Power. This was my prevailing thought as I watched Meshell Ndegeocello perform last Friday (10/19/07) at The Echoplex. My hand stayed raised to the sky like I was testifying. At times the sheer depth of the music was overwhelming.

The performance reminded me that power comes in many forms. Its aggressive form is usually associated with male characteristics. Perhaps this is why it is so interesting to see a woman wield power in this fashion. Power or force, when executed by a woman in Rock can often take on different characteristics than when yielded by their male counterparts, thereby defying categorization. But then, defying categorization and challenging stereotypes is what the accomplished bass player, Meshell Ndegeocello does best.

Meshell's latest album The World Has Made Me The Man Of My Dreams (2007) boldly confronts notions of gender politics, religion, sex, and the soul, familiar yet penetrating themes you'd expect to hear on a Meshell album. The fact that it is served on an iron skillet of raw guitar chords and bass only serves to enhance its purity. The album is fantastic, but nothing can prepare you for the sheer genius of the live performance.

This time out, Meshell was accompanied by a four-man crew - two guitarists, one bass player, and a drummer. She came out in what looks to be her new performance costume of choice - a black skullcap, sweatshirt and jeans. It worked of course, as it enhanced her "down to business" persona. These days it seems that Meshell just wants to play. There will be no tricks, no pyrotechnics, and no circus - just incredible musicianship. And there was no grand announcement, Meshell simply walked onto the stage with her band and began to play. Brilliantly.

The days of old material are gone. Meshell only played tracks off of her new album and a large number of new ones such as ‘Strong Arm', ‘White Girl', ‘Top-shelf', and ‘Transmission'. The result was devastatingly beautiful. Her reworking of the Joy Division track ‘Wilderness' was hauntingly better than the original and sent chills down the spine of the audience. In each and every song, amidst the guitars and polyrhythmic drums is an overwhelming sense of introspection and honesty. You hear yourself in the music and her lyrics. The guitar effects used help transport you to space - innerspace.

At times Punk, Metal, Rock, Funk, Soul, or Dub... at others, impossibly all rolled up into one... but one thing is always consistent - passion. Meshell is resigned to sincerity and sentimentality, regardless if the guitars are blaring or strumming you to serenity. There is inherent sophistication in her lyrics and music, a rare combination indeed. The multi-instrumentalists music is sensual and intellectual, compassionate and wrathful in its ocean of dichotomies that somehow flow together.

Not many artists can dart from Punk to a Jazz riff in a song while maintaining authenticity. Perhaps this is what separates her from her fellow rockers, both male and female. The ability to provide complexity and a sense of warmth with every song, no matter how aggressive, would appear to be a gift not easily actualized. This achievement of artistry connects you with the music as it crosses lines presupposed by gender, ethnicity, sex, and religion.

If only Top 40 were so deep. But, then it wouldn't be Top 40 would it?

By Cazembe Abena

Also Read: Meshell NdegeOcello & Sy Smith Tag Team The Temple Bar With Artistry 6/7/07

Meshell Ndegeocello

Genre(s) - Her focus seems to shift every album, which is a testament to her genius. I'll give the laundry list anyway starting with what's on this album - Rock, Punk, Funk, Ska, Dub, Soul, Metal, Folk Rock, Hip-Hop, New Soul, Electronica, Trip-Hop.

The World Has Made Me The Man Of My Dreams

Album Highlights: ‘The Sloganeer', ‘Lovely Lovely', ‘Elliptical', Article 3', ‘Michelle Johnson', ‘Headline', ‘Relief - A Stripper Classic'

Discography:
Plantation Lullabies (Maverick 1993)
Peace Beyond Passion (Maverick 1996)
Bitter (Maverick 1999)
Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape (Maverick 2002)
Comfort Woman (Maverick 2003)
Dance Of The Infidel (Shanachie 2005)
The World Has made Me The Man Of My Dreams (UMGD 2007)

www.meshell.com
www.myspace.com/officialmeshellndegeocello