Meshell Ndegeocello played Le Poisson Rouge (pics & upcoming tour dates)
Another intriguing aspect of Ventriloquism is listening again to songs like “Tender Love,” “Sensitivity” and “Night and Day,” especially in the thick of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. Back then, it seemed, the men of R&B were really aiming to write songs from a very sensitive and tender place while still trying to maintain some kind of sex appeal.
Yeah, it was like the troubadour versus the male sex machine. It was a complicated dance. I find myself not being able to listen to a lot of the modern R&B, just because of the vibration it gives off. Those songs by Ralph Tresvant and The Force MDs, they were the black wedding songs (laughs). They all spoke of this amazing tenderness. - [Billboard]
Meshell Ndegeocello's new album Ventriloquism has the singer reinterpreting R&B hits from 1985 - 1995, including songs by Janet Jackson, Sade, TLC, Tina Turner, Ralph Tresvant, Al B. Sure!, Prince, and the Force MDs. Part of the proceeds from the record go to the ACLU and you can stream it below. She celebrated its release at NYC's Le Poisson Rouge on Friday, April 27 with Hanna Benn also on the bill. Pictures from the show are in the gallery above.
Meshell's Ventriloquism tour runs through this weekend and she'll be back in NYC this summer playing Murmrr Theatre on June 26 which is presented by Le Poisson Rouge and is part of their LPR X celebration (tickets). All tour dates are listed below
Meshell Ngegeocello - 2018 Tour Dates
Thu 03 May 2018 Freight & Salvage Coffee House Berkeley, CA, US
Fri 04 May 2018 Freight & Salvage Coffee House Berkeley, CA, US
Sat 05 May 2018 Sofia Center for the Arts Sacramento, CA, US
Tue 08 May 2018 Music Box San Diego, CA, US
Wed 09 May 2018 The Coach House San Juan Capistrano, CA, US
Thu 10 May 2018 Musical Instrument Museum Phoenix, AZ, US
Tue 26 Jun 2018 Murmrr Theatre Brooklyn, NY, US
Sat 30 Jun 2018 Palais Imperial De Compiegne Compiegne, France
Wed 11 Jul 2018 Under the Bridge Fulham, UK
Wed 17 Oct 2018 Columbus Theatre Providence, RI, US
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photos by Coen Rees