Don't Miss Out on Mayer Hawthorne

By Veronica Murtagh in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 23, 2009 6:40PM

Robin Thicke proved to surprised audiences that a white boy could have soul with his 2006 release, The Evolution of Robin Thicke. This year sees the soul revival in full swing with the addition of Kanye-touted British crooner, Mr. Hudson, and syrup sweet Stones Throw troubadour, Mayer Hawthorne. Hawthorne, and his accompanying band, The Country, play their first Chicago show Saturday night at the Darkroom and here's why we think you should be there.

From Arabian Prince to Peanut Butter Wolf, Dudley Perkins and Dam-Funk, LA-based label Stones Throw not only has an impressive, expansive roster of artists, but a keen appreciation for musicians with past-referential influences. A love for the greats including Barry White, Issac Hayes and Smokey Robinson makes Michigan born and bred Hawthorne an ideal addition to the label. Hawthorne's 2009 debut release on Stones Throw, A Strange Arrangement, is a fresh breath of air, harkening back to the time of Motown. Hawthorne plays the role of revivalist expertly, mixing his signature falsetto and live band backing with production that's as much inspired by hip-hop beats as jazz and soul history. A Strange Arrangement is the rare album that comes along only once every few years, sounding both authentically old and completely modern at the same time.

A friend recently caught Hawthorne at his LA tour stop and closed the experience awestruck, declaring, "If you miss Mayer Hawthorne in your town you are a fool. Catch his show at any cost."

Mayer Hawthorne & The Country with Buff1,14KT and JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound, Friday, September 25, at Darkroom, 2210 W Chicago, 9 p.m., $10 in advance, $12 at door, 21+.