Biography
To View Nadir's Calendar Please Visit www.distortedsoul.com
Some artists defy classification.
Detroit’s revolutionary soul man, Nadir, rebels against it.
His solo debut Distorted Soul 2.0 was crowned “Best Funk Album of the Year” by Soul-Patrol.com and earned a Detroit Music Award for “Outstanding Urban Funk/Hip-Hop Recording”, after international spins on Urban A/C, Rock, Urban Contemporary and even Smooth Jazz radio.
Slave: The Remixtape, which offers fourteen very different remixes of Nadir’s award-winning composition “Slave” (and six additional tracks online) - in Crunk, Funk, Hip-hop, Rock, Funky House, Techno styles and more - was a #5 Breakout track on Billboard’s Club Play chart, and took home a Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Electronic Dance Recording.
On Nadir’s new album, Workin’ For The Man, revolutionary socio-political commentary collides with explosive funk and hip hop. Nadir describes the album as a “political dance record” designed to make you dance and think at the same time.
Witnesses can catch Nadir skanking funk guitar on tour in the U.S., Canada or Europe, or rocking an acoustic in front of the White House demanding that George Bush step down. His funk-rock jam band, Distorted Soul, rips through Nadir’s diverse originals, then fires off hard rocking versions of soul classics like “Love TKO” or reincarnates rock anthems like “Life in the Fast Lane” as dance floor friendly funk burners.
Topping it all off is his current stint with MTV as the Choose or Lose 2008 correspondent to the state of Michigan, which lasts until the presidential election in November. (Catch his reports at www.think.mtv.com/Nadir/)
“When you get right down to it,” Nadir explains, “I’m all about telling stories, singing songs and making music that moves people - spiritually, emotionally, physically, politically, whatever. Don’t just sit there! Do something!”
This Southern-bred singer-songwriter and his stalwart band play with an aplomb that could raise the corpses of Marley and Hendrix. No $h!t To label them simply neo-soul would be downright reductive.” Metro Times, Detroit”
NADIR has received several recent awards for his work including:
- Seven Detroit Music Awards: Three in a row (2005-2007) for Outstanding Urban/Funk Songwriter; Outstanding Urban/Funk Vocalist (2006 & 2008); Outstanding Urban/Funk/Hip Hop Recording (2005) for Distorted Soul 2.0; Outstanding Electronic Dance Recording (2008) for Slave: The Remixtape
- Distorted Soul 2.0 named Best Funk CD of 2005 by SoulPatrol.com
- A finalist berth in the John Lennon International Songwriting Contest for “Slave”
- He was selected by the editors of Billboard Magazine as a finalist in the 2004 Independent Music World Series
- Listeners at GarageBand.com raved over his song “Slave” voting the track No. 1 Best Male Vocals in Funk, all-time, No. 1 Bitter Breakup Song in Funk, all-time, No. 2 Best Lyrics in Funk, all-time
Distorted Soul 2.0 is a ground-breaking album that has received rave reviews from critics and listeners alike. Chris Rizik of Soultracks.com says “The praise is well deserved, as this is absolutely infectious urban rock, calling to mind the better moments of artists from Ernie Isley to Lenny Kravitz.” Dirk Binsau, publisher of the website Jazz-Not-Jazz.com, believes NADIR “has really developed a sound and style of his own and Distorted Soul 2.0 is very different from what Ive heard in a long time and thats what makes this album special.”
“Its STONE COLD FUNK, it makes you DANCE, it ROCKS your world, its got GREAT LYRICS, it’s got POWERHOUSE SOUL SINGING, it’s got GREAT MUSCIANSHIP, it makes you THINK about the world and it makes you SMILE.” - www.soul-patrol.com-
Slave: The Remixtape features 14 captivating new versions (20 at some digital retailers) of NADIR’s award-winning song by some of the best young producers on the scene. Guaranteed to make you a slave to the dancefloor!
