Zakiya Hooker, Daughter of Blues Icon John Lee Hooker, Serenades “Live” and “In The Mood” With Jazzy New Music Releases and Video
Atlanta, GA – Blues legend John Lee Hooker is best remembered for his iconic hits, “Boom, Boom” and “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.” But perhaps his greatest legacy is found in the seductively supple vocal stylings of his daughter, the jazz-inflected, bluesy recording artist, Zakiya Hooker. Zakiya last showcased her brand of the remarkable Hooker inheritance with her 2009 CD release “Keeping It Real,” an unbridled presentation of sassy melodious seduction. Her return to rhythm’s landscape is now powerfully noted with her fifth and sixth releases, the consummate “In The Mood” and the outstanding performance production “Zakiya Hooker Live at the International BluesFest Eutin, Germany.”
“In the Mood” is one of Zakiya’s most diverse efforts to date. With the music actually recorded in Argentina and Zakiya’s vocals laid down in her current home state of Georgia, the project boasts eleven tracks drenched deep in the muddied Delta waters. A defining contribution establishing her own legacy as a woman who intimately dances the blues, Zakiya, like her father, displays no notion of loudly belting the genre. Poised, regal and confident, instead she just pours the blues all over you. Like warm massage oil penetrating the skin, her songs simply seep inside the pores, tingling to the core.
When she opens with “Receipt to Sang the Blues,” her ‘proof of purchase’ is a matter of fact, not notion, as her smooth vocals lusciously ride a rollicking blues train of testimony. Zakiya then simmers in a delicious serving of jazz flavored serenade on “Drowning,” a lover’s ode that gushes with tender surrender. “Look Me Up” offers up some seventies styled R&B while the title release “In the Mood,” along with “One Step,” reminiscence signature Hooker swag with amplified electric guitar over a steady, heavy blues trodden beat. The finger poppin’ “Protect Me” swings hard marrying jazz and blues with regrets and remorse. Then Zakiya seals all deals with the closing track, her beautiful, serene lullaby “Sweet Baby J,” a tribute to her son that she lost in 1991.
The video for the title track, “In the Mood” languidly lays out the blues for all to see. Romeo Wong Henderson, a native of Peru who lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, directed the video via his production company, RW Estudio, traveling to the states to shoot a portion of the scenes in Zakiya’s home and neighborhood. Henderson then traveled back to Buenos Aires to finish and shoot the remaining scenes there. The resulting reel mixes southern comfort with South American heat for a visually stimulating treat.
“Zakiya Hooker Live at the International BluesFest Eutin, Germany,” transports the listener overseas and right beside Zakiya onstage as she charms a live audience with her jazzy blue interpretations. Performing blues classics as well as material from her vast catalog and John Lee Hooker originals, Zakiya proves she is live and ‘not Memorex’ with a voice that is smooth as silk and steadies the course under any conditions.
Zakiya made her debut performance in 1991 with her dad, John Lee Hooker, in Oakland, CA. She has since gone on to perform and record internationally. She has performed at the world famous Radio City Music Hall in New York City as part of the Blues Series by Martin Scorsese, graced the stage of the famous Fillmore Auditorium, The San Francisco Blues Festival and The Monterey Jazz & Blues Festival and covered several magazines including Billboard Magazine. Zakiya’s voice has highlighted advertisements for Lexus and AIWA and award winning movie soundtracks. The Bay Area Blues Society, South Bay Blues Society, KCSM radio station in San Mateo, CA and the city of Oakland have honored Zakiya with numerous awards and she has received the key to the city of Oakland, CA, her former home.
A native of Detroit and longtime resident of Oakland, CA, Zakiya now lives in Atlanta with her husband, producer and recording artist, Ollan Christopher aka Chris James. Ollan and Zakiya work as a wonderful musical team with him overseeing and producing all her musical ventures. Ollan’s history includes forming the 1970’s soul group, Natural Four. His group was with Curtom Records for seven years and appeared on American Bandstand, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, Wolfman Jack’s Midnight Special, Soul Train and performed at the world famous Apollo Theater. In 2003 Ollan had the honor of producing “Face To Face,” the final recording of John Lee Hooker.
“The blues is one of our last national treasures. I am happy to do my part and keep it alive and nourished. I know that’s the way my daddy would have wanted it. His music contributions continue to impact pop culture to this day, and I know he is in the studio with me every time as I continue to keep his legend alive,” offer Zakiya.
Get “In the Mood” with Zakiya at www.zakiyahooker.com.
Connect with Zakiya on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/zakiiyahooker.
