Playing The Cards by Nakia

Nakia (pronounced nuh-kee-ah) had already built a presence on the Austin music scene as Vic Odin, sleazy man-

ager to the Small Stars, the campy revue fronted by Guy Fantasy (aka Fastball’s Miles Zuniga). He’s now earning

notice via performances with his band, the Southern Cousins, appearances with Will Taylor’s Strings Attached and

productions like the Zach Scott Theater’s “The Rocky Horror Show.” And with the release of his debut EP, “Play-

ing the Cards,” he’s ready to make a broader impact. The disc features four originals, a never-before-recorded

contribution by hit songwriter Monte Warden and a not-to-be-missed cover of Billy Preston’s “That’s the Way

God Planned It.”

His version of the latter is so good it would blow away Billy himself, much less George Harrison, were they still

around to hear it. Nakia pours his Southern Baptist heart into each note, letting loose every gospel-loving minute

of hellfire, damnation and salvation he’s ever experienced. You don’t grow up in the shadow of 3614 Jackson

Highway, original home of the Muscle Shoals sound, and not pick up a dose of the same Southern-seasoned soul

that pumped through the veins of Otis Redding, Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Boz Scaggs, Shelby Lynne and a

long list of others who tapped that musical well.

Nakia’s originals are also a mix of his rock, soul and blues influences – he likes to call it Appalachian soul, a ref-

erence to his upbringing in the foothills of those majestic mountains. He’s got pop influences, too, courtesy of his

early infatuation with his sister’s Duran Duran and Culture Club albums and a fling with Kiss. (His favorite child-

hood memory is standing atop the backyard playhouse his dad built for him and belting out “Rock and Roll All

Nite” – and perhaps a few other songs he couldn’t perform in the church choir.) His mom turned him on to blue-

grass, country and Prince; his dad contributed Freddy Fender and Neil Young. Nakia later discovered Jackson

Browne, Joe Cocker, Ray Charles and the Allman-Skynyrd school of Southern rock.

Like so many music disciples do, Nakia got his first taste of Austin during South By Southwest. It didn’t take him

long to become a resident – or to hook up with some of the city’s finest players. His EP, partially recorded at Nel-

son’s private studio, features Barry “Frosty” Smith, Landis Armstrong, Matt Hubbard, Mac McNabb, Kevin

Remme, Josh Gravelin and the late David Zettner – some of whom have also pledged kinship as his Southern

Cousins. KGSR-FM’s Jody Denberg is also a fan; he’s the one who insisted Nakia record Preston’s signature song

after hearing him do it at a Concert for Bangladesh tribute.

“I receive dozens of demo recordings from aspiring Austin musicians,” says Denberg, the station’s influential

program director. “Nakia's submissions have always stood out from the pack. I am excited that his debut album is

coming out so that all can hear his magic. He's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve.”

Then there’s Zuniga, whom Nakia thanks “for doing me the biggest favor anybody’s ever done for me.”

That would be delivering a pink slip – a verbal kick in the pants to get out there and pursue his solo career.

“He sat me down and said, ‘You’re a super-talented singer and you’ve got a lot of energy. Go and get your own

band.’ He knew he had to pull away the security blanket in order to make me go after my dream.’”

With “Playing the Cards,” Nakia’s definitely got the deck stacked in his favor.

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