BHI BHIMAN IN 7X7 MAGAZINE
BHI BHIMAN ON THE BAY BRIDGED
BHI BHIMAN ON THE DAILY KOS
PRESS & REVIEWS:
"Bhi Bhiman’s deep, soulful tenor voice filled the village. He did an absolutely transcendent, downtempo cover of Gnarls Barkley’s, "Crazy." -Joana Smith, The Elephant Journal
"Bhi Bhiman strummed out a perfectly executed set to a packed crowd at the quaint Hotel Utah...He's definitely someone to keep your eyes on."
-7x7 Magazine
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"His debut album, The Cookbook, is filled with heart-wrenching, serious ballads mixed right in with sarcastic and satirical social commentaries. His strikingly vibrant tenor octave resonates loud and powerful from any stage with as much recognition as his name." - Julie Dyer, San Francisco Examiner
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"It never ceases to amaze me what one man and one guitar can do, especially when that man is Bhi Bhiman." - Jake Butler, The Bay Bridged
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"Bhi Bhiman is one of the most talented musicians I've seen in a long time."
-Zigaboo Modeliste "With a tremulous, expressive voice backed by a well-handled folk guitar, Bhi Bhiman’s music has a poeticism and originality of interpretation that at its best recalls Joan Baez and the folk-rock early days of Bob Dylan. His style is an interesting study in perspective and thoughtfulness, and somehow confounds expectations that the audience might not have realized they had."
-My Crazy Music Blog
*Click HERE to read the full review "The [Cookbook] has a swingin', soulful, country blues feel that just suckers you in. Lyrically, [Bhi Bhiman] is topical, hysterical and heartbreaking. And on tracks like "Loving You" and "Telouise," Bhi Bhiman's vocals and harmonies will make you melt."
-Sal Nunziato, Burning Wood
"Bhi Bhiman is a local up-and-comer with a caustic blue-state wit and a soulful voice."
-Shay Quillen, San Jose Mercury
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"San Franciscan artist Bhi Bhiman wraps his soulful voice around a flavorful collection of R&B, blues, reggae, country and rocking tunes. Despite the wide range of ingredients, Bhiman's unique approach blends the album into a cohesive, captivating whole. The album's lyrics are clever and thought provoking."
-Paul Freeman, -Burlingame Daily News
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"It only makes good sense that the next great American folk hero/political voice is a very un-white, first-generation Sri-Lankan American. Bhi Bhiman (bee-bee-man) is arguably the wittiest and angriest person to pick up a guitar in the last 30 years and wield it like an aural hatchet aimed at chopping the head off all that’s wrong in the world. "
-Kevin Hopper, -Local IQ (Albuquerque)
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"San Francisco singer-songwriter Bhi Bhiman blazes through the Southwest with his witty lyrics and soulful folk tunes. On tour to support his freshman release, Bhiman promises an eclectic performance."
-Santa Fe Reporter
"The coffee-shop acoustic on his newly released solo album, The Cookbook, blends a mixture of sweet Southern gospel, backwoods pickin' and hippie-headed California folk music."
-R. Kelly Liggin, Denver Westword
*Click HERE to read the full article "Literate, creative lyrics carried on a rich and tasty voice." "Bhi's voice is simply amazing. It's so unique and so genuine that it makes a person come to attention and listen to his excellent song writing." "Bhi Bhiman has cooked up a tantalizing album with a fresh new sound. If this is a cookbook, its chock full of delicious yet varied flavors. I'd say that the music is eclectic but not as a euphemism for too weird to listen to as that word is sometimes used. The music is funky and rocks but there are some nice smoother tunes as well." "Bhiman's debut album features a voice that disguises his youth and captivating lyrics. With each song, it also demonstrates his ability to move in and out of different musical genres." "This album is pretty phenomenal for an artists first recording effort. Its very much a throwback to a lot of great pop music from all walks of life. Country, rock, reggae, blues, R&B. I am definitely a fan. This is an artist everyone should look out for, but it probably wont be long before you have heard the name Bhi Bhiman."
-CD BABY Customer Reviews
"Terror, Terror, Freedom, Freedom, Dubya, Dubya, Nascar, Nascar." is the refrain throughout Talkin' NASCAR, and though the words don't look funny or catchy when written down, they are surprisingly both when sung by Bhiman. For political junkies, the song delivers on a few levels... it mercilessly mocks the Bush Administration and its cronies, as well as the politics of fear. On top of this, it has a great rhythm that might help settle the nerves and lower the blood pressure if you happen to be stressed during this primary season."
