Malia Malawi Blues

Moving from the southern African republic of Malawi to London at the age of fourteen, Malia spent her teenage years in the Big Smoke. She has recorded three albums in France with Andre Manoukian: Yellow Daffodils (2002), Echoes of Dreams (2004), and Young Bones (2007) - all originating in Manoukian’s Paris studio.

In 2010 she got to know the Swiss producer Boris Blank, who, since the 80s as part of the avant-garde duo Yello (‘The Race’, ‘Bostich’) with Dieter Meyer, has enjoyed great success. In 2012, Malia published a tribute to Nina Simone, Black Orchid, which won that year’s ECHO Jazz Award. In 2014, Boris Blank produced the eleven electronically shaped songs of her album Convergence.
Malia’s sixth studio album, Malawi Blues/Njira, sees her clear, incisive voice again amplified in a soul-jazz context. ‘A record that I’ve long wanted to make… Right now the time feels right for this… I wanted songs that reflected my awareness and ancestry’, she sums up the vibe of the ten tracks on Malawi Blues/Njira.
The album features thoughtful, mostly slow-paced originals, with sparingly orchestrated piano supported by guitar and percussion, amongst them an almost minimalistic cover version of the classic ‘Moon River’. Right from the outset, Malia with Malawi Blues/Njira looks back to the sound of her childhood.