Aquilla Sadalla

Artist Description

Aquilla Sadalla’s musical drive is and has always been spiritual in nature and holistic in approach. “The music must play the larger role in reclaiming our glory”, says Aquilla regarding music, as a solution to the life problems that perpetually plague the human spirit seemingly now more than ever before. “The time is at hand, the time is now. A music that can heal the world is emerging out of the depths of our pain from the lack of knowledge and the absence of a cultural based community. When we speak on saving the world, it must begin with music”.

Words wisely spoken from a woman that has spent years paying dues in the name of music and the joy of creation. Aquilla Sadalla’s journey into music began as a young girl in the Baptist church.  Her love of music carried through school and church choirs through her formative years.  Starting in the late 1960s, she spent 18 years studying and performing instrumental and vocal music with the Circle of Sound and Samana, a Chicago-based female vocal and instrumental ensemble known for avant-garde improvisation and eclectic jazz tinged arrangements.

Aquilla’s melodic delivery strikes a familiar chord that resonates with a listener of that Chicago brand of soul consciousness made known by the likes of Sun-Ra and Roy Ayers.  In addition to writing, performing and recording music for some of Chicago’s pioneers of creative music, Aquilla has been a presence in the culture of her community for many years.  Her hard work and commitment to music and motherhood has rewarded her a family of brass musicians known as The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble with whom she shares a bill tonight at Joe’s Pub. She is currently the featured vocalist on Jupiter, a breakout single independently released in 2005 by the HBE on their own label, then re-released on the Pantone label in 2006, selling thousands of units worldwide.

With a fresh new band and an uplifting and replenishing mix of inspired lyrics and captivating musical tapestry, soul, jazz, gospel, reggae and spoken word are just a few of the styles that immediately come to mind when Aquilla’s current work. At first listen, the sweet vocal and musical textures bring to mind such diverse influences as Marcia Griffiths, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Jennifer Holliday, Nina Simone, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves and Nancy Wilson. Working with a cross generational assortment of musicians, Aquilla will bring a unique yet familiar soulful sound to her audiences tonight.