Courtesy of Flickr user Do512.
It’s not that hard to find an artist who has the ability to play multiple instruments, but it’s rare to find an artist who has the ability to play the crowd.
To be able to hypnotize the audience, make them ebb and flow to the music, is a talent beyond anything instrumental. It’s an intuition that makes a good show a great one.
FKJ is an artist who possesses this ability, and he brought it to the Majestic Friday night. Supported by openers Cézaire and Dabeull, FKJ released jazzy, downtempo electronic music into the eager ears of the crowd.
When FKJ coyly made his way on stage, the crowd was already swaying from Cézaire and Dabeull’s sets. Dressed in a loose-fitting black button up, with shoulder-length dreads and a saxophone neck strap, the Paris-based singer looked like a hipster Kenny G.
Featuring cuts from his latest album French Kiwi Juice and other extended plays, FKJ combined elements of soul, jazz, electronic and indie rock. Tracks like “Skyline” and “Why Are There Boundaries” prompted drunken cheers from the crowd. The songs seemingly blended together, with synths melting into each other. FKJ was intentional in every aspect of his set.
His control and mastery of manipulating the audience’s vibe came from his timing. FKJ knew exactly when to pull out his saxophone and rip into an intoxicating solo or when to riff on his bass to send echoes into the ether.
FKJ’s jazz-infused electronic set was powerful due to the strength of his ability to read the crowd. Closing the night with just his piano allowed him to emphasize his musical talents. As he riffed away on the keys, every note felt intentional. FKJ ended the show with an audience still under his hypnotism.
