Local Folk Legend Hal Walker Performing at the Lakewood Public Library

Even though Hal Walker has traveled all over the country playing his special brand of folk music, his home and his heart are in Ohio.

With a set list that includes “My State Ohio,” and “That’s Kent,” he doesn’t make that a big secret.

Now, Walker — who grew up in Kent blowing his harmonica along the banks of the Cuyahoga River — is coming to Lakewood.

At 2 p.m. on Sunday, he is performing in the Main Auditorium of the . The event is free and open to the public. 

The local folk legend will be bringing with him a “carload of unique musical instruments” from all over the world —including guitar, piano, harmonica, the khaen, jaw harp and banakula.

Excuse me? What were those last three?

The jaw harp is a metal gizmo, which Walker holds in his mouth and plucks with his fingers. Although it is commonly associated with the music of Appalachia, it is believed to be one of the oldest musical instruments in the world and native to Asia.

The 3-foot-tall Thai khaen is a handheld pipe organ made of bamboo and played by mouth. The orchestral sounds Walker produces from it are beautiful and unexpected.

The African percussion instruments, which Walker calls “banakulas,” are known by other names, including kosika and kashaka.

Each banakula consists of two balls connected by a short cord. Walker takes a banakula in each hand and swings the cords around his hands, making the balls rattle and causing a clacking sound when they collide.

Walker, who calls himself a musical explorer, composes original music on these and other music-making devices from around the world.

So how did a toting instruments from around the globe end up with a gig in Lakewood?

“I asked my musician friend, Jim Gill, what are the best venues in Ohio,” Walker said. “And he said one of his favorite venues is the Lakewood library.”

The set list includes songs from his album Home in Ohio — which will be available at the show.

 “I am really interested at playing in good listening environments,” Walker said. “And from what I hear, this is a good one.”

Patch reporter Alana Baranick contributed to this report.