Naama Kates to Perform at Molly Malone’s
In Support of Her New Album, Souled
In Los Angeles
December 17, 2014

LOS ANGELES, CA – November 25, 2014 – Critically acclaimed singer-composer-actor Naama Kates is gearing up to perform at Molly Malone’s on the night of Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at 10:00pm. The appearance is in support of her latest album, Souled, which was released earlier this fall. Presented by Tall Tails Entertainment, the event will feature Kates on piano and vocals. She will be joined on stage by award-winning producer Cyrus Melchor (music production controller and guitar), Joseph Harvey (cello; to be confirmed), Steuart Leibig (bass), and Emiliano Almeida (drums). Doors open at 7:30pm; ages 21+ with ID; $10 tickets available at the door. Molly Malone’s is located at 575 South Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036. For more information on the event please visit here. For additional information on the artist, please visit http://www.naamakates.com.

Souled album cover art and photo by Luis Aguirre, (c) 2014, styling by Lucy Meza.

On the new album, Kates reunites with Melchor, who also produced her first album, The Unexamined Life. The new album, Souled, is an ethereal reflection on life, love, longing, and Los Angeles. Souled’s thoughtful lyrics showcase Kates’ sultry voice and genre-bending arrangements. The album was recorded at Melchor’s Mount Cyanide Studio in Atwater Village as well as engineer Scott Fraser’s studio in Mount Washington, both in Los Angeles. The album is available through CD Baby and digitally via online outlets including iTunes, Amazon, Google Music Store, eMusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, as well as other sites. Physical copies of the CD are available through CD Baby, Amazon, and Southern California retailers Amoeba Music, and Battery Books & Music.

“The songs on Souled are about life, seen through both a micro and macro lens, with narrators that range from taunting inner voices to omniscient beings,” says Kates, “The album is a work of soul-searching, culminating with the title song, a play on ‘sold.’”

Souled finds Melchor incorporating more electronic elements into Kates’ continually evolving sound. Her smoky vocal stylings draw comparisons to Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Norah Jones, Regina Spektor, and Tori Amos, and yet her sound remains uniquely her own. The subject matter on the album was inspired by everyday life – from frustrations with the City of Los Angeles’ Parking Violations Bureau to the political upheaval in the Ukraine to Kates’ search for her missing cat (who is safely back home!). Additional collaborators on Souled include Joseph Harvey on cello, guitarist GE Stinson, Danny Levin on horns, drummer Rich West, and Alexander DeYoung, who mastered the album.

With several indie films and TV appearances notched on her belt, Kates continues to be active on the screen as well. Her film Chloe, originally titled The 10 Commandments of Chloe, is set to release in 2015. The undeniably autobiographical film, which stars Kates, is about a young musician who is new to Nashville, and features songs from Kates’ The Unexamined Life. The film, directed by Princeton Holt, swept up 9 awards on the festival circuit and at jury competitions, including several for Best Lead Actress and Best Narrative Feature. That attention led to the film getting picked up for distribution by a bi-coastal production company. Chloe is currently undergoing revisions before a wider release later this year.

Souled Track List –

01 – Hurricane – 5:15
02 – For Our Friends – 4:09
03 – Wait Until Bright – 4:20
04 – Sunrise – 4:28
05 – Waves – 2:56
06 – Run – 4:24
07 – Growl – 3:13
08 – Windows – 2:56
09 – Chime – 3:49
10 – On My Love – 3:53
11 – Souled – 4:02

Souled Credits –

• Naama Kates – Composing, All Vocals, Piano, Synthesizer
• Cyrus Melchor – Producing, Arrangements, Engineering, Bass, Drum Programming, Guitar, Synthesizer
• Scott Fraser – Engineering
• Alexander DeYoung – Mastering
• Joseph Harvey – Cello
• GE Stinson – Guitars
• Danny Levin – Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn
• Rich West – Drums

Naama Kates –
When Naama Kates, originally from Lorain, Ohio, moved from Connecticut to New York City, she stumbled into a viable acting career while also tending bar and making synth dance demo tapes for anyone who would listen. Her film roles have ranged from a small part in Chris Columbus’ Stepmom (1998), which starred Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, and Ed Harris, to more significant roles in indie films like Cookies and Cream (2008) and Eden (2012), the SXSW Jury Award-winner, which starred Jamie Chung and Beau Bridges. She also had a starring role in the supernatural action short Road to Moloch (2009), and landed guest starring roles on the hit television series NCIS on CBS and Law & Order SVU on NBC, which brought her to Hollywood.

On Christmas Eve in 2009, Kates bought herself a small Yamaha keyboard and began writing her own songs, which she soon after performed at open mic nights and small venues around Los Angeles. A chance meeting with Cyrus Melchor, in 2010, led to an important collaboration with the CLIO and AICP award-winning producer/composer, resulting in the release of her first album, The Unexamined Life. She debuted the album in May 2012 to a packed house at the Hotel Café in Hollywood, CA, where Kates played and sang with a six-piece ensemble. The Unexamined Life was a critical success, earning rave reviews from national and international press. The single “Before You Lose It” was featured on the CW drama Ringer, while the album track “Kachmare” was heard on the CBS hit series CSI. Kates’ self-produced sophomore album, King for the Day (2013), mixed and recorded by three-time Grammy Award-nominee Scott Fraser, was another critical success, which helped Kates’ earn a new following in South America and Europe. In 2014, she reunited with Melchor for her third album, Souled.

Cyrus Melchor –
Cyrus Melchor is a music composer (sometimes referred to as “Mount Cyanide”) whose works have appeared on record releases, television and radio advertisements, as well as film scores. In 2007, he won both a CLIO and an AICP award for his composing work on Coca Cola’s “Parade” commercial. He won another CLIO and AICP award in 2012 for the Johnnie Walker campaign “Step Together.” Melchor was also inducted Original Music Composer by MoMA NYC. He was born and raised in Hollywood, where he continues to reside. As a music producer, his first release was a remix for Massive Attack, on their debut album Blue Lines, at the age of 18. He went on to produce for a variety of 1990s urban music acts ranging from the mainstream R&B Bell Biv Devoe to the underground cult hip hop group Blood of Abraham. He has also worked with The Prodigy, J Dilla, Camarillo Blues Triangle, Naama Kates, and recently released his own first full-length album, The Home For Better Living.

Links –
• Naama Kates’ Site – http://www.naamakates.com
• FB Event Page –  https://www.facebook.com/events/1532599520320823
• ReverbNation – http://www.reverbnation.com/naamakates
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NaamaKates
• Twitter – @naamakates
• YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/delilah11
• IMDb – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0441809

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For more information, images, copies of the album, an interview, or to request press passes, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.

Photo (upper-right):
Naama Kates photo credit: Luis Aguirre; styling by Lucy Meza.