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Samora Pinderhughes
Samora was born a mixed-race kid in the Bay Area, a hotbed of revolutionary organizing and incredible music and art that immediately seeped into his soul. He started playing music at 2 yrs old; His father played him The Delfonics, Tupac, and Bob Marley, while his mother introduced him to Nina Simone, Fela Kuti, and Pete Seeger.
He became serious about making music his life after living in Cuba studying spiritual musical traditions. He moved to NYC to study at Juilliard under master teachers Kenny Barron and Kendall Briggs; It was during this time that he also met his artistic mentor, MacArthur-winning playwright Anna Deavere Smith. This started him down the path of writing lyrics and combining film/theatre with his music in radical new ways. With the help of these mentors, Samora eventually began to create his very own unique style, a combination of striking intimacy and carefully crafted, radically honest lyrics with lush, immersive music, maximalist visual storytelling and high levels of concept.
Samora is currently pursuing a PHD in Creative Practice and Critical Iniquiry under mentor Vijay Iyer at Harvard University.
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Samora Pinderhughes: Ascension
by Scott Lichtman
"Ascension," from tenor vocalist Samora Pinderhughes, delivers multiple delights. Opening to a Coltrane-like mantra, the song quickly transforms itself into an upbeat rendition of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," then onto tasteful trumpet and flute solos, and ultimately a spoken-word vision for a better world. But the greatest treat is his voice, which flutters and bends in the mid-and upper-registers. Finish listening feeling complete... and waiting for further developments from this inspiring musician, multi-art form creator, and social activist.
read moreJazz this week: Samora Pinderhughes, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, and more
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features the local debut of a much-talked-about young pianist and composer, the return of one of the jam-band circuit's funk-jazz favorites, and more. Let's go to the highlights.... Wednesday, July 19 Drummer Kevin Bowers will reconvene the large cast of his Brazilian-influenced, imaginary-movie-soundtrack project NOVA in a free concert for the Missouri Botanical Garden's Whitaker Music Festival. Elsewhere around town, though the Curtain Call Lounge has withdrawn from ...
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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Samora Pinderhughes, jazz, and justice
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week, StLJN's video spotlight is focused on pianist and composer Samora Pinderhughes, who will be here in St. Louis to perform next Thursday, July 20 at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. A 25-year-old Juilliard graduate who grew up in Berkeley, CA and now lives in Harlem, Pinderhughes has toured with jazz artists including Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and Branford Marsalis. For his performance here, the pianist will lead a quartet with Scott, bassist Luques Curtis, and percussionist Mark Whitfield, Jr, ...
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