Ambokile

Spoken word artist and singer takes center stage at BB Kings House of Blues in Universal City, Hollywood Hollywood

By M D Caprario

***
The City Walk/City Loft at Universal City has something for everyone. A brilliant-lit carnival for grown-ups, there are dance clubs, movie theaters, and restaurants of every kind imaginable, including- be still my heart- a Starbuck’s combined with a gourmet bakery. (Can you spell “double yum”?) Said Starbuck’s was still open at 11:30 p.m. on the Saturday night I visited. There are also a number of very interesting retail shops, including a store devoted to the sale of all things chocolate and a children’s bookshop.

BB Kings House of Blues is upstairs in the City Loft area. A jumpin’ hot night spot featuring fine music and good libation and eats, the club’s top floor offers bar style seating looking down onto the stage three floors below. It’s from this vantage point that I watched spoken word artist and singer Ambokilé and her group “Ambolism” in action.

The house was so packed, I had to ask someone to save my seat so that I could pop downstairs to shoot some photographs. Coincidentally (although we know there are no coincidences) the person I asked for this help was none other than the husband of Diane Carter, one of Ambokilés back-up singers. Thanks, Donovan!

With Sir Harry Bowens having taken her under his wing as vocal coach, and a new CD, “Simply…Ambokilé,” just out (produced by Myc Hulsinger of Private Moment Productions), the buzz for Ambokilé’s 9:00 p.m. performance was predictably amazing. The sold-out audience was ready for the main treat and they were not disappointed.

Ambokile- all six feet of her- strode gracefully onto the stage, her long, long legs clad in hip hugger jeans topped with a wide belt, her buff arms left bare by a spaghetti strap top. Her long dark hair was pulled into a ponytail and topped with a cap that stated perfectly “I am Ambokilé.” Her diamond hoop earrings sparkled and sent light everywhere as she took the mike into her hands like she’d done it a million times and greeted the crowd and began to move with the drummer’s backbeat.

The only thing is, this performance was the first time Ambokilé had stood in a place like this with her band. “Do you remember that I screamed and then jumped up into the air once I was on stage?” Ambokile asked me a few days later. “I can only explain it that it was the Spirit that came over me. Something came over me on stage.” Indeed, despite a remarkably calm exterior and a seemingly effortless performance while on stage, Ambokilé claims that she was restless and worried about this first of Ambolism’s performances two days prior. The group had had minimal practice time together, and while a strong and self-sustaining singer on her own, Ambokilé had not before worked in harmony, live, with backups.

Midway through the performance, Ambokile popped off stage for a moment for a wardrobe change and her two back-up singers launched into a soulful version of “Voulez-vous Couchez Avec Moi,” a number much appreciated by the crowd. When they’d finished with that, Ambokilé returned to the stage in a new outfit- short shorts and a low-cut, long-sleeved blouse- but with the same energy that thrilled during the first half.

“It only took one martini to get me up there,” Ambokilé had joked as she stepped off the stage. “Well, okay, one and a half.” She was thrilled, radiant, even, as she spoke with me post-show. “That was my first ‘real’ performance,” she’d told me as she threw her arms around me, her lanky body needing to bend nearly in half to get down to my level.

“It felt great,” back-up singer Diane Carter told me as we all compared notes. “Ambokilé is really great to work with.” Carter and Kym Foley, the other singer in the Ambolism backup dynamic duo, used to sing at BB Kings during their gospel brunches. They were connected through vocal coach Harry Bowens and Musical Director Vincent Bonham. “It felt good being back, seeing some old faces. It was like being back home for us,” Carter added.

If Ambokile had had prior thoughts about possible technical disasters, timing mishaps, and the like, it certainly didn’t show. From beginning to end of the show, every part of her was absorbed in what she was sending out to her appreciative audience. “I wrote this song for all my sisters,” she announced when she began. “It’s to remind you to never allow yourselves to become victims of anyone’s rage.” The singer penned the words to that song, her newly released single, “Bitch” to encourage.

Ambokilé, which means “one who God has redeemed”- offers encouragement in everything she does whether it be on stage or in “real” life. Ambokilé and I spoke later in the week, and she had much to say about her new combination of musical talent and her source of inspiration- a connection to God. “Those singers (Diane and Kym) are phenomenal! They sang with Brian McKnight, Tina Marie, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Rick James, you name it, and tour all over the world.” Now they’ll be touring together, a neat Ambolism family.

