WORDS & MUSIC ES11-CD

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    November 15, 2017

CONTACT: Jean Smith, 1.203.838.3959, info@nedgjean.com and http://www.NedGJean.com

NEDDY SMITH LATEST CD RELEASE TITLED “MY POCOMANIAN GIRL” DROPS NOVEMBER 15th, 2017.

NedGJean Productions is proud to release the CD of this nationally known bassist, singer/songwriter, composer/producer and performer, poet and author, Neddy Smith. The release of his CD to the worldwide public drops November 15TH. Available online via digital download, streaming and on physical media will be available for purchase mostly via stores such as CDBaby®, Amazon®, iTunes®, and others where music is sold and streamed internationally online. Dates for Performances will broadcast as soon as possible.

Singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist Neddy Smith is a trailblazer in the world of music. As a performer and recording artist, he has defied traditional boundaries that restrict his sense of creative freedom; he also protects himself from residing in anyone’s established pigeonhole. By choice, he writes and sings songs that reflects his sense of being while playing the upright or electric bass accompanied by other musicians.

As a bandleader, he feels spiritually alive. His style is funky, reggae, dancehall, tropical grooves, easy listening songs about tradition, culture, love, peace, happiness, and life. He plays sweet basslines and vocalizes memorable melodies with words that speak to the human condition. Although he likes to swing a hot jazz number and reaches deep for a soulful Blues, his latest album digs far more in-depth into his cultural past and expressions from his formative years. Thus, bringing value and meaning to each vocal track on the recordings to help heal a troubled world crying out for help. Neddy has skillfully blended this album into a seamless flow of an enjoyable playlist of songs.

Switching his focus back to his singing after releasing his last vocal album in 2007, Neddy decided to return mainly to vocalizing for his fans who were left behind while composing for his Jazz projects and a contemporary instrumental album. This CD is continuing his emancipation journey. Neddy has released a few 12” vinyl records in the past. He has also worked on various other albums plus three previous of his own.

They’re as follow, “Turnaround” (2007), a collection of his earlier songs written in the 80’s in 2007. “Mood Swing” (2015), a contemporary Jazz CD dedicated to his love of the art form. “Blue Monday” (2016), an instrumental CD he composed to express his international taste for all genres of musical traditions.

He has also authored a novel, “Valerie Palmary: A Small-Town Girl” which started as a song and later completed and released as a single in 2017.

Neddy Smith latest CD project, “My Pocomanian Girl,” an all-original song album, takes on the Afro-Jamaican folklore rhythms such as mento, ska, rock-steady, reggae, dancehall, tropical and other popular musical rhythmic styles for dancing.

He has performed in concert all over the world with such musical geniuses as Eric Gale, Ernest Ranglin, Cecile Lloyd, Freddy Waits, and Alston Bair. He has shared the stage with, Dr. Michiro Negishi, Andrew De’ Nicola, Nate Lesser, and Marcel Blanche performing live at the Fire House 12 in New Haven, CT. Also, with Paul Marturano, featured at clubs in Pennsylvania and New York City, such as the Puck and The Bitter End at the Indie Collaborative Music Event, and has produced and recorded other talents in his capacity as a producer.

Neddy Smith is available for phone interview.  Please contact manager, Jean Smith at 203.838.3959 to set up a time that is convenient.

Please visit Neddy’s website at http://www.nedgjean.com for more information, including links to his music, mp3s and contact info.

 

CHOICE QUOTES

“I need to get me a copy of this CD as soon as it drops, November 15th. What I’ve heard convinced me that the entire album is filled with 100% authentic Neddy Smith music I love the vibes.”     E. KARNIE PAPPA – VISUAL ARTIST

” It’s sometimes difficult to imagine a performer on the music scene with such musicality as Neddy Smith, who combines his love for words and music so concisely and appreciatively in a unique intuitive flow. His lyrical insight from his newest album is memorable, danceable but with a message fit for today, it’s a world-class CD.”    DOLLY CURTIS – RADIO AND TV PERSONALITY.

Words expressed after the final pre-release listening session, “It’s music you can dance to with a message that creeps up on you, suddenly, from deep within his heart to mine just as one of his songs hits you right between the ears.”    DAVID MARIO SMITH – PRINCIPAL ANALYSIS AND FOUNDER AT INFLOW ANALYSIS.

