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A Year in Collaborative Releases

Over the past year, I’ve been finishing off my PhD but lots of collaborative music has been bubbling along and bursting out into the atmosphere!

GAIKA: ‘Neophyte’ Spaghetto, Warp Records

I met Gaika a few years back and was immediately struck by his flow and lyrics. Now he’s signed to Warp and doing great things, both musically and culturally. Two of my homies, Alex Morris and Yoshee Windrich of Briggs Studios, London also produced this track. Check out a teaser for “Neophyte” on Warp Records here.

Listen/Buy Here: Gaika, Spaghetto, ‘Neophyte’ feat. Leila Adu on WARP Records

THE MIZ’RIES Complete Control of Your Vehicle

Part-improv, part powerpop, part digital hardcore, the Miz’Ries is the funnest band of all time to play in and always gets a wild response from the audience when we play live. We have recorded more ambient tracks on this recording with techno crazytronica and drones from Jeff Snyder on analog synth and gritty noise, vintage voice and opera samples and effects from Quinn Collins and kraut rhythms from me on drumpad, with poetry and punk political lyrics from me. All in all a great time.

Listen/Buy Here: The Miz’Ries Complete Control of Your Vehicle on Belts and Whistles

LIFE STATION, LIFE STATION
Leila Adu (vox/piano), Daniel Carter (horns), Jeff Henderson (sax), Jeff Snyder (analog synth), Federico Ughi (drums).

I love the spirit, creative and political nature of the act improvisation and I deeply value the global community around it — this album has some of my favorite people and musicians in the world. Jeff Henderson has been my buddy, mentor and collaborator for too many years to count. He’s an amazing musician and I was excited to organize a recording session for him when he hit New York from NZ. I enlisted Federico Ughi, who I met 9 years ago when I lived in Rome. We both happened to live in Brooklyn after Italy we’ve collaborated ever since. Luckily, through Federico, I met the lovely, living legend, Daniel Carter, and he agreed to come down and play. The final person in this group is my genius analog synth master friend, Jeff Snyder… Thus, LIFE STATION was born.

Listen/Buy Here: LIFE STATION on 577 Records

CAVE CRICLES, Apricity, “HOUSEKEEPING feat. Black Rainbow”(/aka Leila Adu)

Cave Circles is one of the brainchilds of drummer-producer-composer, Riki Gooch. Riki played drums on my second album years ago, and I’ve always been struck by his rhythmic strength and sensitivity. He has always prolifically produced and composed electronic music and now the world is lucky that he has suddenly started releasing it, under different monikers. This vinyl was put out by the lovely people at Wonderful Noise, Japan and you can check out more of Cave Circles on bandcamp.

Listen/Buy Here: https://rikgooch.bandcamp.com/album/apricity

Coming Up: Silent Poets on Wonderful Noise, Out 7 Feb 2018 on Wonderful Noise, Japan


Ojai Composer Pic

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Ojai 2016 Highlights with Pultizer Prize-winning Composers

The Mystic Hour with Pulitzer Prize winning composers Caroline Shaw and Du Yun. Shaw’s “This might also be a form of dreaming” World Premiere performed by ICE and Roomful of Teeth, Yun’s “An Empty Garlic” played by Claire Chase and Leila Adu’s Alyssum performed by the Calder Quartet with ICE harpist, Bridget Kibbey.

Ojai Composer Pic

Ojai 2016 Festival Artistic Director Peter Sellars with composers Caroline Shaw, Leila Adu and Du Yun.

Morning Ojai Extra with the Calder Quartet. Leila Adu’s “if the stars align…” with features works by Christine Southworth and Caroline Shaw.

Prominent guest panelists moderated by Peter Sellars and distinguished musicologist Susan McClary with Leila Adu and Carla Kihlstedt.

Leila Adu Songs & Improvisations, solo grand piano and voice.

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Belts And Whistles Tape Label Launch: The Miz’Ries Album

All About Jazz News
Published: 2014-07-18

Belts and Whistles hits Cameo Gallery on Wednesday July 23 at 10pm for their joint label launch and album release party. The Brooklyn and NJ based electronic and improvised tape cassette label drops its first album, Emotional Performance Motorcycle, from The Miz’Ries.

Electro-kraut digital hardcore supergroup, The Miz’Ries: uber-americo noise nerd Quinn Collins plays broken records on a turntable with crazy effects, mad genius inventor Jeff Snyder plays his own analog synth creation whilst Neuseelander songstress Leila Adu sings and plays electronic drum pads. The Miz’Ries have been described as “a noise band that plays 3-minute pop songs”, and as “the music that plays in the club the bad guys hang out in”.

