Soul King

SOUL KING, A Concert Tribute to Sam Cooke

Saturday, December 15th 7:30 pm

Soul King, a concert tribute to Sam Cooke, takes you on a journey through the life, death, and music of Sam Cooke. Featuring Michael Clarke (from Rock Legends & Kim’s Convenience [Chemainus Theatre Festival]) & Glaucia Desrochers (from Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill [Osborne Bay Hotel] ). Produced by Judith and Gerry Fewster Cedrick’s creators and proud mentors of IBP participants.

Soul King, is coming to the Port Theatre, Nanaimo after a successful premiere performance at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre in Duncan, BC. Soul King is a musical reflection on the life and times of Sam Cooke, often referred to as the "King of Soul".

"Tributes" to legendary figures in pop music have become nostalgic rituals for audiences seeking to revisit the 'golden oldie' days when the likes of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and the Beatles reigned supreme. The task of the impersonator is to create an illusionary reincarnation by looking like, sounding like and acting like the original idols.

But the tribute concert Soul King, offers a very different journey down memory lane. Written and directed by Toronto singer/actor Michael Clarke, this biographical musical journey delves deeply, and personally, into the life and times of Sam Cooke, commonly referred to as the "King of Soul". This doesn't mean that Clarke, in the lead role, doesn't look, act and sound like Sam Cooke. On the contrary, his silky crooning style and musical nuances are hauntingly reminiscent of the King himself. Local theatre-goers will remember Clarke for his performances in the record breaking production of "Rock Legends" at the Chemainus Theatre.

For the Nanaimo production, of Soul King, Clarke has brought together a talented cast of Vancouver Island singers and musicians, featuring Glaucia Desrochers (Crofton) whose solo performances as Billie Holiday have been enthusiastically acclaimed by local audiences. The other cast/band members include: Andrew Wilson (Duncan), musical director, on keyboards who gets to show some acting chops as he helps to tell the story; Donn Tarris (formerly from Salt Spring Island now residing in Crofton) on guitar; Alan Kerr (Salt Spring Island) on bass; Sarah Carlé (Victoria) on vocals & James McRae (Nanaimo) on Drums.

You don't have to be a dedicated Sam Cooke fan to enjoy what this show has to offer, Even if the names of Bob Dylan, Little Richard, Cassius Clay and Malcolm X played no part in your adolescent fantasies, you'll find yourself immersed in the social and political backdrop from which popular music moved beyond mushy romantic ballads to find its voice as a powerful agent for change. In the music of Sam Cooke, it also discovered its Soul.

Rows A-J $54/ K-W $47/ Balcony $40