This past Monday evening, Brooklyn-native Cory Henry began his one-month residency at the Blue Note jazz club located in the heart of Manhattan. The residency is a part of his fall tour promoting his most recent EP, Art of Love, which is available now and features his band The Funk Apostles.
The Blue Note welcomed an excited audience to a sold-out show on Monday. Nestled in the busy streets of the New York’s Greenwich Village, the venue features a floor of closely-packed tables, where audience members squeeze in next to strangers to catch the evening show.
Henry’s debut show at the Blue Note was a solo-act and allowed the audience a more intimate experience with the artist as he tested new songs, played covers of artists such as Stevie Wonder, and even tried out a new instrument for the first time.
It’s clear that Henry is passionate about his work, and he channels that passion into his music when he plays. Mixing synthesized sounds and a Hammond B3 theater organ, Henry creates layered music that would lead a listener to believe he had a full band behind him.
Starting off his performance with instrumentals-only songs, Henry drew in a crowd that seemed curious of what was to come. Once he added in his vocals, the crowd grew livelier, clapping and snapping along throughout the night.
Henry delivered more than just music– he told jokes and wore an ever-changing expression on his face that delighted and engaged the audience. Between the dynamic music, the famous venue, and the passion that comes from a New York-native playing in his hometown, the night set the tone for what is sure to be a great residency for Henry.
