Aaron Brown

Aaron & The Spell will conclude the 66th Pastorius Park Concert Series on July 30 at 7:30 p.m. with its eclectic blend of music consisting of the blues, folk, soul and indie rock.

At the helm of Aaron & The Spell is Philadelphia-based artist Aaron Brown. As singer and songwriter of the band, Brown's performances are uniquely his own – emotionally raw, candid and soulful. David Wannop of Montgomery News said Brown is “emerging as a soul rocker with strong influences flowing back and forth across decades,” and that his music will “make you optimistic.”

On top of playing at last year's Pastorius Park concert series, the band has also played in numerous venues around the city, including the Grape Room, Tin Angel, Fergie's Pub and World Cafe Live. Dennis Bakay of Philly2Philly.com said Aaron & The Spell was “best described as a band that soaks in all of the influences of the Philly indie music scene.”

Brown is the winner of the 2014 Tri-State Indie Music Award for Soul Artist of the Year, which he was previously nominated for in 2012. In 2012 Brown was also listed by NPR Music as one of the “10 Artists You Should Have Known,” and in 2013 he was named as an “Artist to Watch” by Ticket Magazine/Montgomery Media. His music has often been compared to Otis Redding, Amos Lee and Sam Cooke.

Bruce Warren of WXPN and NPR Music said Brown “is an exciting new name to add to the lineage of the city's expressive and emotionally intense soul singers.”

Aaron & The Spell's debut album, “Sing,” is a collage of smooth and heartfelt ballads that Brown wrote as a means of catharsis after his previous band broke up, his long relationship ended and he moved to a new town. The songs “Don't Cry” and “A Beating Heart” receive regular airplay on WXPN, and the latter recently won the Independent Music Award in the Adult Contemporary Song category.

Aaron & The Spell is currently working on a new album tentatively titled, “The Tin Man.”

For more information on the band, visit aaronandthespell.com.

The Pastorius Park concert series is produced every year by the Chestnut Hill Community Association and is sponsored by the Chestnut Hill Community Fund and Chestnut Hill Hospital.

If it rains, the concert will be moved to the Lower School Auditorium of Springside Chestnut Hill Academy’s Cherokee Campus. Be sure to check chestnuthill.org, where notice of a move due to rain will be posted after 6 p.m. on the day of the concert.