“The champions of New Orleans classic R&B…” -Alex Rawls, My Spilt Milk

Hot. Sweaty. Raw. Soulful. King James & The Special Men sound like New Orleans on wax, and they represent the Crescent City like no other. Rhythm & Blues (“Rock and Roll”, as it’s referred to outside of New Orleans) was born in “The City That Care Forgot” during the late 40’s/early 50’s in the years after WWII, and these very special men indeed are doing everything possible to not only keep it alive, but make it strong, vibrant, and relevant to contemporary devourers of great music everywhere. How do they do it? With high-powered live shows and a steady stream of original recordings. Their Monday “red beans and R&B” residency at BJ’s Lounge in the 9th Ward has become a must see show for travelers to New Orleans (including several world-famous musicians), and in the summer of 2013 they traveled to New York City to bring their unique style of raucous boogie to ecstatic crowds at Lincoln Center. In 2014, the group played with the inimitable Charles Bradley at Santa Monica Pier, and their debut album is scheduled for release via Special Man Records.

Today, the band’s status as one of New Orleans’ best kept secrets seems to be changing rapidly into something that is anything but. Their weekly gigs are routinely packed, and after the band finishes its last set in the wee, wee hours, you will find the same phrase on everybody’s lips, whether local or globetrotter: “You gotta see The Special Men!”