And as to God in her life? “As a creative person, you are tapped into some infinite power. A person who does screenplays, they have visions and they ‘see’ things before it’s even projected on film. So they are tapped into some spiritual force- which I call ‘God,’ if you know what I mean.” Further proof of her own connection to spirit, Ambokilé’s songs are product of divine inspiration. She remembers vividly how the words to her hit “You Did Run Well” came about.

“I was driving down the street with my children in the back seat of the car,” she told me, “and words came to me: ‘Ye did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth, this persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you . . .’ They just hit me. I had to pull over to the side of the road.”

Ambokilé feels that, for her, God, music, and self are all one combination. She “hears” things a lot - and she’s not a kook, that’s one thing for sure. “Nothing can take us off the creative path but ourselves, either,” she told me. “And this touches our approach to fear, to confrontation, to persistence. It’s like this whole world is opening up- but no one can teach you.”

Her indefatigueable approach to her rigorous daily schedule testifies to her belief in God and in herself. “Believe it or not I get up each day around 5:00 in the morning,” she told me. She starts in with journaling, then goes to the gym, then walks her dog- a little Pomeranian named “Macciatto” (after her favorite coffee drink). “While I walk my dog I talk to God,” she added, “and then I’ll shower and talk to God some more, then get my children up.” Ambokilé has two sons, Jerubaal (which is Hebrew for “he who brings joy to the city of the Lord”) and Adio, ages 10 and 12, respectively. “Everyone tells me how well-mannered they are,” Ambokilé said, smiling humbly. “They’re a real joy to me.” “Jubee,” as he is known for short, is a budding hip hop artist with aspirations of becoming a pastor when he grows up. Adio (“meaning Righteous warrior placed in God’s hands) has more inclinations towards sports and entrepreneurship while also maintaining his own spiritual connection. “He’s the one who brings me my Bible every night,” Ambokilé said, smiling. She feels they’re both God’s gift to her.

Depending on her practice and recording schedule, after getting her children off to school she’ll either jump right onto her web site and spend some time answering fan email and sending out her daily affirmations, or sprinkle that task throughout the day. Yes, she personally answers all of her fans’ greetings and inquiries.

While this kind of schedule may sound daunting, Ambokilé claims perseverance by fixing her eyes on her goal and relying on prayer. “I don’t see how one could do anything without prayer, especially when making a lot of decisions, because the universe has ‘eyes’ that we don’t… That’s the way I balance it.”

This faith provides Ambokilé with what she describes as “an incredible sense of relief”- a necessary thing since she is adamant about succeeding in reaching as many people as possible with her messages of healing and encouragement.

Obviously, this works since there is other big news. In the Fall of 2007, Ambokilé will begin work on two songs to be included on Courtney Williams’ next album, “Stand-By.” This work should be released early in 2008. Additionally, her upcoming album, “Simply…Ambokilé: Thoughts” will be released January 2007.

“I’m going to be writing three new songs by next week,” she confided. “I don’t ever want to go beyond this life to my grave without pursuing my purpose.”

Having now gotten to know her pretty well, I’m confident she will. She might even write four or five.

Ambokilé and her group Ambolism will be performing at The Gig in Los Angeles on December 8, 2006 at 9:30 p.m. (7302 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California). Catch her now before tickets are sold out.

For more information about Ambokilé or her group Ambolism, please visit: her fan site at www.myspace.com/SimplyAmbokile, her official site at www.Ambolism-Records.com, and/or her complete Electronic Press Kit at www.SonicBids.com/Ambolism. For information about tickets for the upcoming performance at the Gig, please call (323) 936-4440.

Text and photos of CityWalk/CityLoft copyright2006 M D Caprario; photos of recording artist courtesy of publicist.