“The music sounds and feels like ‘am in the Club….” ALDIN SMITH – GRAPHICS DESIGNER (SPECIALIST IN MULTIMEDIA AND USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN)

“Neddy’s composition and arrangement flowed freely. Neddy’s variety of dynamic, joyous, and moody qualities, interspersed among his highly original conception, and laced with his unique and distinctive style.”  CLAYTON SANDS – ENTERTAINMENT MANAGER

Listen to the music and watch the video at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A4Wecqp6w0

https://vimeo.com/242731455

 

 

 

 

WORDS & MUSIC ES11:

“My Pocomanian Girl” is my latest CD. It’s a personal tribute to a musical and spiritual culture of Jamaica. The Album will drop, November 15th, 2017. I’ll post another blog on the day of its release. 

When an album of songs is composed, and a recording project come to a close, there’s no doubt that a lot of thoughts went into its production and the final product. Embedder into every song on my latest album “My Pocomanian Girl” is a reflection of my mother’s influence, love peace and happiness, searching for love and the troubles she went through flying away discovering new things and her crying out wondering, when will it end?

Too often we’re are faced with the challenges of choosing between believing or knowing. As night is from the day and the sun is from the moon, they’re differences. Other times we’re asked to accept someone else’s truth without questioning the source of their information. Instead, ambiguous data is pushed by individuals and systems forcing their ideology based on unvetted opinion for others to accept.

Mother was a strong woman. She was never one to readily accept what others wanted her to believe physically. She was more operating at a higher level. Her spirituality supersedes most everyday norms. Her insights and clarity of vision were supernatural. One area of the Bible she would make references to was the Old Testament. She liked teaching the history of Africa from the OT. She would show me the maps found on the front and back covers, and some located in other pages in the Bible. The pictures were all beautiful to me, and that was what I could recall more as a child than her spoken words.

I hardly knew many of the places she pointed out until I grew up and took geography at school and was able to visit the Library on my own. The only time I can remember her acknowledgment of the New Testament was when I did my first recitation at a Tent meeting. It was about the manger scene, and we all sang Silent Night. The melody and the mood of the event remained memorable to me till this day. That was my first taste of being on stage. I was excited and wanted more. My entire childhood changed. The more I thought of doing what my Dad wants me to do the more I tried to do the opposite. My resistance started as I am now reflecting on my past.

One of my cousins reminded me of how I would jump on the piano at Ms. Mailer’s private school, and the teachers would chase me away every time. There was something special about any musical instrument. I even took sticks and bang them together to make sounds that annoyed everyone around me. I was just jokingly provoking.

Because I loved being on stage and having discovered how much more I wanted to, I would bother everyone to play an instrument. That was when I began playing the Tambourine, clapping my hands harder to be heard and to the various rhythmic pulse and shouted that the congregation made during their circle of worship. I can recall many times an adult would take the Tambourine from me because I was out of sync with the rhythm. It was not until later that I realized, as a musician, how critical those gatherings were. After studying those pocomanian rhythms, the idea became clear that the pulse of the beats carries the spoken and unspoken words that bring the entire congregation in oneness. Fortunately for me, I loved playing the instrument so much that a gentleman pulled me aside and began teaching me how to hold and play the rhythms in time correctly.

There was a Kettle drummer; his nickname was Toto, he was a fantastic player. He was at all the meetings that I can remember. Whenever Toto would put the drum down, I would quickly go bang on it. I was only a child, but that event one after another began to sow the seed of music that’ now flowing through my bloodstream today. Invariably, it has triggered more of my inner thoughts coming alive more through my music compositions. Her knowledge of getting people especially the young adults engaged was fantastic. As I recall bits and pieces with the opening of my inner eyes, I am respecting how great a leader mother was. Commanding a congregation and having people who followed her showed how dynamic and cared a leader she was. For me to look back so deeply into my past after all these years is impressive.

