Biography
Nino Katamadze & Insight is a complicated, intelligent, outlandish music; a detailed philosophical description of human life. These songs are force you to think about the eternity of life, make you feel empathy, compassion and hope. The essence and meaning of the band’s work is to penetrate to the core of life’s complex phenomena.
Those, who know better, say that Nino Katamadze should «not to be understood, but rather to be inhaled, in large dozes, as an antidote from loneliness, panacea for stress, tincture against aggression and injection to cure from skepticism».
Nino Katamadze & «Insight» means original compositions, synthesis of Georgian and modern world music school, surprising with findings and high quality execution of music arrangements, strong, emotional and deep vocal. You may define it as jazz, rock, pop and psychedelia. When you listen to this music you do not have to be concern about what it is and to what style it belongs.This surprising project draws full audiences.
Nino’s voice, her manner and wave of feelings that covers the audience during the concert stuck to each person’s memory at once and for a lifetime; her improvisation is illusive and very much performed in her own way. Her singing manner is unique. Her music brings us back to folk songs, and is based on perception, that any good song is in itself a folk song. You don’t need to speak or understand Georgian language to enjoy Insight’s music; lyrics are beyond the words and lines, and many improvisations are solely a divine voice, free of words. Nino sings not words, but her feelings. Even the most serious music critics do not hesitate to express their boundless delight of Nino’s and the Insight band’s skill and art.
Nino is an author of original music of almost all her songs. She indeed lives to create new musical themes and shares this pleasure with musicians of the Insight band. The Insight band members are: Gocha Kacheishvili (guitar), Ucha Gugunava (bass), David Abuladze (drums, percussion).
Every performance of Nino & Insight is incredibly powerful stream of energy which withdraws the audience into a specific psychological state. «I have found myself in music because I can sing, play, perform concerts and share a small part of me with people.» – These simple words of Nino Katamadze conclude a secret of her phenomenal success.
Nino Katamadze (Georgia) was born on August 21, 1972 in Adzhariya, in the city of Kobuleti. She is on stage since she was four. In 1990 Nino entered Vocal faculty of Batumi Musical Institute and came on an amateur stage. In 1994 she founded a Charity Fund to help disabled and actors at risk. Nino’s career began in 2000 from cooperation with Gocha Kacheishvili, a founder of Insight band.
Nino Katamadze was awarded in nominations «the Best Vocalist of the Year» («Ovatsiya-2002 premium, Georgia)», «the Best Author-Performing Musician» (Georgia 2002), «the Best Original Music» (Georgia 2002), «the Person of the Year in Show Business» (premium «Persons of the year – 2003», Georgia), «the Best Vocalist of the Year» (premium «Mega – 2003», Georgia), «award for an outstanding contribution to the Georgian music development» (special premium «Odzela – 2004», Georgia), «President award «The shining» - National Georgia award, 2011».
Albums: «Black» (2006), «White» (2006), «Blue» (2008), «Red» (2010), «Green» (2011), «Yellow» (2016).
DVD: « … Start New Peaceful Day … » (2005), «Red. Line» (2011).
Biographical Documentary Films: «The Mermaid» (2008), «Insight» (2010).
Soundtracks: «Vashli» (2002), «Road to the Savior» (2004), «Orange Sky» (2006), «The Heat» (2006), «Indi» (2007), «Domovoi» (2008), «Route M8» (2008), «To kill the king» (2008), «Love with an Accent» (2012), «The Collector» (2016).
INSIGHT Band are: Gocha Kacheishvili (guitar), Ucha Gugunava (bass guitar), David Abduladze (drums).
Insight Awards:
1996 – «LIGA» prize
2003 – «Ovatsiya» prize (the Best vocal and instrument band of the year)
Nino Katamadze & Insight Awards:
2006 - XVII premium of club «16 tons» Gold gargouille. Nomination World music
Notable shows:
June 2001 — Tbilisi International Jazz Festival (Georgia).
August 2001 — Contemporary Music Festival «Subtropic», Batumi, Georgia.
2002 — «Days of Georgia in Great Britain» festival, Scarborough, Bristole, Edinburgh and London.
December 10, 2002 — Nino singed live on BBC Radio in London.
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 — «Usadba. Jazz» festival in Arhangelskoe, Russia — Perfomed as a headliner
2004, 2005 — «Jazz in old city» international festival, Moscow, Russia
January 2005 — World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 — Festival ART GEN, «JAZZ DAY», Georgia
2004, 2005 — collaboration tour with RICHARD BONA, Saint-Petersburg, Russia and Kiev, Ukraine.
2005 — French jazz festival, Moscow, Russia.
2005 — The 5th International Jazz Festival «DoDZH#2005», Donetsk, Ukraine.
July 13, 2006 — open-air international festival of arts and culture «The island of light», «State Hermitage» in Moscow, Russia.
August 1, 2007 — The 5th Anniversary International Festival «Jazz Koktebel», Koktebel, Ukraine.
September 12, 2008 — «ARMENIAN JAZZ 70» festival.
November 28, 2008 – The 10th festival of Russian arts and cinema in Nice, France.
August 2, 2009 - IV international open music festival "Don Chento Jazz", Kaliningrad, Russia.
June 4, 2011 - "Usadba. Jazz" festival, Moscow, Russia.
July 2, 2011 - "Usadba. Jazz" festival, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
July 19, 2011 - "Art-Gen" festival, Tbilisi, Georgia.
July 21, 2011 - International Antalya Jazz Festival, Antalya, Turkey.
June 1, 2012 - International Festival «Wild Mint», Russia.
August 31, 2012 - International Festival «Jazz Koktebel», Koktebel, Ukraine.