Kalu James is often discussed in relation to his home country, Nigeria. That he is the firstborn
son of a village chief, and that he immigrated to America at eighteen to attend school. These
biographical blurbs are true but his present self, like his present music with Kalu & the Electric Joint, is not defined by its birth origin nor by his life as an American citizen in his chosen home of Austin, Texas. It is the culmination of both of these lives, and the alchemy that occurred when Kalu & the Electric Joint began recording music, showcasing Kalu’s Nigerian roots with Afrobeat flourishes as well as the sounds of his new home in Austin, from psych to soul. That alchemy between bandmates James and guitarist Jonathan “JT” Holt piqued the interest of Dallas producer Jason Burt, known for work with John Mayer and Leon Bridges. Burt invited Kalu out to his studio Modern Electric Sound Recorders, but two years of hard touring behind debut Time Undone left James and Holt without a rhythm section. The duo decided to take a risk and their new album, Garden Of Eden grew out of impromptu jamming at Modern Electric.