How easy or difficult is it for you to be a singer/songwriter and having your own label at the same time? Would it be an option for you to go with a major label?

Naima Shamborguer: The business part is the most difficult part. The singing/songwriting is what I love and is not hard to do. I would go to another label if I had artistic control.

Q: You've told me that you will release a new album, From My Heart To Yours, at the end of this year. Please tell me more about the music and musicians on this album.

Naima Shamborguer: From My Heart To Yours is my dream project. It is a CD of ballads with different tempos. I will sing songs like Send in The Clowns, Smile, Lush Life, Nearness of You and many more. We are also using live strings. The musicians on the project are Buddy Budson (piano arranger for music and strings and musical director) Marion Hayden (bass), Bert Myrick (drums), George Saxman Benson, Wendell Harrison (tenor-clarinet), Steve Turre (trombone), Dwight Adams (trumpet), Mahendi Masi (percussion), Akua Dixon (arranger for the string quartet for the tune Lush Life).

Q: You're very popular in the Detroit jazz scene but yet there aren't many people outside Detroit who know your name. How come that you are Detroit's best kept secret?

Naima Shamborguer: My venue of music as you know is not as popular as it once was. Clubs, concert stages that were more liberal with st right ahead jazz music has changed around the country. I do perform around the country for festivals and concerts, and I have worked in NY and have been very well received. I look forward to performing in Europe.
Highlights: Worked with Kenny Burrell, Dizzy Gillespie, Donald Byrd, Geri Allen, James Carter Marcus Belgrave and the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, New York, NY.

For more infos visit naima.mybesthost.com, cdbaby.com and read my review of A Blossom Sings.