Osei Essed and Simon Kafka together lead Big Hands Rhythm & Blues Band. In many ways - this energetic duo is a litany of musical contradictions. From the moment they enter the space one can feel a presence that captures the authentic spirit of Chess Records' legends like Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker, combined uncannily with the unbridled energy of bands like The Sonics and MC5. At once visceral and full of grace their tonal conversation combines Essed's gravelly Tom Waits-esque vocals with Kafka's potent yet restrained guitar phrasing. Their diverse musical backgrounds are the platform for a deep well of idiosyncratic song craft steeped in both contemporary and antiquated American traditions. The result is a surging swell of sound that merges the gritty essence of traditional R&B with the raw energy of punk and garage rock.
friday, december 15th
DINNER RESERVATIONS AT THE STAGECOACH TAVERN
Doors open at 7pm, event begins at 8pm
On the Pine Grove Porch at Race Brook Lodge
864 South Undermountain road ( AKA Rt 41 ) Sheffield, MAAdvance Tickets
$15
Osei Essed is a multi-platform artist, performing and writing for screen and stage. Recent film composition credits include Crater (Disney+), Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo (HBO), The Lincoln Project (Showtime) and Katrina Babies (HBO). Essed tours and performs with the Brooklyn-based bands The Woes and Big Hands Rhythm and Blues Band.
Simon Kafka is a guitarist based in New York City. He has performed in over twenty countries, appeared on over twenty national television broadcasts (Ellen, Dick Clark’s New Years Eve to an audience of 25 million, plus multiple appearances on The Tonight Show and Late Night with Seth Meyers,) played or recorded with a myriad of major and minor label recording artists, and has played in over twenty Broadway musicals.
Race Brook Lodge is a hidden gem in The Berkshires, at the foot of Mt. Race and a short hike from the Appalachian trail. The yoga & event barn at Race Brook is simultaneously rustic and sublime, steeped in hundreds of years of New England history. The Stagecoach Tavern is unpretentious fine dining, exquisite farm-to-table cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Much of the food is sourced from Race Farm, right on the property!
