Aneesa Strings
Blue Note131 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
Aneesa Strings comes to Blue Note for an evening billed simply under her stage name. The listing does not identify a band, guests, or a particular project, so the shape of the set remains open. What is clear is a performance by a musician whose work joins songwriting, singing and bass playing across jazz, soul and R&B.
Aneesa Strings is Oakland-born bassist, vocalist and composer Aneesa Al-Musawwir. Her debut album, A Shift in Paradigm, was made with SFJAZZ and includes “Simpin,” produced by Patrice Rushen. She has toured as lead singer of the Bebop Spartans Big Band and later worked on the road with Duckwrth, José James and Kandace Springs. Her album The Calm includes collaborators David Michael Ott, SndTrak, Curtis Williams and drummer James Gadson. Yerba Buena Gardens Festival called her “one of the most compelling and promising musicians on the scene,” while VIBE described her as a “blossoming artist,” highlighting “We Are The Music,” “Gramercy Place” and “All In My Mind.”
Blue Note Jazz Club is a dedicated listening room in the heart of Manhattan's jazz district, where the music is the focus and the space is designed to let the sound fill the room. The club features a stage with a small audience area, and the atmosphere is one of quiet concentration on the music. Shows typically begin at 8:00 PM with a second set at 10:30 PM, and the audience sits on chairs close to the stage. The club has a bar, and drinks are available. The experience is primarily about listening to live jazz, with occasional gospel and soul performances, and the audience often stays to talk and enjoy the music after the sets.