M D Caprario is a free lance writer working in NY, LA, and San Francisco

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- SPLASH WORLDWIDE MAGAZINE - M D Caprario

PRESS RELEASE - MAY 2006
PAUL AARON, CEO, WARRIOR FM RADIO
In 2006 often it seems enough to simply be able to walk through your words as an MC, it seems any part of your conversation will make the cut for many contemporary MC's vocal parts on their records. As long as the six-pack or booty is there it seems true poets and lyrical percussionists need not apply. It is this climate that makes LA MC artist and Entrepreneur Ambokile’ stand out like a shining beacon in what some understand as the genre of Rap music. Ambokile’ leads the light in a Renaissance of skilled lyrical, rhythmical orators of the calibre of Bahamadia, Rakim, Gil Scott Heron and the Last Poets.
From her first release "Simply Ambokile’" in late 2004 Ambokile's notoriety and repp as a skilled and serious MC, artist and performer has been steadily building from the coffee houses, poetry readings & cable TV shows of LA, USA, across California State and now her effect is rippling out across the globe to Europe and beyond as airplay and a following builds.
Working with a variety of producers from California, Ambokile’ has produced contemporary classics such as "Journey" incorporating Neo Jazz Funk instrumentation and lyrical flow that Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson could easily have been behind.
With the Ground work and foundation set, Ambokile’ is now set to take things to another level with her new self-owned label, Ambolism.
Performances in California and beyond are already booked and European dates are now being planned. Using her expertise found from working in other aspects of the music business such as its legal side, Ambokile’ is now applying her “Ambolism” musical philosophy channeled via her fellow artists who she is also signing to her new label, Ambolism.

Ambokile's latest single "Ye Did Run Well" (out May 2006) is a more minimal electro funk work out, the flow still unstoppable with head tipped towards the Bay area renaissance about to explode world wide. The West Coast has been slept on for too long, Ambokile’ seems poised to reposition the area sound as thee sound others wish to copy. For the model, actress, songwriter and poet Ambokile’, the future seems bright.
© 2006 - Paul Aaaron.
Paul Aaaron, CEO
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- PAUL AARON, CEO, WARRIOR FM RADIO

(To hear this audio version of Love Sessions streaming throughout the Month of May tune into www.GlobalGrooving.com/Dblackman.ram)

The history of poetry goes back centuries, but the spoken word music scene has been around since the 60’s with the Last Poets, Gil Scott Heron and Angela Davis to name a few. Though the popularity of the spoken word scene picked up steam in the 90’s, it has yet to grab the mainstream music establishment. Ambokile’ (pronounced am-boe-key-lay), an artist out of Beverly Hills, California, is out to change that in a big way. Through my interview with her, I find out not only is that her goal but it’s been her calling since birth.

D.Black: What’s happening, lady?
Ambokile’: How are you? I can finally put a voice with the face (laughing).

D.Black: What the readers will be witnessing is the power of networking because without myspace.com, I would have never come across your site! How has myspace.com worked out for you?

Ambokile’: Myspace.com has opened up new worlds for me, you know? Being able to have the opportunity to meet new people and to collaborate with other artists has been great. I think the music and entertainment industry (especially the music industry), there’s so much division. My goal is to get people together, to collaborate because what you put out there comes back, good or bad.

D.Black: That is something that is need badly. So tell me the meaning of your name?
Ambokile’: Ambokile’ means, “God has redeemed me”. My full name, Ambokile’ Kokayi means, “God has redeemed me to summon the people”, so that’s my mission.

I have children and they are named according to their purpose in life and that’s an African tradition. Our ancestors named their children according to their purpose, so when you say, “Ambokile’, I hold my head high because you’ve recalled to my memory exactly what my purpose is. So, if “God has redeemed me to summon the people”, my job is to bring consciousness within any avenue God provides for me to bring to the people.

D.Black: When did you begin writing?
Ambokile’: I started writing when I was seven years old which is when my mom submitted my first piece to Essence magazine.

D.Black: Wow!
Ambokile’: My mom is a writer also and she’s in the process of writing a Christian book. I grew up watching her on stage. She was a spoken word artist when Angela Davis and Maya Angelou were out there. So, I was exposed at a very early age. I was very shy as a child and when I would write I’d write about my pain because I never talked. People used to call me “Smiley”. The only way I could communicate was with my pen and paper.

D.Black: Tell me about your first project, “Simply Ambokile”. How long did that project take?
Ambokile’: Actually, it took about a month.

