Captivating the world with the beat of his own drum for more than half a century is no easy feat by any means, and when it comes to the 18th rendition of “Jazz Is Dead” featuring Tony Allen, there is no amount of words that can really explain how delicious this album is.

Initially formed in 1973 by jazz guitarist John McLaughlin with virtuoso traditional Indian musicians, the band opened the doors for others to expand their musical appreciation beyond Western music. 

Yawa, aka Amenta Abioto, is a singer, songwriter, producer and performance artist originally from Memphis, Tennessee. Her songs are spiritual love letters that begin with rich vocal loops that are layered over atmospheric sounds. She caught up with KMHD to talk about the records that inspired her growing up and her artistic journey through the pandemic and beyond.