Meshell Ndegeocello, a genre-defying bass player and songwriter, joins acclaimed producer Don Was and drummer Abe Rounds for a deep dive into creativity and collaboration. They discuss Meshell's latest albums, exploring their roots in Black literature and the vibrant culture of D.C. The trio shares insights on the significance of solitude in fostering creativity and the emotional bonds forged in music. Their conversation offers a poignant look at navigating the music industry and the transformative power of collaboration.
Meshell Ndegeocello's innovative projects reflect her Washington D.C. cultural roots and pay tribute to influential figures like Baldwin and Lorde.
Her musical journey is deeply influenced by go-go music, shaping her rhythmic sensibilities and fostering community connections through performance.
The discussion emphasizes the importance of trust and deep listening in collaborative music creation, allowing for organic and spontaneous interactions.
Deep dives
Innovative Collaborations in Music
Michelle Ndegeocello's latest projects, including The Omnicord Reelbook and No More Water, highlight her innovative collaborations with other artists and reflect her deep roots in the Washington D.C. culture. These works serve as tributes to influential figures like James Baldwin and Audre Lorde, blending her musical background with powerful literary influences. The album's creative process involved fellow musicians, demonstrating Michelle's commitment to a communal approach rather than a solitary one. This ethos fosters a vibrant creative environment where ideas can flourish and evolve collectively.
The Impact of Go-Go Music
Go-go music is presented as a foundational influence in Michelle's musical journey, shaping her rhythmic sensibilities and performance style. Growing up in D.C., she experienced go-go as the primary local sound, providing a unique cultural context that informed her musicianship. The discussion reveals the genre's deep masculine energy and the discipline required to perform it effectively, which cultivated a strong sense of community and connection with the audience. This genre's legacy persists in her work, demonstrating the lasting impressions of her early musical experiences.
The Role of Trust in Performance
Michelle and her drummer Abe Rounds explore the significance of trust in the context of musical performance, emphasizing the need to listen deeply and respond organically to one another. This approach involves surrendering the desire for control and allows for richer, more fluid interactions during live shows and recording sessions. Michelle shares her journey of overcoming the habit of 'counting' during performances, encouraging a more instinctual, feeling-based connection to the music. This philosophy aligns with how a true collaboration unfolds, highlighting the beauty of improvisation and spontaneity in music.
Navigating Artistic Identity and External Expectations
The conversation delves into the tension between an artist's self-expression and external pressures from the music industry, particularly concerning race and genre. Michelle candidly recounts experiences where industry professionals encouraged her to conform to certain expectations, which ultimately did not resonate with her artistic vision. She reflects on how these challenges shape an artist's journey and the importance of authenticity over conforming to trends. This struggle underscores the necessity for artists to stay true to themselves while navigating a landscape filled with demands for marketability.
The Journey of Self-Acceptance
Michelle shares her reflections on personal growth and the path toward self-acceptance within her artistic career, which is tied to her identity and experiences in America. She articulates a transition from seeking validation through external achievements, like awards or acclaim, to finding worth in the sincerity of her music. This maturation process involves understanding the common struggles all humans face, regardless of identity, and prioritizing meaningful connections over superficial recognition. Ultimately, she expresses a desire to create art that promotes love and understanding, aiming to foster a sense of community through her work.
Meshell Ndegeocello doesn’t fit neatly into any “jazz” label - or any label of any kind for that matter. She’s a phenomenal bass player, deep songwriter, beautiful interpreter of song, wonderful band leader and has had one bad ass career. It’s fitting that after a circuitous journey through the industry that started as one of the premiere artists on the Madonna helmed Maverick Records in the early 90s, that she’s now released two albums on Blue Note Records under Don Was.
The first was last year’s The Omnichord Real Book — a project with a fascinating origin we’ll be discussing on today’s episode. The latest is 2024’s No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin … a tribute to two of the great Black American writers and thinkers of the last century: James Baldwin and Audre Lorde.
That might sound heady but consider the source: Meshell is the product of a Washington DC upbringing … a city awash in culture like Go-Go Music and also politics, think tanks and the like. Like her DC home, Meshell’s a great synthesizer of music and ideas.
Joining Meshell, Don Was and myself in our chat is Abe Rounds … an in-demand drummer and musician who’s been playing with Meshell since she picked him out of Berklee College of Music. And has also worked closely with Andrew Bird, Nick Hakim, Blake Mills and many more. In today’s episode he helps us gain some valuable insight into what it’s like to be a close collaborator of Meshell Ndgeocello’s.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Meshell Ndegeocello songs HERE.
