Rajdulari

Artist Information

Biography

The lead voice for so many of New England’s eclectic world, jazz and funk groups, Rajdulari is a recent transplant to New York from Boston and is a ten year veteran of the local performance scene.

Her past performance credits include such venues as Jazz clubs Regattabar, Ryles, Scullers, Village Underground, Billie's Black, along with many performances at the Emerson Majestic Theater, Saunders Theater, Boston’s Hynes Convention Center, and the Make Music New York Festival, Beantown Jazz Festival, among others.

She has worked with composers Walter Robinson, David Zoffer, (New England Conservatory (NEC), Chair of Continuing Education Department) James Stewardson (Guitar faculty @ Rivers Music School, NEC Prep/SCE Jazz & Fresh Sounds recording artist) and is featured on many compilations along such performers as award winning pianist George W. Russell.

As a lead vocalist, Rajdulari has performed as a member of the 8-piece, all female world music band, Zili Misik, (winners of the ROCKRGRL/Berklee All Female Battle of the Bands competition), with the David Zoffer Differential (alternative jazz fusion/prog rock, with Guy Mendilow & the Mendilusian Wine (voted Boston's Best Music Act 2005).

Rajdulari currently performs with her own band, simply titled "Rajdulari" (winner of the NE Urban Music Awards "Best Jazz Band 2011") and has just released her Debut Album "HoneyWine" which is now available on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, and Rajdulari's own website. (For more info on the album, check out the latest review on Harlem Trends: http://harlemtrends.com/2011/10/rajdulari-you-me-us-we-rising/)

Rajdulari attended the New England Conservatory’s Jazz Continuing Education program and Berklee College of Music."

Instrumentation

Jiri Nedoma, Keys
Giancarlo DeTrizio, Drums & Percussion
Sam JC Lee, Bass
Sagit Zilberman, Sax

Discography

"The Rajdulari Jazz Projet" debut EP, (Released- March 2010)
"HoneyWine" Debut CD, (Released-October 14th, 2011)

Official Website

http://www.rajdulari.com

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter
• Watch Rajdulari on YouTube!

Audio

• America (feat. Letta Neely) MP3
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• Into The Light (feat. Monique Brooks-Roberts) MP3
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• Black Bird (The BreakupSong) MP3
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• Purpose (aka "Grammy Anthem") MP3
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• Honeywine MP3
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Lyrics

• Me & You

Video

happybday.mov

HoneyWine-Studio Movie Clip

Photo Gallery

Press

• "Rajdulari's "HoneyWine" Video More Than Sizzles..." [+ Show ]
  

  "Rajdulari’s video for her song HoneyWine was recently released and has been very well received. Fe..."Rajdulari’s video for her song HoneyWine was recently released and has been very well received. Featuring the talented and fine artist Terrell Carter, the video opens with him discovering Rajdulari in her natural state – no makeup, guard down and you can see the adoration in his eyes when he approaches her. The video tells a love story of unconditional love, mutual support, understanding, joy and powerful sensuality – this is how love – real life – is supposed to be, isn’t it?"

• "HoneyWine Official Music Video Premiere" [+ Show ]
  

  "In-station, on wax, and in living color, Rajdulari delivers jazz styling reminiscent of Patti Austi..."In-station, on wax, and in living color, Rajdulari delivers jazz styling reminiscent of Patti Austin and Phoebe Snow....."

• "A Colorful New Voice" [+ Show ]
  

  "A journey to the Grammys doesn’t always begin with a lot of cash and an entourage. Sometimes it beg..."A journey to the Grammys doesn’t always begin with a lot of cash and an entourage. Sometimes it begins simply with a huge talent, a lot of perseverance, and a dream...."-Dee Thompson

• "HoneyWine"-First Listen [+ Show ]
  

  "...Among the redundancy of radio station playlists and studio produced artists comes a sound that s..."...Among the redundancy of radio station playlists and studio produced artists comes a sound that speaks to your soul and awakens your ears..."

• "Rajdulari-You, Me, Us, We-Rising" [+ Show ]
  

  "Honey Wine is sophisticated and soulful. Swingin. Latin. Funky. Poetic.Vocalese. Sensual. The a..."Honey Wine is sophisticated and soulful. Swingin. Latin. Funky. Poetic.Vocalese. Sensual. The album opens with Into the Light, a magnetic awakening and introduction to Rajdulari and her masterful band...."

