Bridging the gap from fear to hope. Two friends document their pandemic story, in a musical collaboration and celebration of community. Beyond The Fear is now available as a digital release with all proceeds  to Breast Cancer Now. https://naadiasheriff.bandcamp.com/track/beyond-the-fear 

"There were days when all I could see was loss, in my family, my relationship, my job. And in that first time when everything shut down the only thing that made sense was to walk. And as the days turned into weeks and months what was fixed began to shift; what had seemed safe felt like a straitjacket. I stopped wanting to go back and started to think what life could be like, beyond the fear."

Breast Cancer Now is a UK charity providing world-class research and life- changing care for people affected by breast cancer. The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on the diagnosis, treatment, care and experiences of people living with breast cancer. Aimee (who works for the charity) and Naadia, have been friends since childhood and 'Beyond Fear' became their way of staying connected and raising vital funds for Breast Cancer Now.
Inspired by Erland Cooper's, 'A Nightingale Sings Outside Our Window' Aimee began recording sounds on her daily walks, which Naadia turned into musical 'scenes', painting a picture of a year filled with uncertainty, isolation, anxiety, community and hope. Sounds include: wind in the trees outside Aimee's window; her neighbours clapping for the NHS; solitary drips of water on a deserted Sheffield street and the birds singing, with a plane overhead. Naadia added music to each 'scene' and wrote a folk melody to represent the themes of community and fellowship. The piece opens with Aimee's spoken word reflections on a challenging year and builds into a collaborative finale. Naadia invited her family, friends, colleagues and pupils, to record the folk theme which she wove into a joyful celebration of hope.

Beyond The Fear

A new version of the 'Latin Quarter' classic 'Freight Elevator' which tells the story of Billie Holliday's experience as a young black vocalist performing on 52nd street with the Artie Shaw orchestra. 

It's a mighty long day in the freight elevator
Hey there Dan, gonna catch you later
As you were taking up the cases of the man with the alligator shoes.
You can take it to the basement or ride it to the top
Punching out the floor numbers, hitting all the stops 
Bawling out the Bellboy for creasing up the racing news

The freight elevator, it's so good to ride
And so far from the lobby on the other side
There's no sort of space a stowaway can hide
And the sign on the wall says, just freight inside. 

They've got a hot band in residence and lights above the door
Come in every evening and swing with Artie Shaw
It seems the whole of 52nd street is packing out that floor so tight. 
They've got a young black vocalist and she's setting them on fire
A singing voice like velvet stretched out over wire
They're gonna hire in extra waitresses at least that's what I heard tonight

The Freight elevator....

It's got fresh bed linen for the 14th floor
And a crate of canned grapefruit for the cold food store
A pair of high heeled shoes from a Denver man's door
And that young black vocalist.... 
What's she riding for? 

The freight elevator, it's so good to ride
And so far from the lobby on the other side
There's no sort of space a stowaway can hide
And the main elevator says
No blacks inside


Rosie Brown vocals
Jamie Taylor guitar
Naadia Sheriff piano 
Dave Manington double bass and production 
Eryl Roberts drums
Mike Jones lyrics 
Steve Jeffries music and lyrics

Freight Elevator

What do you get when a critically acclaimed alt jazz quartet use these wildly challenging times to boldly (and remotely) collaborate with an American house music legend, an Emmy-award winning composer, Faithless’s guitarist and various other electronic artists for a “reimagining of their latest album? “Requiem For The Faithful 2.0 - The Remixes” is born! 

We had been wanting to release remixes of our music since our very first album in 2012 but never quite managed to find the right moment. As the world turned upside down around us last March, we decided to do the same with our music and take a leap into electronic music territory with this new offering! 

A complete “reimagining” of our latest album, which was a collection of mostly acoustic alt-jazz songs featuring vocals, double bass, grand piano and drums, the songs have been flipped on their head by unexpected lockdown collaborations with artists such as house music legend Arthur Baker, Faithless’s guitarist Dave Randall (Slovo), DJ/Producer Emmanuelle and Bafta-award nominated composer Vince Pope (Misfits, Wallander). 

This weird and wonderful combination of contrasting soundscapes has allowed us to create a truly memorable and quirky slice of electronic music! Irene x
credits
released May 21, 2021
license
all rights reserved
tags
Tags

jazz acoustic alt-jazz art pop electronica pop London
about

ISQ
London, UK



isqmusic.com
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
shows

Jul 08
Pizza Express Jazz Club - Soho
London, UK
Jul 17
Peggy's Skylight
Nottingham, UK
discography


RFTF 2​.​0: The Remixes
May 2021

Where Beauty (Naadia) MIX Copy

From the Album 'Beware Of Young Girls, The Songs Of Dory Previn' by Kate Dimbleby and Naadia Sheriff 

ABOUT THE ALBUM 
A collaboration between Kate Dimbleby ('undoubtably one of Britain's finest female Jazz Singers' Broadway World') and Naadia Sheriff ('Dazzling Pianist' The Times) exploring the extraordinary songbook of cult favourite Dory Previn the queen of 70's confessional songwriters who died on Valentines Day 2013, 40 years after the...  more
credits
released 2015

Vocals: Kate Dimbleby and Naadia Sheriff 
Piano, Accordion, Organ and Percussion: Naadia Sheriff

Twenty Mile Zone

Requiem For The Faithful

Panic Room

Written  in Celebration of International Women's Day 2020 and recorded during lockdown in Athens and London, I set words by Virginia Woolf from 'A Room of One's Own' to music.  Lara Eidi is the Singer, I play piano and Dave Manington is on Bass

Anon

Beware Of Young Girls

The Lady With The Braid

1, Where Beauty Lives.  My remix from the upcoming ISQ 'Requiem Remixed' album uploaded with permission from ISQ. Made in April 2020. All Synth and piano parts written and performed by NS
2, An extract from 'Jamil Jamal' from the Yazz Ahmed album 'La Saboteuse' uploaded with permission from Yazz. Keyboard solo NS
3, Anon.  A setting of Virginia Woolf text written and performed by NS with Lara Eidi on vocals and Dave Manington on Bass in April 2020
4, Zita's River from the Naadia Sheriff Quartet album written and performed by NS with Richie Howard on clarinet, Julie Walkington on Bass and Nick Smalley on drums
5, Be not too hard by Christopher Logue and Donovan Leitch. From the Kate Dimbleby album 'Love Comes Again' and added with permission.  Arranged and performed by NS on piano and backing vocals.  Kate Dimbleby, vocals, Sophie Alloway, drums, Jonty Fisher, Bass.

naadia sheriff

Popular tracks