D.Black: That’s kind of Prince like to complete an album that fast!
Ambokile’: Yeah, Prince is one of my mentors anyway. The first album was produced by LA’s own, Ken Larish. He works with a lot of up and coming artists and now major artists in the music industry and I was referred to him by my acting coach (I have an acting background). I was ready to pay for my studio time when I went to the studio. He put me on the spot and said, “Let me see what you got”. Everything that I have written is in my head and I did a piece called, “Release Your Mind”. Once I finished, he just stared at me and said, “You have so much talent! How could you remember all of that?” My response to him was that I have lived it.

D.Black: You give a lot of yourself to the listener when writing these songs. How does that make you feel?
Ambokile’: It brought me to tears and it still brings me to tears to hear or to be aware now that people are accepting or feeling what I write. The power of words and music paints a picture. Spoken word and musical artists in the music industry paint that picture through their emotions. So, to have pieces of my life, like when I was a little girl writing in my closet and for 20 years later to be able to share those same feelings with an audience and to have them grasp it and grow from it, it’s the most powerful feeling in the world. It’s more than money. It’s like a one on one union with God.

D.Black: How often do you hear that you are a deep person?
Ambokile’: All the time.

D.Black: So tell me about the new project, Ye Did Run Well.
Ambokile’: “Ye Did Run Well” is a promo CD that is being released on April 30th, and we are doing the video for the song, “Over” in mid-May. The first single, “Ye Did Run Well”, was produced by Mr. Myc of Private Moments Productions. The complete album will be released in November. Also I wanted to give love to Bompire Records and Magazine.

D.Black: What would you want the listeners to take away from this album?
Ambokile’: I want them to know that there’s no such thing as the word, “no” and “impossible”. When you believe in yourself, God brings people from all corners of the Universe to help you support your dreams.


D.Black: What are the words you live by?
Ambokile’: (without hesitation) Believe in yourself because the power of belief moves mountains!!!

D.Black: Let’s switch gears for a minute. With everything that you’re doing, is there a man in your life?
Ambokile’: No, there was a man in my life and that’s why I wrote the song, “Over”. I would say that the men in my life are my sons. I would say that the MAN in my life is GOD.

D.Black: What do you do for fun?
Ambokile’: I write!! (LOL) No, I like taking the kids to Hip-Hop classes, taking my son to guitar class. I love going to the movies and to the beach. The love of my life is socializing, meeting people and networking. I love being creative.

D.Black: Well, I think that you are a phenomenal woman. Good luck with the project!
Ambokile’: Thank you and God bless.

Ambokile’ is woman on a mission. Her life’s journey has brought her here, through her beliefs, both mental and spiritual, that this is her time, simply to spread the word that nothing is impossible. To simply join the positive forces of this music industry to raise consciousness through spoken word. To simply achieve her goal and her purpose in life.

To be Simply . . . Ambokile’.
PRESS RELEASE - MAY 2006
- D. Black - LOVE Sessions

And speaking of beautiful inside and out, up and coming spoken word artist and chanteuse Ambokile’ (which means ‘God has redeemed me’) blessed me with a chat about how she got started (more to come in future articles), her music, and her visit to the Shop event. “I had to check this out since I think fellow artists should help each other,” she told me. Gracious Ambokile’s sentiment about the Show is carried forth in her work, and her message is one of empowerment for women. “I want women to know that they can do whatever they set their minds to." She will be performing at a pre-release party for her new CD “Simply…Ambokile’” on Saturday, September 30th, at 8:00 p.m. at B.B. Kings House of Blues in Citywalk. (Info at www.Ambolism-Records.com.)

Be on the lookout for the next “Shop ‘Til You Drop” event coming soon to another quality Hollywood area venue.

Thanks to everyone for their time in chatting with me. Thanks to God for the angels; yes, I knew you all- and am grateful.

Photos of Brandon Fobbs, Ambokile, and M D Caprario copyright 2006 Wendell Llopsis, Esq. Text and all other photos copyright 2006 M D Caprario

M D Caprario is a free lance writer and editor currently working in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles

For photo on this event please refer to our Photo Gallery - Photo No. 1.

http://www.lasplash.com/Entertainment/Hollywood_Shop_til_you_Drop_Event_Thrills_with_Celebrity_Appearances.php


- By M D Caprario - September 23, 2006