• "Jazzin it Up with Rajdulari" [+ Show ]
  

  "Rajdulari Barnes is a powerful and passionate jazz musician and if you appreciate the sultry, soulf..."Rajdulari Barnes is a powerful and passionate jazz musician and if you appreciate the sultry, soulful sounds of jazz music you will love her music as well....."

• "Rajdulari in the October 2011 Issue of Plus Model Magazine" [+ Show ]
  

  "Rajdulari is a passionate musician....Her journey is relatable to us all as we live and follow our ..."Rajdulari is a passionate musician....Her journey is relatable to us all as we live and follow our dreams" Teslyn Butler

• "Rajdulari's new HoneyWine CD is a Must-Have on every Diva's List!" [+ Show ]
  

  "If you enjoy jazz and live bands, you can put this CD in, light the fireplace, grab a glass of wine..."If you enjoy jazz and live bands, you can put this CD in, light the fireplace, grab a glass of wine and relax either by yourself or with that special someone! It makes you feel like you watching and listening to her live in a jazz club....."

• "Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival to Feature Rajdulari Barnes" [+ Show ]
  

  By Kade Krichko, Globe Correspondent "The musician is an oak tree. The seedling of a passion,...By Kade Krichko, Globe Correspondent
  
  "The musician is an oak tree.
  
  The seedling of a passion, she weathers the storms of professional uncertainty, growing stronger. She cycles through the seasons, experiencing the loves of a first collaboration, the pain of band members falling away, the vulnerability of exposing her work to the harsh ears of critics -- and finally, the frequent creative rebirths that start the circle over.
  
  
  
  
  (Photo by Kevin Tyson)
  
  
  But through all the tribulations of musical development, it’s the roots that have kept this musician – former Boston resident Rajdulari Barnes -- standing.
  
  Barnes, lead singer of the jazz ensemble, The Rajdulari Project relocated to New York City after a dozen years immersed in Boston’s jazz scene. Now, her roots call her back: Less than a year after her move down the I-95 corridor, she is on the bill for Saturday’s Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival on Columbus Avenue.
  
  "I think it’s time to bring it home,” said the former Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory student. “Boston is the birthplace of my career, so it’s important that I come back and show the people who supported me for so long what I’ve been working on.”
  
  Barnes first gained notice as a performer at just 17, when a local jazz drummer asked her to try her vocal chops at the Cambridge-based Ryles Jazz Club.
  
  “I was able to get up there and act it all out on stage,” Barnes said of the experience. “It was great to feel the arts in progress.”
  
  The teenaged Barnes used her Ryles experience as a musical jumping-off point, enrolling in the prestigious Conservatory, with a focus on jazz performance, shortly after graduating from East Boston High School. She began expanding her reach in the Boston jazz scene, outside of the classroom, with performances at Regattabar, Scullers, the Emerson Majestic Center and several other well-known Boston venues.
  
  “Jazz is a language,” she explained. “You’re trying to communicate with people, and I think, for me, that’s reflected through music.”
  
  After graduating from the Conservatory, she headed down the street to Berklee to pursue vocal performance studies. It was there that she met Professor David Zoffer and continued to blossom.
  
  “She had a great energy,” recalled Zoffer, a professor at both Berklee and the New England Conservatory. “She was so thorough that she’d sit with me for hours and go through [songs] taking them piece by piece.”
  
  Barnes ended her studies in 2008, but stayed on with Zoffer as an assistant in his continuing studies program. Zoffer, a renowned jazz pianist himself, continued to help, even offering up a spot in his band, the David Zoffer Differential.
  
  Zoffer said Barnes was more of a boost than he imagined.
  
  “She taught me a lot as a writer, going over the poetry and lyrics of my songs,” he said. “She’d really take them to heart and help me out. She had a big impact on my music.”
  
  Barnes moved to New York last year to increase her exposure and pursue new projects. There, she teamed up with fellow Berklee alums Sagit Zilberman (saxophone), Patriq Moody (trumpet), Giancarlo DeTrizio (drums), Enrico DeTrizio (keyboard) and Sam JC Lee (bass) to form The Rajdulari Project.
  
