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BK & Mr. E is a 3 piece laptop-pop band from Austin, TX. Their aural explosion is influenced by numerous genres, but they tend to lean towards an electrified-soul-pop experience. The band is fronted by Jason Blanchette (vocals/guitar) and Brandon Hegar (vocals/keyboard). As Darcie Stevens, