Nikara Warren: Neo Black Music

Vibraphonist, composer, arranger, and educator Nikara Warren is a true Brooklynite. Born and bred in the eclectic and electric enclave, her family, her friends, her band, and her musical pedigree is a microcosm of the county at large. Her grandfather is a world-renowned jazz pianist Kenny Barron, and she’s the daughter of a half Trinidadian soca/dancehall lover father, and a classic 1990s “Brooklyn ‘Round the Way” girl mother. Nikara is taking vibes to the people with her infectious compositional sense, her post-modern patchwork of influences and cultural signposts, and her fearless musicality. Her bold quest comes from being well-versed in the vibraphone lineage but seeking to adventure beyond it. Her debut album, Black Wall Street, represents a convergence of Nikara’s personal, cultural, familial, and musical journeys. Here, she explores abstract sound-collage, hip-hop, jazz, neo-soul, Afro-Latino and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and more. The through-line here is for Nikara it’s all dance music. Her vision is cohesive but eclectic—just like how people’s identities are a product of their various heritages and associations.