When Somi was growing up, her mother told her that the rain, ever unpredictable, could be as much a blessing as a challenge. The blessings might come before the rain, or they could come after--it's all in the timing, she said. That notion has stayed with the charismatic singer and songwriter all her life and now provides a metaphorical focus for her third album, If The Rains Come First. The album, which releases on ObliqSound, is a stunning collection of self-penned story-based songs, a meditation on opening ourselves up to life's blessings and challenges much in the way that we accept the rain and all that it brings. If the Rains Come First builds upon elements that first surfaced on Somi's two previous recordings: the electric soul-jazz of 2003's Eternal Motive (SanaaHouse) and the acoustic, culture-merging elegance of 2007's multilingual Red Soil in My Eyes (World Village/Harmonia Mundi). But her further evolution becomes immediately apparent as If the Rains Come First unfolds. Singing in English and three East African languages, Somi's vocal delivery is subtle yet the power she exerts is enormous.
From the album's opening track, "Hot Blue," Somi's delicate yet pliant vocalizing is matched by the band's flair for establishing a potent groove against a sweet melody line. It is forward motion, a flawless juxtaposition of sizzling rhythm, instantly memorable melody and a vocal style that JazzTimes magazine describes as "the earthy gutsiness of Nina Simone blended with the vocal beauty of Dianne Reeves," All Music Guide calls "hauntingly reverent, intense and utterly captivating," and Vogue simply calls "superb." With an all-star African rhythm section featuring Madou Koné, Herve Samb and Michael Olatuja and a special guest appearance by legendary trumpeter Hugh Masekela on the album, Somi burrows deep into her words and something transcendent emerges.
As her career has taken off, Somi's talents have been called upon for collaborations and live performances with such greats as John Legend, Cassandra Wilson, Mos Def and Paul Simon. Most recently, internationally renowned Israeli singer-songwriter Idan Raichel featured her vocals on his latest album Within My Walls (Cumbancha), on the track "Maisha," which Somi also co-wrote. In addition to her own works, Somi also aims to bring other important cultural gems to light, and has founded a non-profit arts organization, New Africa Live, committed to producing multidisciplinary events that celebrate contemporary African artists.
