Thursday, October 3, 7:30 pm
Ashe Arts Center
Tickets: $18.50 Adult, $7.50 Student
On his second album, The Fatalist, Carl “Buffalo” Nichols does things with the blues that might catch you off guard. There’s 808 programming, chopped up Charley Patton samples, washes of synth. There’s a consideration of the fullness of the sonic stage and the atmospherics of the music that can only come with a long engagement with electronic music. But this is no gimmicky hybrid or attempt to turn the blues into 21st century music by simply dressing it with skittering hi-hats. Nichols’ vision for the blues is of a form of music that’s intimately tied to everyday life in 2023, something that’s reflected not only in the choice of instrumentation, but in the complexities of the songwriting and the gray areas his lyrics explore. This is music that comes straight from the present, and as such, it’s a reminder that the same shit that drove the first blues singers to pick up a guitar is still present behind the throbs of deep bass hits today. The Fatalist sounds unlike any blues record you’re likely to hear in 2023.
Nichols, born in Houston and raised in Milwaukee, found solace in the guitar from a young age. His journey took him from church gigs to a transformative period of travel in West Africa and Europe, where he connected with the roots of African-American folk music. This experience renewed his dedication to the blues, leading him to craft songs that resonate with the realities of today while honoring the genre’s origins.
Nichols’ songwriting is marked by a narrative approach that avoids stereotypes, focusing instead on empathy, forgiveness, and the struggles of life. His rich voice and virtuosic guitar-playing are central to the album, with themes of exploration and isolation running throughout. Nichols aims to responsibly tell Black stories through his music, offering a modern perspective on the blues.
