Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds at Irving Plaza

Arleigh Kincheloe

Arleigh Kincheloe grew up in a musical family in New York's Catskill Mountains. At age nine, she enjoyed singing publicly with her dad's big band, singing Nanci Griffith's "Love at the Five & Dime," Bruce Springsteen's “Fire,” Aretha Franklin's “Respect,” and other cover songs. By age 18, she had her heart broken and started writing songs on piano with her brother, Jackson Kincheloe, who played several instruments but eventually committed to the harmonica. A couple of years later, in 2008, the two siblings moved to Brooklyn, New York, and formed a hard soul and funk collective, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds. The band recorded and toured regularly but took a break in 2017 for Arleigh Kincheloe to birth a baby. The band quickly resumed its momentum, releasing its fourth studio album, Gold, on October 12, 2018. Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds presently consists of the two Kincheloes plus guitarist Mark Marshall, keyboardist Nat Osborn, bassist Josh Myers, drummer Dan Boyden, saxophonist Brian Graham, trumpeter Phil Rodriguez, and backing vocalists Deseree Spinks and Lindsey DeSena.

Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds refined its groove in 2009 with a five-month weekly residency at the Rockwood Music Hall. Now almost a decade later at Irving Plaza, the powerhouse band continued to stir a lively blend of soul, funk, blues, jazz, country, and rock and roll, powered by soaring, gutsy vocals and fiery instrumental solos and jam. The set was inspired by 1960s soul revues, where passionate singing was punctuated by funky guitar riffs and bold brass lines. Arleigh Kincheloe remained the anchor and centerpiece for each song, as she easily moved from singing smooth verses to belting out choruses. As usual, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds' big sound provided the audience with a catalyst for an even bigger party spirit.

Visit Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds at www.sistersparrow.com.