Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires to Perform at Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Soul and R&B singer Charles Bradley didn’t become a recording artist by taking the easy route. Born in Gainesville, Florida in 1948 and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Bradley spent a good part of his childhood living on the streets (Photo credit: Darren Bastecky).
A transformational moment came when his sister took him to see James Brown at the Apollo Theater in 1962, and Bradley was struck by the singer’s energy and stage manner. Bradley escaped Brooklyn by joining the Job Corps and then spent years moving around the country and working odd jobs, before he eventually relocated back to Brooklyn to work on his dream of becoming a musician.
Bradley began performing his James Brown-inspired routines in local clubs such as Black Velvet, where he attracted a loyal following and eventually capturing the attention of Gabriel Roth from Daptone Records. Roth immediately brought the singer into label sessions, releasing a single, “Take It as It Comes,” showcasing what Bradley had to offer as a vocalist.
During this time he also met guitarist Thomas Brenneck, who relased Bradley’s full album, No Time for Dreaming (2011), on his Daptone Records sub-imprint, Dunham Records. The singer received global acclaim for the album and toured relentlessly to support it. His follow-up, Victim of Love, was released in the spring of 2013.
Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires
Boulevard Pool
Thursday, Sept. 18 at 9 p.m.; Doors at 8 p.m.
Tickets on sale Friday, July 18 at 10 a.m.: $20 GA