Meshell Ndegeocello: bass, honest vocals and musical freedom from soul to jazz and funk

She is regarded as one of the most distinctive personalities on today’s music scene and one of the world’s finest bassists. Her low voice moves listeners with its sincerity. Musicians adore her. She is an artist unconcerned with charts or popularity, belonging in the same league as Prince or Frank Zappa. Soul and R’N’B, jazz, pop, funk, hip-hop and rock: her artistic imagination recognises no boundaries. Her lyrics can be ruthlessly honest. With every album, she redefines herself, asking: where am I as a person and a musician, and what sounds interest me now? Each answer captures the attention of fans around the world. If you have never heard of Meshell, take the best of Leanne La Havas, Alicia Keys and Cassandra Wilson and put them together: there she is.

She has released 10 albums. Her eleventh, “Comet, Come To Me”, appears on 3 June. Its promotional single, “Conviction”, can be downloaded free from Meshell’s website. Madonna was the first artist to recognise her talent. Meshell recorded her first five albums for Madonna’s Maverick label, including her career’s most personal, “Bitter”. Most material on her records is self-written, although each usually features one or two covers of compositions by Bill Whiters, Marvin Gaye or Bob Marley.

The exception remains her latest release, “Pour Une Ame Souveraine: A Dedication To Nina Simone”, filled entirely with songs once sung by the great jazz star. Since 2005, she has also arranged and produced her own records. Usually, an instrumentalist’s importance is emphasised by listing distinguished musicians on whose records they have guested. With Ndegeocello, it is better still: stars including Cassandra Wilson, Kenny Garrett, Jack de Johnette, Lelah Hathaway and Pat Metheny have appeared on her albums.

She describes her latest album, “Comet Come To Me”, as an exercise in living in the moment, surrendering to spontaneity and being here and now. Rather than a concept album, it is an artistic statement born of creative impulse. Only by creating this way does Meshell feel truly free.

Ndegeocello will perform in Wrocław for the first time, as part of “Muzyczna Strefa Radia RAM”. Why did the radio station invite her? Music director Piotr Bartyś replies: “Why? Because we finally managed it. I've dreamed of this for years. Meshell is simply, straightforwardly great.”

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