-THE DAILY KOS
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"On 'Up in Arms,' a thick, stretching ballad with sparse, distant guitar, Bhiman’s fiery lyrics and well-pronounced vocals are showcased front and center. His deliciously sarcastic side shines on the blues number “White Man’s Burden Blues;” the bite of the song accentuated by the fact that Bhiman manages to cram every stereotype and denigrating term into it, while peppering them with brief but sweet harmonica solos. “You Gotta Move” is a fierce, catchy anthem that calls to mind Hamell on Trial, as Bhiman works his literate, politically-charged lyrics around a heavy electric guitar track and another distant harmonica."
-Kim Ruehl, Performer Magazine "Pronounced "Bee Bee-men," this first-generation Sri Lankan American musician is pretty sure there's no one else in the world with his name. Even if there is, chances are no other Bhi Bhiman could write a song as cool and catchy as the Bay Area's Bhi Bhiman can...Sarcasm and humor are among his favorite instruments, but Bhiman's debut solo album on HinJu Records, "The Cookbook," has recipes with a serious taste to them, too."
-Delfin Vigil, San Francisco CHRONICLE
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Finally a man who can write some music
Very rad stuff - very origianl, totally different than the rest of the stuff in this barely existing subgenre of bluesy/contemporary folk.
-iTunes Album Review Cal Aggie in preparation for his show at G St Pub. Below is a snippet from that interview.
Q: What is your favorite thing about making music?
A: I take it for granted, I guess, that I have the luxury of expressing myself through music. The good and the bad emotions. The humor, grief, love, happiness, and the heartache. I don't think I'll ever need a therapist's couch. Creating fictional stories and lending an element of believability to them is probably what I'm best at. I love comedians and their openness and gift of bringing the audience in and letting them really get to know them. From their strong side to the vulnerable. So taking a serious subject in my songs and weaving humor into it is commonplace in my songwriting.
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"With wry humor and an unvarnished sense of reality, Bhiman lends a dose of levity to whatever he’s singing about, serious and unserious subjects alike. Instead of the stick, Bhiman opts for the honey, convincing people with a laugh is much easier than coaxing them with guilt. As an example, “Talkin’ NASCAR” masterfully calls out our current political climate built upon our “War on Terror” paradigm for what is, and in a manner that is not only biting but funny. Exclaiming “Terror is the word they use, instead of saying Muslim people,” Bhi hits the mark and says what everyone has been thinking for years. Capitol Steps couldn’t have done better."
-Josh Loveseth, Sound on the Sound
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*Click HERE to read more posts about Bhi on SOS
"The first thing you notice about Bhiman is his voice; it's instantly striking and unique, a slapdash mixture of Bill Withers, Richie Havens, and Little Richard...Of course, a good voice alone can't carry an act if the songs aren't there, but luckily they are, displaying the folky troubadour aesthetic of Bob Dylan and the wry eye for detail of Randy Newman."
-Aaron Sankin, San Francisco Bay Guardian
*Click HERE to read the full article "Bhi Bhiman sings like a traveling Dust Bowl folkie crossed with Nina Simone."
-Casey Jarman, Willamette Week "He is just a guy with a guitar when it comes right down to it. And there are a million of them lately. I call them The Songwriter Army. Yet somehow just a few of seconds into one of his songs, it is apparent that Bhi is not one of your run-of-the-mill songsters. His voice is urgent and distinctive. It’s true, as his press kit says, you can hear some Dylan and Bob Marley at times. But I am reminded more of Nina Simone, especially in his flair for the dramatic and in his exceptional vocal range. And they also share a barely contained outrage, especially when dealing with social injustice and other global concerns. His songs deftly mix observations of daily life, pop culture, and broader political matters. He also has a playwright’s affection for words and clever turns of phrases. Best of all, he wraps it all up in a disarming sense of humor."
-Richard Rice, SAN FRANCISCO FREE FOLK FESTIVAL "Bhi Bhiman takes the politics and poetics of the generations to come before him and uses them as inspiration to act as one of the voices of his generation."
-Kathryn Vercillo, The San Fran Voice
*Click HERE to read the full article "Bhi Bhiman jams on his acoustic guitar, creating folky numbers while wailing intelligent political lyrics in a soulful Cee-Lo-esque voice. Dig it."
-Melanie Glover, California Aggie
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