Abraham Alexander’s powerhouse voice has NON-COMM tuned in

There was a moment during Abraham Alexander‘s NON-COMM performance today when he stepped off mic, singing at the top of his lungs, letting his passionate powerhouse voice fill World Cafe Live’s music hall without the aid of the PA.

The song was “Blood Under The Bridge,” a piece of music that he has described as “a baptism for me. A song about forgiveness and redemption. It’s looking at a broken glass but seeing the beauty in the brokenness.” For the crowd today, he provided additional context, noting that he’s adopted, and the song reflects his realization that the familial cliche “blood is thicker than water” means nothing in his experience — and by presenting these ideas in such a pure manner, the impact was breathtaking.

An artist from Fort Worth, Texas, Alexander is a compelling vocalist, an introspective thinker, and a gifted storyteller. All of those things have commanded the attention of peers and heroes alike; his debut album Sea/Sons, released last month on Dualtone Records, features contributions from Mavis Staples and Gary Clark Jr., to name a few. In today’s set, the midtempo and reflective “Tears Run Dry” traveled to an aching lovelorn melody; he told the room the song was written after being unexpectedly moved by the romantic 90s flick A Walk To Remember.

The crowd also heard two other impressive Sea/Sons selections: the gripping opener “Knee Deep” and the flowing “Deja Vu.” Recognizing that the room was filled with radio and music industry folks, Alexander took a moment to give thanks for their impact. “The first person to ever play me on the radio is now my manager,” he said, making a nod to former KXT program director Amy Miller and saying how grateful he is for the support on his journey.

Alexander returns to the Lone Star State this weekend for a run of dates in Dallas, Houston, and Austin, then embarks on a North American tour. Full dates can be found here; pick up a copy of Sea/Sons here.