Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook
Arthur's Tavern57 Grove Street, New York 10014
Bobby Harden brings Off Da Hook to Arthur’s Tavern for a full-band set built around his vocals, with Booker King on bass, Ron Thompson on keyboards, Stew Cutler on guitar and Yuichi Hirakawa on drums. The group’s blend of soul, funk and R&B gives Harden a band designed for grooves as much as for a singer’s delivery. This is a late-night performance from a five-piece whose members’ backgrounds span New York’s blues, jazz, R&B and session worlds.
Harden is a New York City vocalist known internationally as the lead singer of the Original Blues Brothers Band, alongside Steve Cropper and “Blue Lou” Marini. He has also performed at President Obama’s inauguration party and leads his Soul Purpose Band at City Winery, City Vineyard, The Falcon and Minton’s Playhouse; he was inducted into the NY Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. His Off Da Hook collaborators bring substantial histories of their own: King has performed or recorded with artists including Angélique Kidjo, Santana, Paul Simon and Femi Kuti; Cutler has worked with Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, David Sanborn and Lester Bowie, and is also in the NY Blues Hall of Fame. Hirakawa was a longstanding Arthur’s Tuesday regular with his jazz group, while Thompson has worked with Hugh Masekela, Tom Scott, Blue Magic and Rose Royce.
Arthur's Tavern is a basement club in the West Village where jazz, Latin, and blues are played with deep roots and modern energy. The stage is small, the room intimate, and the audience sits close to the musicians, often with a few people standing near the back. Shows start around 5 PM and go late, with some sets extending into the early hours. The club has a history of hosting top-tier performers since 2001, including regular appearances by Yuichi Hirakawa Jazz Group. It's a place where music is the center, and conversation flows naturally between the audience and the performers.