On a breezy Saturday night in Boorloo, the cabaret tables at the Embassy at Perth Town Hall slowly filled out for a sold-out late-night performance by serenade merchant Somi. Her sounds tend to be described as infusions of jazz and East African folk music. Labelling genres doesn’t do these sounds justice. On a day some dedicate to love, the valentine spirit manifested in the shared love of music of the congregation in this particular room.
Sprinkling some new songs among her silky discography, the audience paid their gratitude with a presence that saturated the room. Switching out a drum kit for somatic percussion, the gentle rhythms take you deeper into the folds of her soundscape. An hour wasn’t long enough for this audio embrace. As the gentle melodies emanated from this all-time performer, the air slowly fell to the floor at the end of each bit as the audience waited with bated breath for Somi’s next gift. Our breathing slowed down so as not to disrupt the sound waves washing over us.
Paying homage to her current home Harlem, this was an amalgamation of the African migrants to the area that came before and made the neighbourhood what it is today. With all that’s happening in that distant land at present, I couldn’t help but feel that this show was a nod to a culture that is changing, and one of which we’re on the outer edge of a golden era. Times like these exemplify the importance of the arts which bring people together in a way that nothing else can. The feeling of live music is irreplaceable and critical to societal health.