Meshell Ndegeocello — Moods, Zurich

American bassist and singer Meshell Ndegeocello is filmed in concert at Moods, Zurich’s renowned jazz club, in the wake of her covers album “Ventriloquism” (2018). A genre-defying artist, a pioneer of neo-soul and a long-time Grammy nominee, she reworks soul and R&B classics here with her instantly recognisable bass groove. This full concert runs through a ten-song set mixing reimagined covers — Al B. Sure!’s “Nite and Day”, George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog”, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, “Sing a Simple Song” — with her own material. The live recording documents the craft of Meshell Ndegeocello’s band, between soul, funk and experimentation, carried by a round bass tone and finely chiselled arrangements. In front of the intimate Moods audience, this filmed live concert spotlights a performer who deconstructs and reinvents the soul tradition. A valuable document for fans of neo-soul and contemporary African-American music. Her reinterpretations of “Atomic Dog” and “Nite and Day” in particular turn familiar material into something personal, confirming her status as one of the most inventive bandleaders of her generation.