They call Charles Bradley “The Screaming Eagle of Soul.” It’s a nickname that refers to the 67-year-old vocalist’s serious pipes — he’s able to let loose a yowl like James Brown (and he once used that talent to work as a Brown impersonator, calling himself “Black Velvet”).
But the “Screaming Eagle” moniker doesn’t capture the big heart that Bradley wears on his sleeve, the openness he shows, like on his new album, “Changes.” The title track is a cover of a rare ballad by Black Sabbath; in Bradley’s hands, it’s an emotional tribute to his mother and the changes he’s gone through since she died in 2014.
Though Bradley was 14 years old when he saw James Brown perform live at the Apollo Theater in New York City and became inspired to sing, he didn’t put out a debut record until he was 62.
All those years in between were filled with hardships. He ran away from home, lived on the streets and slept in subway cars, ended up in Maine as a cook, hitchhiked around the United States and Canada and eventually landed in California doing odd jobs until his mother asked him to come back home to Brooklyn in the mid-‘90s. There, he almost died from a penicillin allergy, and after recuperating, he was hit with the news that his brother had been murdered by his nephew.
With all that behind him, Bradley crossed paths with the co-founder of Daptone Records, Gabriel Roth (the man responsible for getting the world to pay attention to Sharon Jones). Things began to look up.
For Bradley, connecting with his audience is paramount. As he once said, “When I come on stage, if I can’t come out and give you my best and the love that I wanna give you, I’m gonna stop singing.”
Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires perform Saturday at 8 p.m. at MASS MoCA in North Adams. The concert will be standing room only, outside in the courtyard, and the acclaimed venue is offering showgoers excellent advice: “Bring all your friends — they’ll thank you later.”
Vocalist/guitarist Mike Benoit is the force behind Northampton indie band Endless Mike, which also includes guitarist/keyboardist Aaron Borucki, bassist Aaron Knapp and drummer Noam Schatz. The group just put out a new EP at the end of June (“Prospect Garden,” available on the band’s Bandcamp page) featuring melodic rock songs that combine emo passion and a shimmering soundscape. Endless Mike celebrates the EP release (and Mike Martin’s 18th birthday) with a Benoit-curated show co-starring The Jays (his self-proclaimed favorite band) at Bishop’s Lounge in Northampton Monday at 8 p.m.
It’s a showcase of new female singer-songwriters featuring The Marian McLaughlin Trio (led by vocalist/guitarist McLaughlin, who’s gotten big praise from NPR music man Bob Boilen) and western Massachusetts-based performers Amber Wolfe (who released her debut EP “I Left the City” earlier this year) and Lady Jane (aka Esperanza Friel). It all happens at the Arts Block in Greenfield Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Buenos Aires “tango punk” band El Cachivache Quintetoplays Gateway City Arts in Holyoke Wednesday at 8 p.m.
The Johnny Memphis Bandbrings its good-time roots pop to the good-time Florence Music On the Porch Series at the Florence Civic Center Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Free.
Psychedelic pop music is headed your way: John Andrews and The Yawns (recording artists on the Woodsist label, back by popular demand), Connecticut River Band (local supergroup led by Sore Eros’ Robert Robinson) and New Hampshire-based Soft Eyes, who’ve swung through the area enough times to become local faves. At the 13th Floor Music Lounge in Florence, Thursday at 9 p.m.