Eva Vea - Kumbaya

Topic: Jazz - Word
The vocal analog to jazz musicians who use "Kumbaya" as the pretext for a display of musical skill are the singers who use the word "kumbaya" with different tunes and lyrics. Eva Vea changed the pronoun to "I" and ended with supplications to "Oh Lord" in her 2014 version.

Vea had begun singing in choirs in Stavanger, Norway, when she was 15, [1] and had begun offering her services for meetings, weddings and other events. She said she sang "everything from jazz / fusion to soul / gospel and hymns" and played piano. [2]

She met Sammy Sylvester "on one of her choir’s tours." [3] He was a free-lance producer from Trinidad who, apparently, promoted his services to the more talented individuals he saw in gospel music concerts. Stephen John said he made his album in 2011 "only after I met producer Sammy Sylvester who was impressed with my vocals he heard on my previous album." [4]

Isaac Agyeman listed Sylvester in the credits for his I’m on My Way album. Sylvester played keys, guitar, bass, and drums; programmed the drum machine, and hired others to play other instruments and sing backup vocals. In addition, Sylvester rented time in recording studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and paid someone to do the mixing. [5]

Vea said "she decided to do songs she knew from Sunday school and make them into songs for all ages, because of the song’s great lyrics and meaning beyond childhood." [6] She was probably a second soprano. Her melody for "Kumbaya" had the characteristics of that part, sometimes going high on a word.

She preferred singing slowly; none of the videos she uploaded to YouTube had a quick beat. Sylvester took her tempo and added instrumentation pioneered by Cool jazz musicians in the 1950s. He used the basic piano and minimalist drums, with a wailing trumpet soloist who played in the interludes between verses.

After Vea had sung the three verses of "Kumbaya" she began repeating "Oh Lord" or humming while a background voice or voices sang "kumbaya my lord" very softly. Sylvester may have dubbed her voice into the support part. The equipment available for rent in Nashville would have been the most sophisticated available. [7]

Performers
Vocal Soloist: Eva Vea
Vocal Group: may be Eva Vea
Instrumental Accompaniment: piano, horn
Rhythm Accompaniment: block, drum set

Credits
Copyright: 2015 Eva Vea [8]

Notes on Lyrics
Language: English

Pronunciation: first two syllables of "kumbaya" very short, and last extended, but without any emphasis

Verses: kumbaya, praying, crying, own; references to singing

Vocabulary
Pronoun: I
Term for Deity: Lord
Special Terms: none

Basic Form: four-verse song with extended ending and partial recapitulation

Verse Repetition Pattern: none

Ending: repeated "oh Lord" many times, with "kumbaya," "I’m singing," and "I’m praying" as isolated phrases

Unique Features: none

Notes on Music
Opening Phrase: 1-3-5
Tempo: slow

Basic Structure: AB with A using strophic alternation of verse and instrument.

Singing Style: one syllable to one note
Instrumental Style: Cool jazz

Notes on Performance
Occasion: summer 2014 [9]
Location: Nashville [10]

Notes on Performers
Stavanger’s prosperity during Vea’s childhood came from the North Sea oil industry. [11] After she returned from Nashville, she posted videos of herself playing a keyboard, rather than piano. [12] She often used the name Eva Irene Vea.

Sylvester moved to the United States in 1992. [13] On LinkedIn he indicated he began Leumas Music in 1995. Most recently it suggested he specialized in production, artist development, and concert organization. [14]

Stephen John said he discovered "his gift of music when he won the" Full Gospel Song festival in 1998. After making his record his Sylvester, he released other singles in Trinidad. [15]

Isaac Agyeman earned a master’s degree in music from California State University Long Beach, but also studied law at Pepperdine. The African American practiced law, and played "saxophone and keyboards for a local church" in San Diego. [16]

Availability
MP3: Angels. 12 September 2014.

YouTube: uploaded by Eva Irene Vea on 3 December 2014.

End Notes
1. "Eva Vea." Presskit website.
2. "Eva Vea - Sanger og låtskriver." Facebook.
3. "Eva Vea." KlickTrack website.

4. Bobie-lee Dixon. "Gospel Singer Ready To Soar." Trinidad and Tobago Guardian website. 7 May 2011.

5. "Agyeman, Isaac." Indie-Pool website.
6. KlickTrack.

7. Agyeman’s record was recorded in the Bonus Room of the Sound Stage Studios in Nashville. (Indie-Pool)

8. Amazon listing for Vea’s Angels.
9. Notes for YouTube video of "Kumbaya."
10. YouTube, Kumbaya.
11. Wikipedia. "Stavanger."

12. "Medley Jul Eva Vea." Medley of Christmas songs uploaded by Eva Irene Vea to YouTube on 29 November 2015.

13. "Soming ’bout Me." Sammy Sylvester website.
14. "Sammy Sylvester." LinkedIn.
15. "Biography" Stephen John Music website.
16. "Bio." Isaac Agyeman Music website.