Najwa sings Wednesday June 20, at The Hyatt
NBJP: What musician influenced you the most?
NP: I’m not sure I can say that just one musician influenced me the most, but I guess some of my biggest influences have been Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae.
NBJP :If you were about to have your last meal, what would it be?
NP: In this moment I’d be happy to go out with jalepenos rellenos tacos, which are jalapeno peppers stuffed with Mexican cheese, deep fried and nestled in a fresh tortilla topped with diced onions (no cilantro for me).
NBJP: What’s your favorite non-musical pastime?
NP: I really enjoy reading. I love to get lost in a great story when I have a free day.
NBJP: What quality do you like least about yourself?
NP: Sometimes I think too much. My brain goes on overdrive and that can be stressful.
NBJP: What’s your favorite jazz tune?
NP: Another difficult question to answer… “Moonlight in Vermont” is one of my favorites.
NBJP: What inspires you creatively?
NP: Nature, other musicians, a great story, positive and negative events that take place in my life…
NBJP: What’s one thing other than milk or water we’d ALWAYS find in your refrigerator?
NP: There is almost always kale or some other leafy green vegetable in my refrigerator.
PLUS ONE: When did you know you wanted to be a professional jazz musician?
NP: I have loved performing for a very long time, but I think I really made a conscious decision to go for it when I went into the Temple University Boyer College of music and Dance to major in jazz studies/voice performance. I knew that this is what I love and I decided to put in the hard work to make a career of it.
