Toronto based R and B, soul and jazz singer Tanika Charles is a delight to chat with. She is excited about everything especially as she is just about to release the first single off her third album, and, even better, gets to tour again, a journey that brings her to the Geomatic Attic, Monday, Feb. 21.
“Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly” will be released April 9. The first official single “Different Morning,” a collaboration with up and coming Toronto rapper DijahSD drops on Friday, though she has already released and advance singe “Rent Free.”
She recorded the new CD mostly through collaborations over Zoom, which is an experience she doesn’t want to repeat
“ It was really different. It’s not the same room and creating music with other people, said Charles, who was born in Toronto, but grew up in Edmonton when her parents moved there when she was young. She moved back to Toronto to pursue her music career.
“ I miss the whole experience of performing, so I’m not looking forward to going back (to writing on Zoom),” she said.
She enjoyed working with two spirited rapper DijahSD.
“I just sent them an e-mail, not really expecting them to respond, but they responded right away,” Charles said.
They wrote the song “ Different Morning, over a beat provided by producers Safe Spaceship (Scott McCannell, Ben MacDonald and Chino deVilla) who provided the beats for four of the songs on the new CD. Kevin Henkel added an extra three and Todo Hitilo added another two tracks.
She said, though the new CD flirts with pop and Hip hop, her love is old soul and R and B. She enjoys the music of her friend , country singer Kelly Prescott, who turner her on to the music of neo-soul singers like Nola and the Alabama Shakes.
“I’m a prairie girl. I actually grew up listening to jazz, though not by choice because my dad played jazz all the time. But I love Motown and old soul music. So this CD has changed. It’s a little different. But’s a new sound, because why not,” she said, adding she will be touring with a full band.
“Early in my career I played with a DJ, but it’s a full band now . I’m so excited,” she said, adding long time guitarist Mike Celia, who has been with her since 2010, guitarist Ben Foran, bassist Kurt Nielsen, who has also been with her since around 2010, drummer Da-Rell Clifton and vocalist Tafari Anthony will be joining her.
“ And I play tambourine,” she said.
“Tafari and Mike can sing like the Bee Gees,” she said, adding she is excited to be touring again.
“ It’s exciting and nerve -wracking at the same time,” she said adding the live show will include songs from her Juno nominated and Polaris Prize nominated first two CDs and the upcoming CD.
“ I’m never sure if I should mention the Juno and Polaris Prize nominations. But it is gratifying to get that feedback from my peers,” she said.
“It will be new and old music. I hope people will be able to dance or at least be moving in their seats. It makes it so much better when they dance,” she said.
“ I really want people to come have a good time, she said.
Tanika Charles plays the Geomatic Attic at 8 p.m. in this show, which is a collaboration with the Lethbridge Jazz Festival.
Tickets are $35.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
