Dawn Drake -Her Signature Style

Dawn Drake, Brooklynite and frontwoman of the band Dawn Drake & ZapOte, highlights the best parts of her fused musical upbringing, and how it has contributed to the wide genre net she casts over her craft today.

Dawn Drake -At The Keyboard /photo by Jurien Huggins /courtesy of the artist

“My music is genre bending and mixes funk with samba, salsa, Caribbean and West and Central African rhythms,” Drake tells Brooklyn Roads in describing the kinds of music she makes. “Lately I’ve been calling it Tropical Pop, Global Funk, Global South Grooves and Samba Funk.”

Dawn Drake /photo by Jurien Huggins /courtesy of the artist

A native to the Appalachian Trails of Virginia, Drake grew up on a wide range of music, including Johnny Cash, Donna Summer, Led Zeppelin, Kool and the Gang, and traditional Slovenian Polka, a nod to her father’s heritage.

“This early exposure influenced my music in that I always wanted everything I played to be funky,” she says.

Calling her decision years ago to make Brooklyn her musical home base a stroke of good luck, Drake says that the borough offers the best of all worlds. With music and musicians constantly around her, there is always an inspiration for new music.

Zapote/photo by Carl Caltabiano/courtesy of the artist

Leading the all female band ZapOte, Drake expressed much excitement for what the band has coming up.  Describing the band as a female Global South ensemble that bends genres, Drake says the focus of the group is to the aspects of life that unite us, rather than what divides us.

“ZapOte breaks down cultural barriers by incorporating Afro-Cuban rhythms, samba and funk into a soul-shaking mix with original lyrics that focus on love, empathy, environmental concerns as well as economic, racial, gender and social justice themes,” says Drake.

Leading into women’s history month, ZapOte will be doing a double bill with fellow female band La Manga, which honors black and indígena oral traditions, connecting with the power of tambores Afro-Colombianos, and celebrating life through storytelling and bailes cantados.

A note to all listeners:  Drake hopes that by experiencing her music, joy and happiness is emitted to its fullest capacity. “I want them to hear joy and independent freedom of expression. I want them to feel more willing to do what makes them happy no matter if it is what others expect from them or not.”