Mutlu

Born Mutlu Onaral in Philadelphia on May 16, 1979, this first-generation Turkish-American began shaping his sound as an acoustic guitarist and singer/songwriter steeped mainly in soul yet open to hip-hop and jazz currents. Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, and Curtis Mayfield number among the figures who informed his approach. Early performances in Philadelphia clubs, cafés, and at open-mic nights gradually built an audience, which he further expanded through a series of independent EPs. His first such release, a self-titled six-track effort, appeared in 2003. Additional touring, including dates supporting Amos Lee, led to a 2005 Manhattan Records EP that likewise bore his name; the seven-song set was produced by his former tourmate Lee. Blue Note Records soon signed him and, in 2006, both reissued the prior Manhattan EP and introduced Connect Set, whose tracklist combined acoustic takes on several earlier songs with two new recordings.