Blues Singer at Belleville
By Stewart Lytle, Sr. Reporter
Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Farayi brings her warm, soulful voice to the Belleville concert stage Saturday, Nov. 14 for an evening of American blues, gospel, bluegrass and jazz.
Farayi Malek was raised in Caldwell, ID, where she played the fiddle from age four. She was exposed to old-time, bluegrass and country through the Junior Jammer Fiddlers and gospel music at church.
On the faculty at the Berklee College of Music, Farayi’s songwriting is rooted in empathy, spirituality, and the rich musical traditions that have shaped her.
Her new single, “Prayer for the People,” marks a bold new solo chapter. Featuring haunting bluegrass instrumentation from the Grammy-winning band the SteelDrivers, the song is highly appropriate for today’s world.
It offers a heartfelt plea for relief from the despair, anger, loneliness and fear so many face today. Farayi’s tender, empathetic vocals carry both deep spirituality and steely strength.
Tammy Rogers with the popular band, The Steeldrivers described Farayi as “an incredible new talent to hit the roots music scene.
After spending time with her in the studio collaborating on her new single, Rogers declared, “She is proof that the future of roots music is in great hands.”
Prayer for the People emerged from a spontaneous moment of inspiration.
“I was having a moment of prayer, and this melody came to my mind,” Farayi said. “I distractedly hit record on my phone and started to sing. My plea was directed toward the things that I was seeing in the world — the brokenness in our nation, and the wars that are happening abroad.”
Having captivated audiences around the globe as a vocalist with Danilo Pérez’s Global Messengers, Farayi is now returning to her musical roots and inviting listeners to join her on a personal new journey.
She was nominated for a Grammy in 2023 for the Best Latin Jazz Album and two years later for the Best Classical Vocal Album.
Now a Salt Lick Incubator award-winner, Farayi is stepping out as a solo artist on her debut recording project produced by Alain Mallet, Phil Woods, Paul Simon, Paquito D’Rivera, Marc Johnson and Madeleine Peyroux.
The concert is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 at The Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St., Newburyport
Buy tickets at www.eventbrite.com/e/farayi-at-belleville-roots-tickets-1997912828051?aff=oddtdtcreator
