Wellingtons Heading North For The Winter CD - Import

The buzz from Kalu's sophomore recording resulted in a sell-out show at the recent CD release party at Ruta Maya International Headquarters as well as gigs at well-known Austin venues Stubb's & Momo's.

Born in Nigeria and raised in Republic of Benin, Kalu fluently speaks three languages - French, English and Igbo (native language ). Although he had sung in the choir since age 9, it wasn't until he moved far from home to New York State in 2001 to study computer technology that he discovered his gift for songwriting.

The son of a businessman and an educator, during his childhood his parents would play American artists such as Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye from his dad's record collection. American & Reggae music was also popular on African radio with tunes from artists such as Boys II Men, R. Kelly and Bob Marley as well as Nigerian favorites Fela Kuti & Osita Osadebe.

But it was after Kalu moved to Rochester, New York that he discovered some of the artists that would have the greatest influence on him, Jeff Buckley and Tracy Chapman. Kalu had always been a writer and a poet. Now he was inspired to put his words into music. He bought his first guitar and began attending open mics. Music began taking over his life.

Soon he was not only a regular, but also running one of the most popular open mics in Rochester, New York. After six years in Rochester, he was a well-known and popular entertainer. But when the opportunity came to move to Austin, Texas, he didn't hesitate.

Kalu remembers, "I had developed a name in Rochester and you could almost say I was well known in my niche. Friends would ask why are you moving to Austin where there are so many other musicians? But I wanted to go tough it out with the big boys. I couldn't just wait for people to discover me. I had to take the music to the people."Even so, Kalu worried if Austin would accept him. His insecurities about the move are reflected in the song he wrote as he made his way south, "Austin Bound." I'm Austin bound, in debt but oh so highThis city is filled with hopes and dreamsPlease oh please, car don't dieWe got more hundred miles to cruiseI'm Austin bound, got my eyes set on the prizeKalu found Austin to be a community open to people. In just a few short months, Kalu established himself at the longest running open mics in Austin, Ruta Maya International Headquarters, and the man one Ruta Maya regular dubbed "the smiling man from New York" created a working relationship with the Ruta Maya open mic house band, the MCO band.