  Playing a fusion of jazz, R&B and funk, the group expanded its repertoire and fan base around New York before getting the opportunity to play at the BeanTown Jazz Fest.
  
  “It’s amazing because I’ve always been a huge fan [of the festival], but was always on the outside,” said Barnes. “Now we’re on the inside, and on the main stage.”
  
  The BeanTown Jazz Festival is the brainchild of Darryl Settles, local entrepreneur and real estate developer. Noting the deep jazz history of Roxbury, the South End and surrounding area, Settles wanted to find a way to re-establish that tradition, using the abundance of local and regional talent.
  
  After attending the Montreal Jazz Festival in Canada, Settles decided Boston needed its own jazz event.
  
  “We’re fortunate to have musicians here who have entertainment in their hearts,” said Settles. “What better way to showcase that -- and what more excitement can they get -- than performing in front of a large crowd that loves their music?”
  
  Settles launched the festival in September 2000, with help from area businesses. Since then, the event -- which takes place along the stretch of Columbus Avenue between Mass. Ave. and Burke Street -- has swelled to over 80,000 attendees. In 2007, Berklee took over the festival, which offers a variety of musical acts and vendors.
  
  The Rajdulari Project is among more than 20 ensembles that will perform across three stages on Saturday, starting at noon. The group performs at 1:05 p.m. on the Berklee Stage.
  With her album on the way in early October, Barnes’ return has created a “definite buzz,” said Zoffer.
  
  “She’s a great artist and someone to keep your eye out for,” he said. “She’s always hungry and always growing.”
  
  Barnes may have grown and extended her reach into the New York music scene, but part of her is firmly planted in Boston, she said.
  
  “It’s important for us to entertain, to soothe and to help the communities that helped us,” she said.
  
  This article was reported and written by Northeastern University journalism student Kade Krichko, under the supervision of journalism instructor Lisa Chedekel (l.chedekel@neu.edu), as part of collaboration between The Boston Globe and Northeastern."
  
  

• "Recap: 11th Annual Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival" [+ Show ]
  

  "I made my way back to the Berklee stage for artist Rajdulari’s peformance and was treated to an eas..."I made my way back to the Berklee stage for artist Rajdulari’s peformance and was treated to an easy sound that melted in the ears mama’s fresh apple pie. You couldn’t help, but feel the vibe."
  
  

• "Classy, sassy, and Jazzy!" [+ Show ]
  

  “Classy  sassy, and jazzy!!!  The Rajdulari Jazz Project, featuring lead singer Rajdulari, is all th...“Classy  sassy, and jazzy!!!  The Rajdulari Jazz Project, featuring lead singer Rajdulari, is all that and more!!!!  An understanding of the standards with her own spin makes Rajdulari one to watch!’'

• "You Really Can't Go Wrong with the Rajdulari Experience!" [+ Show ]
  

  "I have had the pleasure of working with Rajdulari for two events and seeing 2 live performances as ..."I have had the pleasure of working with Rajdulari for two events and seeing 2 live performances as a guest. Not only is she a superb vocalist, her professionalism as an entertainer is unparalled and is always a pleasure to work with her.  You really can't go wrong with the Rajdulari experience!!!".

• "My Audience Always Leaves Wanting More".. [+ Show ]
  

  "I have booked Rajdulari Music for several events over the years and every time I am utterly impress..."I have booked Rajdulari Music for several events over the years and every time I am utterly impressed.  The quality of the music is phenomenal- only overshadowed by their high professionalism.  My audience always leaves wanting more." Kristen Porter, Boston Event Producer, Dyke Night Productions

Setlist

Typical set lists include various jazz standards and original tunes..

Rajdulari Jazz Project Set List

Wish You Were Here
From My Heart to Yours
HoneyWine
Billie’s Bounce
Summertime
Me and You
Reverie
Flying Easy
Weep No More
Amazon Farewell
Afro Blue
Little Sunflower
America
Miss Celie’s Blues
Hazel’s Hips
Footprints/Afro Blue

Basic Requirements

Calendar