Artist description A soulful concoction of mostly guitar-based Rhythm & Blues, approached in a Jazz/Classic R&B kind of way with powerful, unadorned vocals and conscious lyrics.

Music Style Contemporary Soul

Musical Influences Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, The Rick

Similar Artists Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Seal, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Maxwell

Artist History K'Alyn started out in the early 90s singing with an a capella group in D.C. He picked up the guitar and quickly developed into a prolific songwriter. K debuted his funk-tinged classic R&B approach (which he dubs "Soul Folk" when pressed for a definition) with his first band, the KJ Allen Band. The group recorded two albums and toured heavily in the region before disbanding. K'Alyn then linked up with longtime friend and gifted multi-instrumentalist Sean "The Rick" Rickman to begin work on his solo project. K'Alyn exists as a four member band or as a solo acoustic player. The combination of infectious guitar-based harmonies and expressive layered vocals fits comfortably in both settings. An impatient listener may be quick to lump K'Alyn into the expanding neo-soul genre of such artists as Maxwell and Angie Stone, but his self-released CD Coco (available at kalynmusic.com) defies quick categorization. From the uplifting drive of "More or Less" to the poignant "Turn Back the Hands, it is a modest recording, never over-produced. Allen's voice for the most part is unadorned and the whole recording sounds immediate, intimate, and cohesive. Yet for all of producer Rickman's attention to simplicity, Coco is melodically full. The key is the arrangements, beautiful guitar interplay occasionally augmented by the keyboard flourishes of Federico Gonzalez Pena. – Rhome Anderson

Group Members K'Alyn - Vocals, GuitarsThe Rick - drums, bass, guitars, background vocalsFederico Gonzalez Pena - keyboardsDavid Dyson - bass

Albums K'Alyn Coco

Location College Park, MD - USA

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