Artist Tree Tea House in Bristol will host a family-friendly concert on Wednesday, June 25 with Chakulla, a Folk/World/Jazz/American artist, performing. He will be on his way from performing at the Clearwater Festival in New York State (made famous by Pete Seeger’s involvement), to a performance at Newport Rocks the Fort in Fort Adams, Newport, RI on June 29 with John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band.
Chuck Smith, the performer known as Chakulla, has been performing for over 40 years and has shared the stage with Richie Havens, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Buddy Miles, Aztec Two Step and other well-known artists. He is an individual, expressing his music with an organic grove of worldly rhythms, unique guitar chords, catchy and memorable melodies. He sings out with an acoustic guitar using a loop pedal enabling leads, harmonica, marimba, congas, percussion, and vocal percussion lines to manifest on the spot and live.
Chakulla has shared his music at concert venues seating 60,000 people, and in clubs, at house concerts, festivals, TV and radio appearances, as well as singing out in the streets.
Bristol resident, Laura Minor, went to high school with Chuck Smith in Nairobi, Kenya. Chuck’s father worked for the Peace Corps and Chuck’s passion for issues around hunger developed during his time in Kenya and in Malawi. In a press release, Laura said she is delighted that Dori Green of the Artist Tree Tea House and Chakulla are working together to bring his music and his message to Bristol.
“Chuck has always had a charisma about him,” Laura said in the release. “In Nairobi, he was a wonderful contributor to our folk group. He is one of a few of those musical folks who has made a wonderful career from his talent and has helped many thousands of folks through his dedication to using that talent to make a difference.”
At every concert event and venue Chakulla “Sings out for Food”, asking and reminding audiences to help feed the hungry in their communities. At the June 25 concert, the admission fee is split: $15 admission if no non-perishable food is donated and $10 if a bag of non-perishable food items are donated. All donated food items will be split between the Bristol Salvation Army and the ChristianFellowshipCenter food pantries. All monetary proceeds will also go directly to feed the hungry.
The concert begins at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit the Artist Tree Tea House Facebook page or call Dori Green at (860)919-4356.