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With
a population of about 1.3 million people, Estonia is a small country
in Northern Europe, bordering on the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of
Finland. Although it has its own rich cultural heritage, it has
embraced musicians and artists from around the world. The country
hosts several music and arts festivals, including Jaakaar, the
largest jazz festival in the Baltics. The beginnings of Estonian jazz
go back to the summer of 1918 when a dance band was formed in Tallinn,
the country’s capital, by a group of schoolboys who wanted to play
the modern tunes of the time. The swing craze swept the country in
the late 1930s, and the first jazz concert in a philharmonic hall
took place in 1936.
Today,
Estonia is home to many top-notch jazz musicians, including vocalist SOFIA
RUBINA, who is releasing her sixth album, I AM SOUL.
I
AM SOUL showcases
Rubina’s powerful and expressive vocal versatility and her personal
blend of jazz and soul. Anne Erm, music critic and artistic director
of Jazzkaar festival, says, “Estonian vocal jazz gem Sofia Rubina has
proven herself as a stylish jazz vocalist, a passionate soul singer,
a sunny funky princess and a genuine connoisseur of the deep roots of
Jewish songs. Whatever Sofia Rubina creates or performs, she does
everything with great love and dedication.”
The
album features eleven tracks, covering artists such as Bonnie Raitt,
George Duke, and Chick Corea, as well as six songs written or
co-written by Rubina. To create a modern jazz and soul sound, Rubina
collaborated with EVGENY LEBEDEV. An award-winning pianist and
graduate of Berklee College, Lebedev has worked with some of the top
names in jazz, such as Jack DeJohnette, Marcus Miller, Lenny White,
Randy Brecker, David Sanchez, Joe Lovano, Terri Lyne Carrington, and
George Garzone. Also joining Rubina are ANTON REVNYUK on bass
and IGNAT KRAVTSOV on drums, both of whom enjoy stellar
international reputations. A string quartet is also featured on
several tunes.
I
AM SOUL is
a journey through Rubina’s expressive and exuberant soul. Rubina was
born in Tartu, a cultural center in Southern Estonia. Her family were
scientists who appreciated music and supported her musical
aspirations. Taking vocal lessons from the age of 10, she was
inspired by Ella Fitzgerald, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Dianne Reeves.
She studied music at the renowned Vilandi Academy of Culture and at
the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, where she studied with Danilo
Perez.
Rubina
has won many accolades in her six-album career. Her album In the
Land of Oo-Bla-Dee earned her Best Jazz Album of the Year from
the Estonian Music Awards. She took first place at several national
singing and jazz competitions in Estonia and has collaborated with
many notable musicians and big bands. She has performed
internationally in the USA at Blue Note NYC, as well as major venues
in Panama, Italy, Spain, UK, Germany, Austria, Russia, Finland,
Sweden, Denmark, Faroe Islands, China, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Rubina
says, "This album is authentically me, who I really am,
vulnerable, powerful, joyful, searching for meaning, trying to listen
to my inner voice. I see musicians as channelers delivering
messages."
She
opens the album with “Home,” an original that she dedicates to her
daughter Naima. Rubina says, “This song was lingering in my head for
a while and then came together as a beautiful mix of a 5/4 and 3/4
jazz groove with a very sweet melody.”
Other
originals include “Taim,” which Rubina sings in Estonian. The title
means ‘plant.’ The Estonian lyrics have a deeper meaning, which
Rubina explains, “The song is like a mantra – SaTaNaMa, which means
Sa — birth, beginning and the totality of the cosmos, Ta — life,
existence, and creativity manifest Na — death and transformation, and
Ma — rebirth, regeneration and consciously experiencing the joy of
the Infinite. I feel that through life we grow as human beings,
learning step by step, day by day, we evolve towards the light.”
“Morning
Etude” has a modern jazz feel with a polyrhythmic groove that moves
to 7/4 in the solo. The song is about approaching every morning as a
new beginning and seeing what you can do to be of service to the
world around you.
“Great
Life” is a joyful song about loving life with an Al Jarreau vibe. “Unsung
Song” is a bluesy, funky number about the end of love and letting go
of hard feelings. “Come To Your Senses” is a funky wake-up call for
people to pay attention and make the right decisions. Rubina says,
“In our world today, it's very important to focus on positive things
and focus less on negativity, even when it’s very difficult.”
“Stay
True” is gospel and blues inflected song about trusting and believing
in yourself. Rubina also covers “Surgery” by the gospel group L.
Spenser Smith and Testament. Rubina says, “I learned this song in a
gospel choir in 2008 at Berklee summer school in Umbria. The song
stirs up a lot of emotions for me. It's a healing message for the
world.”
“I
Can’t Make You Love Me,” by Nashville writers Mike Reid and Allen
Shamblin, has been covered by diverse artists from Nancy Wilson to
Bonnie Raitt. The string quartet gives the tune a lush sound. George
Duke is one of Rubina’s favorite pianists and singers. She sings a
soulful cover of his sweet love song “Someday.”
She
closes the album with “Open Your Eyes You Can Fly” by Chick Corea and
Neville Potter. Rubina says, “This is a beautiful jazz standard that
I’ve been singing for more than 20 years. It was wonderful to be able
to record my version of this song.”
Sofia
Rubina is a versatile, expressive singer seemingly able to sing
anything. Her jazz stylings are inflected with a range of American
musical styles, from blues and Gospel to pop and R&B. Her
original songs are catchy and reflect a joie de vivre which is so sorely
needed in today’s fraught times.
# # #
I
AM SOUL was
just released in the USA on December 8, 2023 and is available for
digital and physical sales at Sofiarubina.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-soul.
WATCH: Bit.ly/SofiaRubina-GreatLife (“Great Life”)
Online:
Sofiarubina.eu
Facebook.com/SofiaRubinaMusicPage
IG:
Bit.ly/IG-SofiaRubina |
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Topic: Estonian Singer Sofia Rubina Releases "I am Soul"
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