The Blues Cabaret

Featuring award-winning vocalist Earl Thomas performing with the Dave Fleschner trio.

Thursday, September 11, 2025

7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

An evening where the blues meets Broadway flair 

Acclaimed singer and songwriter Earl Thomas first joined forces with pianist and composer Dave Fleschner after a chance meeting aboard the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise in 2010. What began as a casual conversation about Fleschner’s original music soon blossomed into The Blues Cabaret—a bold, sophisticated blend of blues, soul, and theatrical storytelling. With a shared passion for reimagining the blues, Thomas and Fleschner began developing the project in 2012. Together they’ve been shaping and perfecting this unique body of work, now set to be showcased in a special one-night-only performance at Hoku Events on Madison. 

“Dave sent me an entire body of work that I thought was fantastic and very sophisticated blues,” recalls Thomas. “I suggested he ought to pitch this to Broadway—and from there The Blues Cabaret was born.” 

The two artists discovered even deeper ties: both attended Humboldt State and both share connections to Trinidad, California, where Thomas lived for over a decade and where Fleschner grew up. In fact, Thomas was a longtime friend of Fleschner’s mother, who often insisted, “Earl, you need to meet my son.” 

Earl Thomas is a Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter whose songs have been recorded by legends including Etta James, Solomon Burke, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, and Tom Jones. Known worldwide as “The Ambassador of Blues,” Thomas continues to captivate audiences with his powerful voice and unique fusion of gospel, soul, and blues. 

Dave Fleschner is a celebrated pianist and composer whose original works fuse the raw soul of the blues with the sophistication of theatre. He has performed with the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus and shared the stage with Curtis Salgado, B.B. King, Steve Miller, and The Pointer Sisters. As Musical Director of United By Music America, Fleschner champions inclusion and artistry, guiding diverse performers to the spotlight. His compositions form the backbone of The Blues Cabaret, a genre-bending project he has co-created and developed with Earl Thomas for more than a decade. 

Tickets: $15 online, $20 door

Tickets are Nonrefundable.