Fans from all walks of life gathered in The Hall at Bushwick's Elsewhere Saturday night (April 22nd) for a night of funk, jazz, and R&B. Each performance was a flavor of its own that only added to the good vibes of the evening.
MAIYA BLANEY
Local indie R&B artist Maiya Blaney opened the evening with a short, but unique set. Even with the addition of some odd sound effects to the music, her performance had emotion and soul to it. She also had a shyness to her that made her endearing to the crowd both performing and bantering between songs.
STARCHILD & THE NEW ROMANTIC
Starchild & The New Romantics brought the energy in the room up next with performances ranging from slower and soulful to upbeat and funky. Singer and guitar player Bryndon Cook wore the passion he has for his proudly through smiles and emotive facial expressions on more passionate tracks and fun dance moves to boot. While he displayed the showmanship for an entertaining set, everyone else in the band also performed their parts fantastically and with the same passion.
BRAXTON COOK
Headliner Braxton Cook closed out the night with an hour and 15 minute set full of saxophone-filled jazz goodness. For someone singing and playing a woodwind instrument throughout the evening, he showed a surprising amount of showmanship moving around the stage and getting the crowd into the music. (That was not hard to do as audience members hooted before the band even began playing.) The thoughtfulness and quality behind Cook's musical composition is respectable as an understatement, and it was a pleasure to capture his performance live and in-person.
If you are in Chicago on June 22nd, check out Braxton Cook live; it's well worth the trip for his next show!