The self-proclaimed “punk empress of African Rock” Cole Williams has premiered an invigorating cover of the Sam Cooke classic, “A Change is Gonna Come.” The track premiered over on Glide.com recently, and can be heard here.
Williams had this to say about the track: "A Change Is Gonna Come’ is a song I've always been drawn to because of the message, and of course the arrangement and performance by Sam Cooke. As an artist, I feel a responsibility to empower my fans and reflect the times through my music and performances. My band and I perform this song at our weekly residency at the Marigny Brasserie, and we always feel the energy of the crowd when we start playing this song. I’m not just singing this song, I experience this song, and feeling the story or the message of a song I choose to cover is vital. This is also my first band recording since relocating to New Orleans from Brooklyn. We recorded the song at "Long Gone Studio" located in the 9th ward of New Orleans. This song is a very special piece of music and has always been very close to my soul."
The Cole Williams Band will be hitting the road on a short East Coast run, including a return to Williams’ native Brooklyn on 7/21. Dates are as follows:
7/21 - C’mon Everybody - Brooklyn
7/22 - World Cafe Live - Philadelphia
7/28 - TBA
7/29 - Rockwood Music Hall - NYC
"Life is a stage," says Cole Williams, host of Tuesday WWOZ New Orleans Music Show, innovator of genre, African Rock, Director Of Education and Outreach with Community Works Of Louisiana and 2017 French Quarter, Freret Street and Congo Square Rhythm Festival & 2016 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival performer, with the authority of a seasoned artist, entrepreneur and educator. More than a singer/songwriter/producer/ composer, Cole has expanded her repertoire to reflect an increasingly eclectic assortment of creative endeavors. Blessed with a powerful voice and superlative musical instincts, Cole is forging a “fearlessly original sound that is as eclectic as her outré fashion sense.”
Cole’s stage presence has been likened to Grace Jones with a girl next door flare bends and melds sound breaking traditional genre distinctions, making her a unique musical entity, comfortable singing rock ballads as she is reggae or a blues tracks. Williams studied voice with Ankh Rah Amenhetep (Making the Band) from 2000-2002 to develop her vocal personality, and soon began writing and recording demos in some of NYC’s top studios.
To stay current with all things Cole Williams Band be sure to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or her official site www.colewilliamsband.com