BELTS AND WHISTLES CAMEO POSTER NEW

Over the past year — singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, improvisor and Miz’Ries’ member — Leila Adu has toured New Zealand, Japan and featured in Spin Magazine with Lord Echo aired backing vocals and percussion with popular 90’s alt-rock band and Beastie Boys’ labelmates, Luscious Jackson, on MTV VH1 and Late Night with David Letterman. Leila previously won MTV Iggy’s Artist of the Week, is this year’s Orchestra Wellington’s (New Zealand) Emerging-Composer-in-Residence and recorded albums with Steve Albini and for the Italian National Radio. As founder and lead designer of Snyderphonics, Jeff Snyder designs and builds unusual electronic musical instruments including the Manta, which is played by over 150 musicians around the world; the JD-1 Keyboard/Sequencer, which was commissioned as a specialty controller for Buchla synthesizers; and the custom analog modular synthesizer on which he performs in The Miz’Ries. He frontsOwen Lake and the Tragic Loves as his electro-country alter-ego. The Miz’Ries turntablist, Quinn Collins is a composer of acoustic and electroacoustic music combining rigorous formal processes with rock energy. His music has been performed by ensembles such as the orkest “de ereprijs,” members of Bang on a Can, TRANSIT, Cadillac Moon Ensemble, Loadbang and TV Buddha.

Brooklyn based, Tristan Shepherd/Michael Foster Duo kick off the night. Composer, improviser and turntablist from Dearborn, MI, Tristan Shepherd most recently, curated “Incidental Music”, an exhibition of site specific installations and performances at the Fragmental Museum’s project space: a 4 story, 50,000 sq. ft. former zipper factory and has performed at Roulette, MoMA PS1 and the Whitney Museum of American Art. In this pairing, multi-instrumentalist, Michael Foster, plays sax and amplified small objects. Foster works within the fields of free improvisation, composition, noise, punk, and industrial music and video, with gigs and tours with Weasel Walter, Steve Swell, Pascal Niggenkemper, Psychic TV, Airway, Chris Corsano, Spiritualized, Kid Millions, Nate Wooley, Sean Ali, Han Bennink, Marina Rosenfeld. Foster divides his time between Amsterdam and New York. Recent live performances include Michael Foster Live at Smokey Bear Cave on Youtube and Tristan Shepherd Live at the Control Room on Vimeo.

The Cameo Gallery evening ends in a dance party from BABL: a man whose voice box is running on prosthetic peripherals, a man who has outsourced his memory for unprecedented processing power. BABL is a song and a dance calibrated for optimal lumbar gyrational support and skeletal-rhythmic synchronization. He is influenced by the likes of John Zorn, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Pharaoh Sanders, Pharoah Monch, Shostakovich, D’Angelo, Flying Lotus, James Blake, and Bach and has played at The Stone, Carnegie Hall, Lincon Center Out of Doors.

Go into the draw to catch all three acts for free: :WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS at gimmi.io for the joint Tape Release Party for The Miz’Ries and Belts and Whistles Label Launch Party.

Cameo
93 N 6TH ST
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
WED JULY 23
DOORS: 10PM, $8

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LEILA ADU Aotearoa New Zealand Shows

Darkroom Poster large

Leila was raised in Aotearoa and will be playing a series of shows in intimate venues in the country. She plays first in her hometown of Christchurch at darkroom.

At Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science and Technology in Palmerston North, Leila will play songs on Michael Parekowhai’s Venice Biennale 2011 entry, He Korero Purakau mo Te Awanui o Te Motu: story of a New Zealand river – an ornately carved red Steinway grand piano. Parekowhai’s piece is being exhibited alongside works by Ralph Hotere as part of the Black Rainbow exhibition.


ParekowhaiPianoWeb

Finally, Leila will perform two songs alongside numerous New Zealand artists, as part of BEYOND THE OHLALA MOUNTAINS | ALAN BRUNTON | POEMS 1968-2002 | BOOK LAUNCH. See details below.

New Zealand LEILA ADU Shows

saturday 15 march, 9pm
Leila Adu
darkroom
336 St Asaph St
Christchurch

thursday 27th March, 7pm
Leila will musically perform Alan Brunton poetry alongside a huge lineup of artists, see details
BEYOND THE OHLALA MOUNTAINS | ALAN BRUNTON | POEMS 1968-2002 | BOOK LAUNCH
Wharekai – Waipapa Marae AK University
16 Wynyard St
Auckland
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sunday 30 march, matinee show
Leila Adu
Te Manawa Museum of Art
346 Main Street
Palmerston North

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Lord Echo New Zealand and Japan

Leila features in Lord Echo’s single “Molten Lava” and is singing in the live tour of Auckland, New Zealand, as well as shows in Tokoyo, Niigata and Kyoto, Japan. Check out this sneak preview of the Lord Echo’s Bastard Jazz (New York) and Wonderful Noise (Osaka) release at Spin Magazine: Her voice sounds beamed in from ’60s Brazil, but the production soon ramps up and we find ourselves in the middle of a modern dance floor. Listen and Read More…

saturday 29 march, 12pm – 6pm
Leila sings with Lord Echo
Silo Sessions Presents Lord Echo & Electric Wire Hustle
Silo Park
Corner of Beaumont and Jellicoe Street
Auckland

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Letterman and Luscious Jackson Shows

Leila has been singing backing vocals, as well as playing additional percussion and keyboards for Luscious Jackson, famous for their 90’s hits including “Ladyfingers” and “Naked Eye” and for being the first signing to the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal label. Check out a recent performance on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Luscious Jackson’s Shows Coming Up

May 30 — Los Angeles CA — El Rey Theater
http://bit.ly/1jFtjDR

May 31 — San Francisco CA — The Independent
http://ticketf.ly/NGJOSQ

June 7 — Boston MA — The Paradise
http://bit.ly/1gA2dJh