Pokey LaFarge will turn Rose Park into 'Rhumba Country.' 5 highlights from his new album
One of modern music's great ramblers, the artist known as Pokey LaFarge will circle back to his former home state for an upcoming date at Rose Park.
Once a leading light on the St. Louis music scene, the Illinois native branched toward the coasts with significant connections in California and Maine. Whatever trails he treads, and wherever he lays his head, LaFarge gathers the elemental stuff of iconic American music, refining a soul sound that both honors its influences and makes its own way.
LaFarge will play Columbia in support of "Rhumba Country," his first record in three years. Here are five standout moments from the set.
1. The notes which open "One You, One Me" — and the whole album
LaFarge and Co. perfectly prepare listeners for everything to come in the first measures of album opener "One You, One Me." Coiling jazz piano engages in an easygoing call-and-response; flirting like a breeze, these notes sends the arrangement fluttering, each gesture returned with a wordless, humming vocal.
2. The forward motion of "Run Run Run"
LaFarge kicks off track three with a refrain and an exhortation, a sort of sermon to himself — he needs to keep moving, get where he needs to go to make his life count. He tosses possibilities out of his mouth with a devil-may-care delivery that belies the song's sober-mindedness:
"Over land, over sea / Down in the valley, through the trees / Up high on the mountaintop / I gotta keep moving / I can't stop."
These unspooled lyrics land easy on the listener's ear, even as they approximate the perpetual motion LaFarge seeks.
3. "Sister Andre's" whole vibe
An album centerpiece, "Sister Andre" exemplifies LaFarge's sunny soul vibes. The song swirls in a gentle, cinematic fashion; you can picture this one setting scenes on big or small screens: images of fire hydrants opened to spray, young lovers strolling in their summer clothes, neighbors meeting and sharing a moment's conversation before tipping their caps in adieu.
4. "So Long Chicago's" groove
Falling right after "Sister Andre," "So Long Chicago" spins you — to borrow a phrase from the great Meshell Ndegeocello — like an old soul record. The open-handed groove matches LaFarge's lyrical interest: to take a bon voyage from the Midwest to Mexico. ("This flatlander gonna learn to swim / Uh-huh," he sings.)
5. The way "Home Home Home" sounds like a hymn
Late in the tracklist, "Home Home Home" arrives with a depth of soul and lush vocal blend that suggests church singing. Like the best LaFarge tracks here and throughout his catalog, "Home Home Home" sounds ingrained and familiar yet touches you like you're always hearing it for the first time.
LaFarge will play Rose Park with The Tailspins at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 2. Tickets are $25. Visit https://rosemusichall.com/ for details.
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Former St. Louisan Pokey LaFarge will play Columbia concert in June
