K a h l u L e e

Scottie Walker, Jim Gilkeson, Holly Taylor, and me

Scottie Walker runs Microburst Studio, a small but mighty analog/digital/hybrid recording studio behind his home in Lawrence, Kansas. He has been performing, recording, and mixing music since his teens and has put together a fine collection of gear and, crucially, the knowledge of how to use it. He has recorded albums, EP's, and singles for artists that have been played on all the local stations, as well as Little Steven's Underground Garage on SiriusXM and WFMU, the finest independent radio station in the NYC area. He is always up for something new, such as recording an entire, ukulele-based album for Kahlulee. He can be reached at microburstks@gmail.com or at
https://microburstudio.com.

Jim Gilkeson is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and occasional percussionist. He performed in the early 2000s with two Northern California bands, Teardrop Trailer and The Peculiars. In 2015, after the Valley Fire destroyed Middletown, CA, where Jim lived, he co-founded The Sitka Rose Band with guitarist Jon Green and recorded two albums of music dedicated to the survivors of wildfires. Jim lives in Lawrence, KS. For more about Jim and The Sitka Rose Band, visit https://www.jimgilkeson.com/basic-01.

Holly Taylor is a multi-faceted artist who shines the light of hope through her creative endeavors. She is a co-founder of Folk in the Flow,  StarSister Revival and The Society for Sacred Listening. She is an active part of the community as a music teacher, music director and music therapist.  Time and again , music proves to nurture the human spirit.

www.hollytaylor432.com

Tom Johnson has been writing and producing engaging music for the past twenty-five years. After a formal music education, he began a career as a touring musician, moving into composing, arranging, and studio production when artists began to ask him to arrange songs for their records.

To date, Tom has credits on over a hundred albums and projects, ranging from children’s album appearances to works performed by nationally recognized jazz ensembles. When not making music, he’s working on house projects of any and every size with his wife Corey and their cats Julia and Martha.

Leann’s art has an emotional tone that reminds viewers that hope dwells within hard times, and that beauty is present in the simple things we see about us each day. She participates in her local art community through the Dogwood Arts Festival Chalk walk, First Fridays, and teaching at Summer Art Academy, Meeting the Master, and Memory Care classes with the Knoxville Museum of Art, and after school at Community School of the Arts. Currently, she is preparing for Summer Art Academy and dreaming of her own creations that she hopes to complete in the coming months. www.LeannsArt.com

The Human Touch by Kahlulee is a remarkable, original album of folk-like music.The whole album has a very authentic, live vibe that makes you feel Kahlulee and his musicians are right there in the room with you.  It has an intimate feel, a moment of sharing of sounds and ideas in Kahlulee’s unconventional lyrics.  There is also a lot of hope in humanity and a celebratory search for meaning in life.  While so many artists turn out songs that sound like millions of other ones, Kahlulee is this rare thing: an artist with his own voice. 

See You in a Hurry Baby 

A cheerful, upbeat song, with pleasant harmonies kicking in after a while.  With a beautiful, mellow, harmonious ending. 

Granma’s Gone 

Typical Kahlulee, bare instrumentation with just the uke subtly supporting the relatively high-pitched voice.  Sober yet efficient. Intriguing lyric, swaying between loss and apparent satisfaction at Granma being gone. The harmonica adds a nice touch of melancholy.  I have enjoyed this song since I heard it live in Montreal at FAI Conference.

Drifting 

More instrumentation, the cajon adds a nice touch as does the guitar.   This a hymn to living, to spreading one’s wing despite uncertainties, “drifting from home”.  Here too the harmonies by Holly Taylor enrich the song and thicken the texture.

Clouding Over 

Great vocal performance.  A Beatles’ touch, maybe. 

Maybe I Need a Man 

The doubled voice creates a wonderful effect.  Funny lyrics. 

Intended to Be 

Taylor’s guitar comes out very nicely and offers a nice contrast from the uke-based previous two songs.  The melody and chord progression in the chorus is very pleasant (“ain’t nothing for free...”). 

Still Running 

Cajon and it sounds like maybe a bass too?  As always, nice harmonies.  Tender musical sublimation of loss. 

Don’t Give Up 

The uke and guitar together are beautiful from the beginning.  I seem to remember this one too from Montreal.  Another expression of hope, solidarity and compassion.  A good one to sing to yourself on days you might feel like giving up! 

The Human Touch 

Another great harmonica solo/intro.  The strumming and the percussion add a somber touch to this titular song that wraps up the album. Philosophical, a song that feels like a measured conclusion to the album. Pleads for the necessity of human connection. 

Pierre Englebert is a singer-songwriter based in Southern California www.pierre-englebert-music.com