A New Idea: The Indonesian Soul Singer

Soul enamors people of every continent and country. Everyday one hears about another gut-bucket troubadour or sultry chanteuse emerging from obscure foreign lands where one never considers the possibility of hearing R&B, much less cultivating its freshest talent. Indonesian jazzy soul vocalist Dira, 30, certainly fits that bill. A jazz festival circuit fave, Dira has shared stages with such renown artists as Incognito and the YellowJackets was born in Bandung, Indonesia, far away from the hardened streets of Detroit, Philly, or Harlem, where soul roses seem to bloom from every concrete crevice. The alto’s new album, Something About The Girl, produced by Bluey (Incognito) presents a casual oasis of percussive rhythms and acid jazz grooves befitting yesterday’s Angela Bofill. Esteemed artists like Omar, Matt Cooper, and Ski Oakenful nicely round out the soul massage you’ve been waiting for.

TAGS: Angela Bofill, Bluey, Dira, Matt Cooper, Omar, Ski Oakenful