Born: November 26 Primary Instrument: Vocal
ALICIA SALDENHA (pronounced sal-dáy-nya) was born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. She started singing and dancing from early childhood, then toured the Caribbean and the United States as a teenager in several musical productions.
While attending university in the United Kingdom, Alicia quickly fell in love with jazz and changed her musical direction. Alicia has since performed throughout Europe and Japan, with appearances at the Blue Note, Osaka, the Nice Jazz Festival, France, with George Clinton and the P-Funks, as well as at the Umbria Jazz Festival, Italy. She has also shared the stage with legendary jazz steel drummer, Othello Molineaux, during his Japan tours.
As a soul singer-songwriter and bandleader, Alicia Saldenha performs with her band throughout Japan. The shows are dynamic, featuring original as well as classic soul, jazz, funk and reggae.
She increasingly collaborates with top Japanese and international artists, such as Japan's nu jazz band, indigo jam unit, and legendary funk bassist and founding member of the Headhunters, Paul Jackson.
Alicia Saldenha is also a scholar and an educator, having obtained a Doctorate (PhD) in Culture and Civilization Sciences from Kobe University.
She is currently working on her debut album of funky-soul originals, recorded in New York City with some of the finest musicians, set for release early 2012.
In fact, Alicia is planning a digital release of one of the songs from that album, “Ooh Boy,” a funky-reggae tune, in Novvemmber 2011.
Moreover, Alicia collaborated with Japanese instrumental group, indigo jam unit, on a new album, “ROSE,” released on September 2nd, 2011. It is a cover album of rare 1970s jazz-funk. Both the album and the release tour have had rave reviews. Stay tuned!
“You sound excellent!” (Jon Hammond - organist)
““Ooh Boy” has a sweetly romantic quality, and Saldenha favors a sweet vocal style that makes this type of song perfect for her.” (Alex Henderson - ReviewYou.com)
“One thing that Saldenha is good at is hitting the high notes, and when she does that, she can sound a bit like Deniece Williams (a well known R&B singer who was big in the late 1970s and 1980s and enjoyed some major hits back then).” (Alex Henderson - ReviewYou.com)
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