Friday Jazz Series in the speakeasy w/Julia Nyunt and Freeman Leverett

 

 

Julia Nyunt’s music is a rich tapestry woven from indie rock, folk, jazz, fusion, soul, and R&B, blending both retro and modern elements. In her voice and soundscapes, you might catch echoes of Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, D’Angelo, Emily King, AC Newman, Blake Mills, and FORAGER, among others.

 

Despite the eclectic nature of her influences, she seamlessly synthesizes them, creating a cohesive narrative voice that guides her audience through the multifaceted exploration of what it means to be human.

 

Composer and producer Freeman Leverett crafts exuberant and dreamy compositions with unforgettable melodies and heartfelt lyrics, celebrating the bittersweet nature of life and love and delivered through timeless vocals shining above an unrelenting rhythmic sound. Recently featured in the Flagpole Athens Music Highlights of 2023, Freeman has emerged as a uniquely captivating artist whose sincere and hypnotic performances have been transporting audiences and inspiring carefree dancing and loving celebration.

 

Owing to over a decade of dedicated collaboration in local and international music scenes, Freeman draws on a rich tapestry of inspiration including Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, George Harrison, Caetano Veloso, Marvin Gaye, A.R. Rahman, Kahauanu Lake, and I Gusti Komin Darta. The Athens-based composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist has also performed in countless local and internationally touring groups such as Convict Julie, Floral Portrait, Bichos Vivos, Muuy Biien, Chandra Natha, Aquatic Soul, Delorean Gray, David Newman and more.

 

He studies qawwali tabla in the Punjab gharana with Aminah Chishti (Fanna-Fi-Allah), in the lineage of legendary Dildar Hussain (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) and Allah Rakha Qureshi (Ravi Shankar). Freeman is also a student of Balinese gamelan master I Gusti Komin Darta (Çudamani) in the styles of Gong Kebyar and Gender Wayang, and was the instructor of the Gong Kebyar ensemble of the University of Georgia.

 

Freeman also regularly produces music for a variety of productions in film, theater, visual art and performance art, working with creative entities such as Primetime Theater Fest, The Athens for Everyone Podcast, and St. Martin-Reyes Productions.