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 late-night full-band set led by his vocals. The group’s billed players are bassist Booker King, drummer Yuichi Hirakawa, keyboardist Ron Thompson and guitarist Stew Cutler, a lineup that joins Harden’s soul singing with a rhythm section and keyboards. Harden is described by the club as a “true ‘Soul Man,’” and this date puts him in front of a band of New York players with deep connections across soul, blues, jazz and R&B.
A New York City vocalist, Harden is the lead singer of the Original Blues Brothers Band, alongside Steve Cropper and “Blue Lou” Marini. He has performed at President Obama’s inauguration party, played regularly with his Soul Purpose Band at City Winery, City Vineyard, the Falcon and Minton’s Playhouse, and was inducted into the NY Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. King, also a New York native, has performed or recorded with artists including Angelique Kidjo, Santana, Kelis, Femi Kuti and Billy Cobham. Hirakawa has played the Blue Note and Birdland and led a regular Arthur’s Tavern jazz group from 2001 to 2020. Thompson’s credits include Hugh Masekela and Rose Royce, while Cutler has worked with Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Fontella Bass and David Sanborn.
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.