I can tell unequivocally that her leadership role was no easy task, but I can’t remember seeing her shaken by anything or anyone around her. I can remember one of the single mothers; I’ll call her Ms. G and her daughter, Nell. Everywhere mother went, they were there. As kids, we would play together. I can still visualize the lady as if I saw here with me now. She was tall and slim with dark complexion a small frame and where dresses past her knees. And her daughter was of light-brown skin tone, stouter and shorter body frame. The family was dedicated to mother regardless of her spiritual moods and directions that came often.

Livening in a blind state of misguided philosophical reasoning fed by a flawed educational system became the norm for many who have chosen to accept anything and everything. But mother taught me from a child to not take anything from anyone too quickly otherwise they will own you. My Dad said something similar later, but that will be spoken of then.

As a young man, the opportunity to study mechanical engineering by working every summer with a qualified professional master mechanic came to me. Scholarships, yes, I turned them down. Dad was not happy. As much as I had wanted to follow in my Uncle’s footsteps, it was not something I wanted. Furthermore, I was not feeling the rhythmic pulse of motor vehicle engines continually rotating in my ears. I was bored without hearing some melodies. There were times when I felt dissatisfied and tardy by listening to the same noise coming from iron hitting iron. Walking around covered with grease and have to head back home in the evening without changing my clothes was never favored with my friends.

One day, I was called to have lunch with the owner’s mother. As I recalled, we had rice with eggs and some canned meat. After the meal, I had some time to reflect on the ladies’ kindness while trying to search deep into my soul for my truth. What was my real purpose? And how do I express to my Dad that I didn’t want to be a mechanic? It took me some time, but it was worth the wait.

One day, my Dad decided to ask what I want to do in life. He gave me that Fatherly speech at a very young age. I was not even fully thirteen but getting close. He reminds me that I am coming of age to decide for my life and told me that I was a man now going on thirteen to take life more serious. He had no idea what I was about to say, but when he heard that I didn’t want to be a shopkeeper, he was surprised but not disappointed. He knew I was an independent thinker and would not do or say yes to anything I did not believe or had much knowledge to conclude honestly. Furthermore, I had no reason to accept what he told me to do with a quick yes either way, though at times it would get me in trouble, he knew how I would react if I am forced to kneel to any unrealistic command. Instead, I listened to his reasoning out of my most profound respect for him and began researching the music business quietly as I was now a little over twelve years of age.

I was already taking music lessons from the Salvation Army, with Major Smith. That was the gentleman’s name coincidentally. I had a great start in music theory and instrumentation. I had to learn each part of the instrument before I was asked to blow a single note. Unfortunately, I could not blow the trumpet without pain all over my body stuffed with air puffing up my face and diaphragm. It was not for me, but writing rhythms were worth taking lessons.

Mom had already left home to travel the world while Dad plays Daddy-mommy at home. I must say that he did a splendid job especially for me because I was heading down the path he rejected to become a musician. I loved the idea of freedom of expression and music gave me that opportunity.

My truth about self-was more essential to discover than just falling in line with the norm or any one idea of physicality that opposed spiritually to my being. Evidently, I had to learn and explore that part of me that to synchronize in harmony rediscovering my past. Apparently, this is where the “My Pocomanian Girl” idea began to percolate deeply within my subconsciousness. It has brought out the hurt, pain, and cry of the human soul in a modern musical enjoyable playlist.

My mother was a rebel in her way. She was laser beam focused on her desires to fulfill her dreams, and nothing or no one who came in her way would ever survive her will to accomplish whatever she puts her mind to achieve. That was her ingenious way of escaping. Mother gave me much to remember because each memory was due to an event either at home, at her ministry meetings or sitting around her machine sewing a dress for someone. She was a dynamic individual with lots of followers but filled with unknown mysteries.

Writing music, the way I am composing now is a culmination of many events that occurred in my formative years. I could not help but want to take music lessons to get away from home after she left, all I wanted to do was carve out a path for myself. This new album that will release November 15th, 2017, is a significant project at this time in my life’s journey. It’s a reflection on my past, present and future all rolled into one.

The excitement I feel releasing the CD is overwhelming to say the lease. But I am grateful for the time given to me by the creator to fulfill the desires of my heart by recording this album and open my heart to the whole world my influence and experience is only another phase of my journey. It’s all about “My Pocomanian Girl.”

 

Lester G Neddy Smith ©2017

NedGJean Publishing.

http://www.nedgjean.com