Morning Becomes Eclectic playlist, July 20, 2023

Soul-drenched singer-songwriter Abraham Alexander’s biography is an epic read. From the opening lines alone, it’s clear that he’s an extraordinary human leading an extraordinary life: “Born in Greece, where he spent the early part of his life with the Acropolis as his playground, Abraham was transplanted to Texas in the early 2000s at 11 years old to escape the ever present racial tension of his birthplace.”

The story unravels from there, and includes an attempt at a professional soccer career, a plunge into medical school, and perhaps the first (and last) instance in recorded history of a family encouraging one of their own to drop out of med school to pursue a career in music. Alexander breaks down this stranger-than-fiction backstory in conversation with Anne Litt — alongside the tales of how he came to collaborate with such luminaries as Leon Bridges and Mavis Staples. Plus, core-shaking renditions of the emotionally vast material from his 2023 debut LP

SEA​/​SONS. “Knee Deep,” “Heart of Gold,” “Blood Under the Bridge,” and the quietly devastating examination of a heartless justice system — “Déjà Vu” — are all on offer. Once you’ve experienced the depth of these songs, they’ll never leave you.

And you can take in the entirety of the Abraham Alexander experience TONIGHT at KCRW’s Summer Nights with The Hammer Museum. In addition to Alexander’s leave-it-all-on-the-floor performance, you’ll be treated to KCRW DJs Dan Wilcox and Chris Douridas on the decks all night long. A happy hour with a cash bar starts at 6:30 p.m., and plan on enjoying some after-hours museuming as well — The Hammer’s galleries including Together in Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection, will be open until nine p.m.