Zili Misik has been bridging cultures, generations, and continents for
seven years. With captivating sounds that evoke the African continent,
Zili retraces routes of forced exile and cultural resistance through
diasporic rhythm and song. Powerful Haitian, Brazilian and West
African rhythms infuse Zili's original creations and traditional folksongs. Reconnecting
Haitian mizik rasin, Jamaican roots reggae, Afro-Brazilian samba, Afro-Cuban
son, and African American spirituals, blues, jazz and neo soul, Zili
Misik honors its influences while creating a sound that is uniquely its
own.
All female, zili takes its name from Haitian spiritual entity, "Ezili" who
is envisaged as mother, lover, and warrior. Zili's songs are sensual,
political, self-reflective, positive, and invoke love. Zili's lyrics
glide seamlessly from English to Kreyol to Portuguese to Spanish, spinning
tales and visions of lives lived and yet to be.
Lead singer Rajdulari joined Zili seven years ago, and brings
her sultry smooth soprano. While her voice and vocal range bring
to mind jazz greats like Sarah Vaughan, Rajdulari has a unique sound
that takes you both to the intimacy of a jazz club and to her roots in
the black Baptist Church. Rajdulari has performed both nationally
and internationally, most recently in Italy. Rajdulari initiates incredible
harmonies that tell the stories of an African past and an American present.
Founder and multi-instrumentalist Kera M. Washington composes and arranges
most of the songs for Zili. A semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk
Institute of Jazz International Hand Drumming Competition, and an ethnomusicologist, Kera
incorporates an array of percussion, including Caribbean and West African
instruments, flutes and african harps. Kera also possesses an unusually
moving and powerful voice, allowing her to move easily from melodic singing
to vocal percussion to chants and spoken word.
Zili has Craigslist and Berklee College of Music to thank for keyboardist
Hinako Sato, guitarist Lexi Havlin, saxphonist Joy Roster, trumpeter
Krystal Johnson, bassist Joanna Maria, and drummers Jobeth Umali, Genesis
Rubin, and Kari Flango, who activate Zili's rhythm section. Graduates
of Berklee College of Music and hailing from Trinidad, Japan, Chicago,
New York, Houston, Cleveland, and Oakland, they bring the wealth of their
professional and personal experiences to Zili.
Zili Misik is winner of ROCKRGRL's and Berklee College of Music's BATTLE
of the All-FEMALE BANDS; has opened for Shaggy and Boukman Eksperyans;
and performs regularly at clubs, colleges, weddings, festivals, and private
events thoughout the New England area. Boston clubs that have featured
Zili Misik include The Paradise, Harper's Ferry, The Milky Way, and Johnny
D's. Zili Misik has performed at Wellesley College, Harvard, MIT, Northeastern
University, the University of Hartford, and the University of Maine. You
can find Zili Misik monthly at Slade's Bar and Grill, and on the upcoming
calendar of the Leopard Lounge in New York and the Xxodus Cafe (Providence
Black Rep) in Rhode Island.
