Vocalist Lizz Wright Mesmerized a Sold-Out Audience

Performance

Sep 24

Indy Jazz Fest 2023 Sunset Series

Vocalist Lizz Wright mesmerized the sold-out audience at The Cabaret with her own blending of jazz, gospel, folk, and R&B in Indy Jazz Fest’s Sunset Series collaboration with The Cabaret on September 24, 2023. It was Sunday, after all, and there was that definite overarching gospel tone that Wright weaved across many of the tunes beautifully delivered that night.

Two Sets of Music with Clarity & Depth

With Kenny Banks Sr. on keyboards, Ben Zwerin on bass, Adam Levy on guitar, and Ivan Edwards on drums, the music had such clarity and depth that even after two sets, you clamored for more. The show titled “Holding Space” is also the title of the 2022 release of her live album, capturing her concert in Berlin in 2018. From this album, Wright performed “Walk With Me Lord,” “Grace,” Neil Young’s “Old Man,” and her encore and original tune “The New Game.”

Opening with “Sweet Feeling,” Wright built a solid musical platform that, note by note, brought a feeling of peaceful spirit and calm to the evening that I think we all need in this tumultuous world. Her take on Marc Anthony Thompson’s tune “Chasing Strange” included a beautiful nod to Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” at the end.

The second set offered up Robert Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Freedom,” “I Remember, I Believe,” and “Salt,” the title track of her breakthrough album of the same name in 2003.

Blues & Greens Records

Perhaps most importantly to this artist, Wright has launched an independent record company, Blues & Greens Records. Having seen and experienced the inequities in this industry, Blues & Greens Records creates a business model with offerings for emerging artists. The mission is for artists to own their masters, creative works, and images, with all rights under their names. Wright’s debut release on Blues & Greens, "Holding Space", becomes the first master recording she owns.

Local Artist Bashiri Asad Opened the Night

The amazing “Indy-Soul” vocalist Bashiri Asad and his band opened the night with two tunes, including my favorite, “A Girl Named Charlie.” This original tune, as well as many other compositions by one of Indy’s own songwriters and singers, you can catch Bashiri on any given night around town or out on the road - but reserve early – his shows are generally "soul-ed"-out.