“It’s a fantastic example of what remixers can do when given good material… If you’re into remixes, Nadir’s Slave: The Remixtape is a tour-de-force of remixing.” -Synthtopia-
Nadir’s 2008 album Workin’ For The Man is a high powered political barn burner, packed with revolutionary funk, soul, rock, hip hop and house. Bob Davis of Soul-Patrol.com says, “Imagine if you could listen to an album that sounded like it was James Brown + Gil Scott-Heron + Public Enemy?” And… “This is clearly one of the best new releases of 2008 and something that is truly worthy of your attention at this time.”
“Nadir is a revolutionary artist. Nadir has a revolutionary agenda. Nadir thinks that it is ok to HAVE FUN and THINK. Nadir’s new album Workin’ for the Man makes you do both.”
- www.soul-patrol.com-
Instrumentation
Nadir Omowale - vocals, lead guitar
Alesha Brown - vocals, keys
Chris Spooner - bass
Mia Treadwell - drums
Discography
2008
NADIR - Workin' For The Man
(EAPro)
2007
NADIR - Slave: The Remixtape
(Bikiniwax/EAPro)
2006
TOP TEN THINGS I LOVE/HATE ABOUT THE HOOD
Independent feature film
NADIR - original soundtrack
(Cornerboy Films)
2006
State of Emergency: World Can't Wait Compilation
NADIR - "Guantanamo"
(Proletariat Productions)
2005
NADIR's Distorted Soul: "Guantanamo" single
(EAPro)
2005
More Music Detroit Singer/Songwriter Compilation
NADIR - "Daddy's Cane"
(LaSalle Bank/GMR Live Marketing)
2005
Best of the Motor City Music Conference 2005 Compilation
NADIR - "Leave It Alone"
(Detroit Free Press)
2005
Detroit Music Awards 2005 Nominees Compilation
NADIR - "Slave"
(Motor City Music Foundation)
2004
Anti-Industry.com Compilation CD
NADIR - "Daddy's Cane"
("Daddy's Cane" Nominated for Best Original Song at Anti-Industry.com)
2004
NADIR - "DISTORTED SOUL 2.0"
(EAPro)
2004
DISC MAKERS INDEPENDENT MUSIC WORLD SERIES: "HEAVY HITTERS" Compilation
NADIR - "Slave"
(Nadir chosen as a finalist by the editors of Billboard magazine to showcase in Disc Makers IMWS's live indie music showcase.)
2004
VARIOUS ARTISTS: "SOUL SOPHISTICATED"
(Compendia Music Group)
NADIR - "SoulMate" and "Queen of Sheba"
(Smooth soul compilation also featuring Maysa, Kloud 9, Laurnea, Karon Bernod and Carmen Rogers)
2003
NADIR: "DISTORTED SOUL"
(EAPro)
2001
UTOPIA STATE "FOALLAYALL"
(Shika Down Sounds); Nadir composed and produced "War on Us" and "Land of Freedom"
1999
GRAY: "FEATHERBONE"
Nadir - Bass, vocals, co-producer
(Paint Rock Records)
1998
"1999"
Independent film starring Amanda Peet, Stephen Dorf and Buck Henry. "Hit" performed by JACK JOHNSON, written by Nadir, featured in the film.
1998
BULLETPROOF SOUL (Interscope Records)
Nadir provided vocals on "Everything's Gonna Be Alright"
1997
"BARB WIRE" feature film with Pamela Anderson;
"Blondie's Squad Car" & "Hit" performed by JACK JOHNSON, written by Nadir, featured in the film.
1995
JACK JOHNSON: "Round One"
Bandleader, producer, vocals, guitar, programming
(PC! Music)
1988
THESE ARE HOUSEPLANTS: "These are..."
Nadir - Bass
(Aural Canvas)
Links
| http://www.distortedsoul.com |
| DistortedSoul.com |
| MySpace |