Kalu James
Musician
Kalu James, the visionary son of a Nigerian village chief blends the powers of psychedelic soul music with the driving beat of rock and roll and the ancient rhythms of Africa. This afropsych musical chemistry comes from the bond forged by frontman Kalu James, who emigrated from Nigeria at age 18, and guitarist Jonathan “JT” Holt, who adds a touch of American soul to Kalu’s West African heritage.
Having played Festivals like Bonnaroo & opening for acts like THE BLACK KEYS, George Clinton & The Parliament Funkadelic, Trombone shorty, amongst many others, Kalu’s music business journey has been as inventive and disruptive as his aesthetic journey and on the epic new album Garden of Eden, Kalu explores that disruption in all its forms, from the beautiful to the weird to the tragic.
Like American music itself, the sound of Garden of Eden is a tapestry composed of many disparate materials, bound by a shared American experience that cannot be fully appreciated without recognizing its international roots.
