Meshell Ndegeocello, the innovative and groundbreaking singer, bassist and all around musical visionary has a new side project heavy on the grooves. Spirit Music Jamia is a freeform project incorporating funky, spiritual sounds into the rhythmic landscape. Inspired by icons like Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, Prince and John Coltrane, Meshell is taking on the role of bandleader and incorporating moving sounds from many genres. Meshell says she has always dreamed about being in a group and for the first time in her 12-year career she gathered stunning musicians to work closely with her on a collaborative project.

This new recording project features such notable artists as Cassandra Wilson, Miles Davis-alum Jack DeJohnette, Kenny Garrett, Lalah Hathaway, Oliver Lake, Don Byron, Sabina (Brazilian Girls vocalist), Ron Blake and more, as well as Meshell herself as musical director, bassist and composer. This artistic melding of voices, ideas and original sounds has created the year’s most extraordinary project and Meshell proves again that she is a musician of epic proportions.