Events

[SOUL] It’s no secret that soul singer Charles Bradley has lived a hard life, but that’s part of what makes his music so authentic. Bounced around as a child, he eventually became a homeless runaway, often sleeping in subway cars. A fascination with James Brown got him some gigs as a Brown impersonator, but he remained below the radar until a return to Brooklyn in the 1990s got him noticed. Performing his James Brown shtick under the name Black Velvet, he was eventually recruited to record for Sharon Jones’ soul revivalist Daptone label. Now, at 67, Bradley’s magnetism is off the charts, exuding grit-infused bad boy charm with bits of old soul showmanship and a devil-may-care stance that just pulls you further in. His third Daptone release, Changes—titled after a Black Sabbath cover of the same name—is a fierce collaboration with fellow labelmates the Menahan Street Band, the Budos Band, and the Gospel Queens. It released in April to widespread acclaim, sustaining the buzz sparked by the 2012 documentary film Soul of America, which told his story to a much wider audience. Bradley may remind you a bit of James Brown, Otis Redding, or even Al Green, but he’s rougher around the edges than most of his influences—and all of his contemporaries. Soul music doesn’t get any more “for real” than this. Charles Bradley and the Extraordinaires kick off the 2016 Canalside Free Concert Series this Thursday, June 9 at 6pm.