Friday, November 24, 2000 marked one year since Aisha Angela Taylor formed her music and culture firm, the Soulful Expression.  Along with master percussionist and drum maker, Njacko Backo and William Carter, virtuoso bass player, Aisha’s vocals and stirring grand piano playing transformed the Northern District Library in Toronto into a soul oasis.

 

With a tight rhythmic engine of Cameroon’s Njacko Backo’s rattles, booming bass drums and chimes, and William Carter’s rollicking bass lines from his New York past in funk and church gigs, Aisha was able to take the audience, made up of people ranging in ages from 8-80, to another zone.  Aisha and her bandmates opened the first set with African Spirit, Aisha up in the aisles with mic in hand as she crooned above the battery of percussion.  This selection, which is on her debut CD, The Soulful Expression of an African from America, had the crowd clapping and swaying as she crouched at one row of smiling customers in a flowing dress shimmering under the lights.  John Coltrane’s piece, Afro Blue was sung, interwoven in the tune, and enchantingly, to Aisha’s reaching, trilling grand piano.  The number ended in a whooping applause, and the die was cast for an evening of Classic African American Soul, Blues and Jazz.

 

Encouraged by two MCs, Colin Bacchus and Bankole Irungu, the all ages crowd was soon grooving to Omowale, on which William Carter produced a rumbling, zooming bass solo that had some in the audience alternately clapping, shouting encouragement and even holding their heads and staring at the floor in wonder.  This original composition, by Aisha Angela Taylor, is dedicated to the African statesman Malcolm X, who would have been 75 this year and whom inspired freedom fighters and Human Rights advocates the world over prior to assassination in the US in 1965.

 

Other highlights included another John Coltrane selection, Naima, which Aisha sang, her full three octave range and keyboard solo soaring over Njacko’s solid djembe flourishes and William’s caressed bass strings.  Invisible Refugee, which had the crowd on the edges of their seats, featured Aisha’s voice calling, pleading and insisting that Africans from America like herself have their refugee claims recognized as would any other people in the world would, their Human Rights respected in Canada and globally.  This piece contained call and response rhythms among the trio, and an emotional, extended vocal coda by Aisha, as she “bothered” the last lines of the tune.  Later, the purchasers of the CD repeatedly asked if Invisible Refugee was on the disk.  It is scheduled for recording in the future.

 

Following intermission, I Remember Three, a favourite on the CD, was played to the crowd’s enjoyment.  A medium clip paced Miles Davis’ All Blues, featuring William’s looping bass figures, a steady heavy Njacko drum foundation and Aisha’s rocking piano and gospel flavoured vocals had heads nodding and feet tapping.  After Aisha’s introduction of Canadian Soul Music Blues, “ ….if you like Nina Simone, you will probably like this”, the group’s bluesy slow pace began and featured a twinkling intro by Aisha.  The lyrics spoke to Canada’s White musicians, music industry and news critics’ suppression of Aisha and other Africans from America being able to play the music of their genuine experience.  White and other audience members appeared to have listened intently to this refusal to settle for the injustice, and expressed their applause richly, obviously not having heard this view often, if ever.  God Bless The Child, a Billie Holliday classic was Aisha’s vehicle to “go to church” and she had the group clapping and inspired by her cries and humming as “Grandmama” would.  William, as most Africans from the States has, played his “axe” in churches while growing up, and easily lent a flowing, and sometimes plucking bass flavour here, aided by Njacko, whose complements at breaks were brilliant.  The final composition was another vocal showcase for Aisha, I Dream, an original by her which speaks to striving for “a better world, a better land”.  This fine piece is as yet unrecorded but was a fitting end for an evening of Soulful Expression.

 

Thanks were given to the audience for their appreciation and support.

The reception that followed the set featured mm’ Yumm Vegetarian Catering providing a variety of tasty items and herbal drinks for the November night.  Mingling was friendly and cameras flashed as the complimentary snacks were consumed.  Cds were purchased, announcements and acknowledgements were made to particular supporters of The Soulful Expression.  Numerous people aided in the breakdown and transport of equipment to Aisha and Bankole’s rented vehicle and farewells were said, with promises to interact made.

 

The Soulful Expression, the dream of Aisha Angela Taylor is today a reality and continues to touch people of all backgrounds in Canada.  The simple, direct honesty of an artist and cultural worker dedicated to promoting her own and defending her own cultural gifts as an African from America has an astounding effect on everyone the proud woman meets.  As all her trailblazers before her, such as Bessie Smith, Charlie Parker, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, Horace Tapscott, Melba Liston, Sun Ra, Mary Lou Williams and John Coltrane, Aisha Angela Taylor is a protector and projector of the culture of African people in America’s heritage musically.  Her authenticity has recently resulted in her first television appearance on Rogers Daytime cable television, (Nov. 23, 2000), numerous radio spots, interviews and CD rotations and many to follow.  The fact of her being in exile from the US, an artist awaiting Canada’s response to her case for Political Refugee status and producing this effort literally defies reality as many know it!

 

One year to the month of the birth of this innovative music firm, a dedicated Aisha Angela Taylor has begun a new era in promoting and performing authentic culture.  What lies ahead will no doubt be a stunning musical and professional future.