Heartbreak rarely does much for the person experiencing it, but it has been remarkably good for soul music. Andre Cruz and collaborator Chris Lujan work that territory with tender vocals, fuzzy grooves and enough funk to keep the evening from becoming a support group. Their 2022 album, The Real Thing, helped establish the pair in the Bay Area’s soul revival, with a sound that moves between aching ballads and dance-floor workouts. Backed by the Black Diamond Rhythm Band, they’ve shared bills with Lee Fields, Thee Sacred Souls and Kelly Finnigan. At the Break Room, romantic disappointment gets a considerably better rhythm section.
Andre Cruz & the Black Diamond Rhythm Band
Sat, Nov 14, 8pm, $27
SJZ Break Room, San Jose
