Pokey LaFarge - Rhumba Country Tour 2025

In the organizer's words:

Pokey LaFarge returns May 10, 2024 with "Rhumba Country". The 10-song set was co-produced by Chris Seefried, Elliot Bergman and LaFarge and recorded in Los Angeles, CA & Chicago, IL. On "Rhumba Country" he reveals his new dedication to making music that conveys pure joy. He says, "There was a time when I glorified sadness because I lost sight of who I am, but now I understand that creating and expressing joy is my gift, and gifts are meant to be shared." LaFarge has reclaimed his voice and recorded his boldest album yet.

After moving across the country for the past half-decade in search of a home, LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon his arrival, the Illinois-born singer, songwriter and actor made a fundamental life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm - a turn of events that sparked an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his purpose as an artist. As he immersed himself in the making of the album, LaFarge began to dream up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from different eras and corners of the world, including mambo, tropicalia, rocksteady and mid-century American rock'n'roll. Throughout the album, he strips his songs down to the essentials, embellishing each track with subtle details and showcasing his unmistakable voice and indescribable charisma.

His boundless curiosity for music from other cultures was crucial to the album's captivating sound. "I listened to a lot of music from all over the world, which helped me simplify my approach," he says, citing Brazilian singer and composer Jorge Ben as one of his main inspirations. "The more you listen to music from around the world, the more you realize that everyone has their own form of country music," he says. "That's why I called the album Rhumba Country: It pokes fun at the pointlessness of putting everything into a few genres: 'What is folk music? What is country or soul?' I've always resisted all these boundaries and found it much more exciting to create my own genre."

"Rhumba Country" is an invitation to come together and celebrate life and love. "The songs that come to mind are upbeat and encourage you to dance or at least tap along - they're all very colorful," says LaFarge. "I used to think of my music in dark blue, but now I see it in Technicolor.