This evening’s musical bill at the Canal Street club has something for everyone. Allen, best known for his Happy Talk Band, will be playing with some different, inspiring musicians and the Austin- based musician will be making his second appearance at the club. Read to the end for info on how to catch James for free this afternoon.
Since readers may be not be familiar with Kalu James, here’s some tidbits of info to get you psyched. The singer/songwriter was born in Nigeria and moved to the United States as a teenager. His sound mixes blues, folk, and rock with decidedly African influences. He will be appearing acoustically with a lone accompanist.
Luke Allen is known for his wry songs and the Happy Talk Band is stocked with musicians who are mainstays in the downtown scene. But, his regular band plays infrequently around town.
Tonight, he will debut his trio with cellist Helen Gillet and multi-instrumentalist Casey McAllister. They will be debuting new songs from Allen’s pen.
Gillet is no stranger to the readers of TVD and her emotional playing is positively infectious to audiences around the world. She just returned from her annual summer jaunt across the pond. McAllister has slowly been building a name for himself on the local scene. Last night he played with bluesman Spencer Bohren, a musician old enough to be his dad.
That information is irrelevant expect for the fact that Bohren was heard on WWOZ plugging the gig and raving about McAllister’s spirit and musical ability.
McAllister is also recently off the road, but his “day job” with Hurray For the Riff Raff won’t keep him in town for long. This is going to be one heck of a night of compelling music.
Kalu James will be doing a free set from 4-5 PM this afternoon at Goorin Brothers hat shop at 2127 Magazine St.
KALU JAMES PHOTO: JASON WILLINGHAM
