Nikka Costa has always seemed to thrive on a certain sense of freedom. It's no wonder, that when Nikka set out to create a record on her own terms and as an independent artist finally free of major label confines, she has made her boldest and most passionate record yet. Over 14 days at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, Nikka created Pebble to a Pearl- a quintessential collection of soul, blues, funk & pop infused tracks which marks Nikka's triumphant return onto the scene this Fall. On September 23, 2008 the legendary Stax Records will release the album in conjunction with Nikka's own Go Funk Yourself Records.

Growing up as legendary producer, Don Costa's (Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra) daughter, she broke on the scene in the early 2000's with an intuitive sensibility for the soulful sound that has kept her place as a forerunner among the new breed of soul singers. During this time, she toured with Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Coldplay and Beck, recorded with Mark Ronson, was nominated for an MTV Music Award and had hit singles in Europe. Known for her dynamic and energetic live performance's Nikka's voice and presence has often been compared with Janis Joplin, Chaka Khan and Sly Stone.

Pebble to a Pearl may be perhaps the most honest of these albums to date, blending sounds and textures in an undefined concoction that speaks as profoundly to a discriminating musician's ear as it does to the casual listener.

The album was produced by Justin Mitchell Stanley (Jamie Lidell, Beck) as an analog recording on two inch tape and Nikka and the band recorded the songs live in the studio, giving it a truly organic feel. Joining Nikka on the record is legendary drummer James Gadson (Al Green, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder), Grammy Award winning songwriter, and keyboardist James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Al Green), extraordinary guitarists Jason Falkner (Beck, Air, Paul McCartney) and Chris Bruce (George Clinton/Parliament, Me'Shell Ndege'Ocello, Bettye LaVette).





Pebble To A Pearl track listing:
1. Stuck to You
2. Can't Please Everyone
3. Pebble to a Pearl
4. Someone for Everyone
5. Cry Baby
6. Keep Wanting More
7. Keep Pushin
8. Love to Love You Less
9. Without Love
10. Damn I Said It First
11. Loving You
12. Bullets in the Sky

Pebble To A Pearl Audio Streams:
"Stuck To You" Quicktime | Windows
"Cry Baby" Quicktime | Windows

Click the pics for gallery & larger images

More Nikka Costa:
Official Site
MySpace Page