“Soul Inscribed” delivers a unique mix of music at various venues in and around its New York City base. This weekend, the musicians are coming from The Big Apple to entertain and inspire folks in North Central West Virginia.

 

“It’s a different kind of thing for us,” said Bob Workman of the West Virginia Jazz Society. “They do hip hop, jazz, improvisation stuff and beatbox – all combined into one – with some socially conscious lyrics. They are really a different animal and we’re hoping people like it.”

 

Billed “STREETWISE: An Urban Music Happening," the event takes place at Bridgeport Conference Center. 

 

The Soul Inscribed sextet features a familiar name, Sean Nowell, a saxophonist/flutist who has performed solo in the area, as well as with The Kung-Fu Masters and The New York Jazz Exchange.

 

Delivering an eclectic vision of jazz, dub and afrobeat, Nowell’s current musical collaboration also features Grace Galu and Duv on vocals, Yako 440 on guitar and bass, Doron Lev on drums/MC.

The band will be joined by West Virginia’s Crystal Good, a spoken word poetess, who was featured on the West Virginia episode of CNN’s “Parts Unknown” featuring the late Anthony Bourdain.

 

It’s a treat for locals, Workman said, and a performance that will likely appeal to a younger crowd than typical WVJS offerings.

 

“And we’re making a party out of it – with a dance floor and light show – and pizza party,” Workman said.

 

Admission is $20. A cash bar will be open. Reservations can be made by calling 304-808-3000.

 

A second performance will be held Saturday night at El Gran Sabor in Elkins.

 

Nowell’s performances are sponsored, in part, through the Barbara B. Highland Fund for the Arts and support from Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, Antero Resources and Bridgeport Arts and Heritage Foundation.

 

On Friday morning, Soul Inscribed will work with performing arts students of Notre Dame High School. The band travels as far as to Mauritius off the African Coast to encourage children’s passion for the performing arts and teach them how – in today’s world - to turn that passion into a way of life.

 

It was that program, in fact, which first caught Workman’s attention and inspired the local appearances.

 

“They teach kids these modern things that they’re doing from a technical standpoint, how to present themselves and the vocabulary that’s being used in music and computerized improvisation stuff,” he said. “We need that just as much here in Appalachia as anywhere.”

 

Nowell’s relationship with the WVJS is through member Phil Wyatt’s daughter Kirsten, who is also Nowell’s wife.

 

“Sean is just a phenomenal musician and just a really interesting guy to be around,” Workman said. “He is steeped in the tradition of tenor sax, worshiping John Coltrane and other famous jazz saxophone artists, but he does all this new stuff, too – kind of bridging the modern world and the old world. It should all be fun.”