Laura Mvula x KING Live In San Francisco [Photos + Recap]

Laura Mvula and KING--two of OKP's favorite artists at the moment--graced a single stage in San Francisco last week, and fortunately enough for  those of us stuck here on the rightmost coast, OKP shutterbug Ashleigh Reddy was on hand to document the moment with her usual impeccable eye (click through the photo gallery above) and homegirl Isa Nakazawa generously lent us her words (below) to make the picture complete. Can we live (vicariously)?

Laura Mvula graced the stage at Yoshi's Jazz Club to a sold out crowd in San Francisco last week, while the soulful and organic LA-based trio KING opened the night with a set of smooth grooves and delicious harmonies. For Bay Area music enthusiasts, the pairing of KING with Laura Mvula was a perfect match of impeccable style and unmistakable talent. During the brief intermission, it became clear that Mvula's set would include an impressive band to support her powerful vocals as a number of beautifully-crafted instruments appeared on stage. Adorned in an all-white cocoon dress and cork wedges, Mvula quickly charmed the audience with her wit and magnetic stage presence. Each song was brought to life by an exquisite arrangement of vocal harmonies, hand-clapping and rich textures of cello, bass, violin, drums, trumpet and harp. Mvula even enlisted the audience to sing, call-and-response style, on two songs. By the night's end, one could hardly believe they experienced such a dynamic and moving live performance for only 20 dollars. If you haven't had the privilege of seeing either Laura Mvula or King live, be sure to catch them the next time they visit your city! - Isa Nakazawa