Amana Melome
Amana Melome | |
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Melome in 2025 | |
| Born | Amana Melome Woode |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
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| Musical career | |
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| Website | amanamelome |
Amana Melome is a Euro-Caribbean-American singer, songwriter, and actress who sings in Italian, French, Spanish, and English. She has performed at venues such as the Ferento Roman Theater[1] and Sala Vanni[2] and has collaborated, recorded, and performed with artists including Deron Johnson, Saverio Principini, Vinnie Colaiuta, John Beasley,[3] and Reggie Hamilton, among others.[4]
As an actress, she was a featured performer (as herself) in six episodes (season 6) on the Italian primetime sitcom, Un medico in famiglia.[5][6]
Early life
Amana Melome Woode was born in Germany but raised around the world.[7] She grew up in a musical family and was greatly influenced by her grandfather Jimmy Woode, the youngest jazz musician (bass) in Duke Ellington's band as well as performing with Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis.[8][9] Her late grandmother was also a jazz vocalist, and her aunt Shawnn Monteiro is still active in the jazz scene today. After finishing high school in Florence, Italy she returned to the US and received her college degree at NYU.
Career
Melome moved to Los Angeles to pursue music after graduating, where she met Saverio "Sage" Principini and recorded her first album Indigo Red and her sophomoric album Phoenix Rising, both recorded at the infamous Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood.[10] After a U.S. release on indie label Savana Records, Amana's Indigo Red became the first CD to be sold in Whole Foods Markets, as they coined her music as "organic" and had her perform a mini-tour of the west-coast stores.[11] Indigo Red was released in Europe on Irma Records in 2008. Following the American and European release of her record, Melome was headlining festivals and clubs, performing for private events for Fendi and Christian Dior before she landed herself a lead role on the most popular Italian sitcom Un medico in famiglia which aired on national TV.[12][13][14]
Melome's music is said to evoke the jazz roots of her family with a sound that is a mix of neo-soul, jazz and folk, occasionally mixed with world inspired by her many travels.[15][16] She cites Nina Simone as a musical influence.[17]
Melome released her third album Lock and Key in (2015) which received positive reviews. Recorded at Manifest Studios in Los Angeles, the album included new collaborations and production with duo Itai Shapira and Adam Berg of the Decoders.[6][18][19]
In 2026, she released her fourth album, Recalibration, which received favorable reviews.[20][21][22]
Discography
- 2008: Indigo Red
- 2011: Phoenix Rising
- 2014: Lock and Key
- 2026: Recalibration
Singles
- 2008: Caterpillar, Bella Farfalla, Platonic
- 2011: Twisted
- 2014: Lock and Key[23]
- 2025: Con C.ALMA[24]
- 2026 - Recalibration
References
- ^ "ORCHESTRA JAZZ DI VITERBO E DELLA TUSCIA SWING ERA special guest Amana Melomè". Teatro Ferento. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "The Soulful Jazz of Amana Melomé @ Sala Vanni". Magenta Florence. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Amana Melome': Indigo Red". Jazz Times. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Amana Melomè Live at Arenile Winter". Teatro. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Amana Melome in Un Medico in Famiglia TV show - When the Saints Come Marching In". RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- ^ a b "SoulBounce Exclusive: Amana Melome Holds The 'Lock And Key'". Soul Bounce. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ^ "Musicycle. Dalla Classica al Jazz - AMANA MELOME' al Borgo di Ascanio (24 gen)" (in Italian). Musicycle.net. Archived from the original on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "Amana Melome': Indigo Red". Jazzitalia. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "Emergenza Musicale". Archived from the original on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ "Phoenix Rising". Cdbaby.com. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "Amana Melome' is 'Organic'...so WholeFoods Market distributes 'Indigo Red'". PodOmatic. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ^ "Ori, zolle e nobildonne: così il vino è un evento". Archiviostorico.corriere.it. 2009-12-24. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ netplanet srl. "FOGGIA Amana Melomè: la voce della cantante di Los Angeles al Moody jazz cafè - teleradioerre.it news". teleradioerre.it. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "Emergenza Musicale". Archived from the original on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ "Amana Melome' | Indigo Red". CD Baby. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "[ J ]__[ A ]_[ Z ]_[ Z ]___[Not]___[ J ]__[ A ]_[ Z ]_[ Z ]". Blog.jazz-not-jazz.com. Archived from the original on 2006-03-17. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "7 FROM THE WOMEN - AMANA MELOME". Independent Artist Buzz. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ "Amana Melomé – Lock and Key (Tiwax Music)". IndiePerCui. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ^ "THE DECODERS RE-IMAGINE CLASSIC SOUL". LA Weekly. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ^ "Finding Balance in Amana Melome's New Album "Recalibration"". All About Jazz. 17 February 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ "Amana Melomè channels soulful calm in New Euro-Caribbean inspired video "Con C.Alma"". Earmilk. February 4, 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ "Album Premiere: Recalibration – Amana Melome' (reviewed by Dave Franklin)". Dancing About Architecture. February 17, 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ "SoulBounce Exclusive: Amana Melome Holds the 'Lock and Key' | SoulBounce | SoulBounce".
- ^ "Amana Melomé Announces New Single 'Con C.ALMA,' Featuring Acclaimed Jazz Pianist Deron Johnson". All About Jazz. 22 November 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2026.