Jazz with Shahida Nurullah and Tad Weed

Shahida fans know she has a difficult time whittling down the songs that will make up the set list for her concerts.  She just has SO many favourites!  So, here is the 'semi-final' list of songs Shahida and Tad will perform on March 24th:

Nice to Be Around from Cinderella Liberty  John Williams & Paul Williams

The Shadow of Your Smile   The Sandpiper  Johnny Mandel & Paul Francis Webster

Sunday in New York  same title for film  Peter Nero & Carroll Coates

Invitation same title for film Bronislau Kaper & Paul Francis Webster

On Green Dolphin Street same title Bronislau Kaper & Ned Washington

Green Being Green  The Muppet Movie  Joe Raposo

Everybody's Talking  Midnight Cowboy  Fred Neil

What a Little Moonlight Can Do  Lady Sings the Blues  Harry Woods

Don't Explain  Lady Sings the Blues  Arthur Hertzog Billie Holiday

Children's Games  The Adventurers Antonio Carlos Jobim

Alfie  same title Burt Bacharach & Hal David

Down Here on the Ground  Cool Hand Luke  Lalo Schifrin & Gale Garnett

Moon River Breakfast at Tiffany's Henry Mancini & Johnny Mercer

Lydia the Tattooed Lady  At the Circus  Harold Arlen & Yip Harburg

Some of These Days Honky Tonk, Follow the Boys  Shelton Brooks

Little Boy Lost - Pieces of Dreams - Michel LeGrand & Alan & Marilyn Bergman

The Best That You Can Do - Arthur's Theme - Carol Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach, Cristopher Cross,Peter Allen

Stella By Starlight - The Uninvited - Victor Young & Ned Washington

Moment to Moment- same title - Henry Mancini & Johnny Mercer

I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket -Follow the Fleet - Irving Berlin

A Felicidade - Black Orpheus - Antonio  Carlos Jobim

Shahida Nurullah has a right to sing the blues. Considering she lost both her parents as a teenager, raised her brother when she was practically a child herself, and suffered debilitating injuries in an accident that nearly ended her life.
 

She sings the blues so beautifully. She also sings jazz, samba, bossa nova, show tunes, and more. Her vocal talent surpasses the challenges of any music in the popular American songbook. Not to mention singing in three different languages. Her skill has wowed audiences from her native Detroit to New York to Paris to Amsterdam and further. When internationally lauded pianist Geri Allen created the band Open On All Sides, she chose Shahida to be her vocalist. When the band toured without the alto saxophonist from Allen’s critically acclaimed recording, “In the Middle,” Shahida sang the alto lines.
 

Shahida’s vocal talent has been praised in Downbeat magazine, the New York Times, the Detroit Free Press and Finland’s Rytmi magazine, which included her name in a poll alongside such legends as Sarah Vaughan and fellow Detroiter Betty Carter. Like everything else, Shahida has been more than equal to the task, returning to the stage with a triumphant appearance at the Montreux Detroit Jazz Festival and numerous southeast Michigan club appearances and even winning a starring role in a staging of the musical play “After Hours: Great Legends! Great Music!”
 

In spite of her challenges Shahida has maintained a beautiful spirit and joie de vivre. And she now carries some of the coolest canes that ever assisted the stroll and strut of anyone. Each of them has its own story. Shahida is a collector of Josephine Baker memorabilia, antiques, Tramp Art and editions of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. In fact, her interest in book collecting led her to join the Book Club of Detroit, a group of bibliophiles -- even serving a term as president of the organization. She also volunteers with ProLiteracy Detroit.
 

Shahida’s latest recording “The Ruby and the Pearl” is the culmination of a lifetime of music and incredible experiences. Its intimacy, detailed craft and joyful rendering serves as a tribute to great songs and her never-ending search for material equal to her vocal skills. She is indeed a lovely pearl adorning the musical firmament. 

 

Artist Tad Weed is active as a piano soloist, collaborative artist, lecturer, arranger and teacher.  He studied classical piano repertoire and composition at Central Michigan University before migrating to Los Angeles. Tad’s studies culminated in a Bachelor and Masters degree in Piano Performance and Jazz Studies from the Grove School of Music.

 

Tad’s discography contains over 50 records and CD’s which feature his playing as well as his arrangements and compositions.
 

His performing experience includes international touring as a pianist/music director for Carmen McRae, Anita O’Day, Paul Anka and Jack Jones and also recorded with various artists such as Chaka Khan, John Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon, Betty Carter, Dick Berk, Wynton Marsalis, Frank Morgan and David Fathead Newman..  He has collaborated with a number of various ensembles including Peter Soave, Charles Lloyd, Nick Brignola, Woody Herman, Mundell Lowe, John Patitucci, Vinny Golia, Ritchie Cole, Teddy Edwards, Dick Berk, Dave Bennett and the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and performed Astor Piazzolla tangos with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra.

 

Tad was on staff at Discovery Records of Los Angeles. In addition to recording and arranging, he was an accompanist and performer with many artists including Chaka Khan, Al Cohn, Kenny Burell, John Clayton, Bill Waltrous, Shorty Rogers, Jerome Richardson, Bud Shank, Stanley Turrentine, Wycliffe Gordon, John Carter, Bobby Bradford, Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Frank Morgan, David “Fathead” Newman, and many others.

 

Tad is an associate professor of Jazz Piano at the University of Toledo.  He has also served as Adjunct Professor on the music faculties of University of Michigan, Bowling Green State University, Western Michigan University, University of Windsor and University of Oakland.  He continues to teach and conduct jazz/composition clinics, including student summer clinics as well as performing and arranging for his groups, The Freedom Ensemble and Dobbins, Krahnke and Weed, a piano trio group.