NIIA – PERFORMING LIVE AT THE REGATTABAR IN CAMBIDGE
By Rick Fleck
My wife isn’t the biggest fan of the loud rock concerts I usually attend. But when I was asked to cover jazz / R&B / soul / pop singer Niia at the venerable Regattabar, tucked inside the equally venerable Charles Hotel in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, we decided to make a night of it together.
We arrived early and strolled around the Square, noting what had changed and what had remained the same since the last time we were there. After a memorable dinner at a nearby restaurant, we headed over to the club, ready for something a little different from my usual high-volume fare.
This was the first night of a short East Coast run that will conclude March 1 at the Blue Note in Los Angeles. It was also, surprisingly, Niia’s first ever concert in her native Greater Boston, which is hard to believe considering her debut single came out in 2013. We learned just before Niia’s set began that, coincidentally, my wife and I live in her hometown, an outlying Boston suburb. With plenty of Niia’s family and friends in attendance, the atmosphere in the 225 seat venue felt warm and intimate. It was easy to see that this was a truly special night for her.
Niia was joined by a young, top-notch band of musicians: Jonathan Huber on keyboard and piano, Luke Titus on drums, and, with a fitting jazz-style nickname, Paul “Papa Bear” Johnson on bass.
The band took the stage first, opening with an instrumental composition titled “Ronny Cammareri,” playfully named after Nicholas Cage’s character in the movie Moonstruck. Niia soon joined them, and they launched into “Throw My Head Out the Window,” a cool-jazz tune with a retro vibe, evoking the soundtrack feel of a 1960s Italian travelogue.
“Pianos and Great Danes” brought to mind the legendary smooth-jazz and sophisti-pop vocalist Sade, an artist Niia is often favorably compared to. In songs like “Pianos” however, Niia brings a modern, sometimes punk-like edge to her lyrics, catching you off guard in the best way. Her words add immediacy and relevance. They aren’t just sung to fit the music, but are meant to be heard. By taking traditional jazz and infusing it with a punk attitude, Niia creates an arresting synergy that is unique to her.
Photos Rick Fleck
Next up was “fucking happy,” the lead track from the 2025 album V. Built on a staccato rhythm and driven by intriguing lyrics about self-care and empowerment, it was emotionally charged, delivered with barely controlled anger. “Dice” began with martial drumming wrapped in a subtle tropical feel. An evocative combination. I especially loved the crisp snap of Titus’s snare drums. In an era of heavily processed studio production, it’s refreshing to hear a live drum that actually sounds like a drum. He concluded the song with a brief, tasteful, solo.
“Maria in Blue” featured an atmospheric, prog like intro that brought to mind King Crimson’s “Epitaph.” With her compelling lyrics, Niia proves herself a remarkable songwriter. She brings a distinctive approach to traditional jazz, remaining true to its core feel, before turning it on its head with her distinctive approach. “Last Night in Los Feliz” was the first song of the evening not taken from her 2025 album V. Originally appearing on her 2017 full-length debut I, “Last Night” served as another showcase for her beautiful, expressive voice. Also from I, Niia introduced “Nobody” with a laugh, quipping “This is an old one.” The song had a great, funky bass line provided by Johnson.
I had done a deep dive into Niia’s catalogue before the show. Her recorded music is remarkable, full of depth and variety. Still, I especially enjoyed the live energy she and the band brought to the songs. In some cases, the live versions differed quite a bit from the recordings, which made comparing them intriguing. Much of the music would be perfect for a smoky barroom, if smoky barrooms still existed.
Niia introduced “The Awful Truth” with a joking, maybe half-serious, remark that it ended her marriage. With lines like “I would hold you down if you were drowning,” it is clearly not a love song, but more of a love-gone-wrong song. Her delivery and inflections carried hints of the iconic Amy Winehouse. “Sideline” opened with an intro reminiscent of Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner,” and Niia’s vocal delivery echoed Vega’s understated style. She explained that “Macaroni Salad” got its name simply because she was eating macaroni salad when she wrote it. It is as good a reason for a song title as I’ve ever heard.
“Angel Eyes” was written by singer, composer, and musician Matt Dennis, with lyrics by Earl Brent, and was originally recorded by Dennis in 1953. It’s a classic jazz standard about heartbreak. Niia explained that she sang the old standards when she was young, but didn’t really understand them. Now she says she does. She was accompanied by Huber on piano. The last song of the set, “Hurt You First,” clearly justifies the complimentary comparisons to Sade. For the encore, Niia and the band delivered an arresting version of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” complete with their own distinctive arrangement.
The Niia concert wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. It was more stripped down than I imagined, raw and immediate, open and confessional. I also felt like I was a lucky invitee to a private party, getting to see behind the curtains and watching a concert away from all the usual pomp and pretensions that often accompany them. Niia has an outstanding, multifaceted voice, perfectly suited for the styles she sings, its versatility allowing her to push boundaries, as she skillfully does. As I said at the start, this is not my usual milieu, but I could definitely get used to it.
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