Somerville, MA– Grammy-winning musician Meshell Ndegeocello will grace Arts at the Armory’s Spotlight Series and Performance Hall on Friday, September 20, 2024.

Ndegeocello just released her highly anticipated album No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin on August 2, 2024, in honor of what would have been the revered writer’s 100th birthday.
This project, almost 10 years in the making, explores Baldwin’s work and draws inspiration from his seminal nonfiction piece, The Fire Next Time. The new album features contributions from Ndegeocello’s frequent collaborators, including guitarist Chris Bruce and vocalist Justin Hicks, as well as spoken word by poet Staceyann Chin and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hilton Als.

Ndegeocello is a virtuosic creative as a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Her storied career has included songs topping Billboard charts, most notably her original “If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night)” in 1994. Ndegeocello has collaborated on bass and rapped alongside Madonna on her album Bedtime Stories, and on Chaka Khan’s single “Never Miss the Water” in 1996. Her recent album release and Blue Note Records debut, The Omnichord Real Book, is an exquisite, deeply jazz-influenced album that earned Ndegeocello the 2024 Grammy for Best Alternative Jazz Album.

The New York Times published an article about Ndegeocello on August 1, 2024. Read “Meshell Ndegeocello Could Have Had Stardom but Chose Music Instead” by Wesley Morris.

The local opener for Ndegeocello’s concert will be pianist and composer Zahili Zamora. Born in Manzanillo, Cuba, Zamora has pursued musical excellence and creativity all her life, from touring internationally to inspiring young musicians as a professor at Berklee College of Music. http://www.zahilizamora.com

Arts at the Armory looks forward to welcoming audiences to experience Meshell Ndegeocello live on Friday, September 20, 2024 with her band. Doors open at 7:00pm, the concert will start at 8:00pm with Zamora to open.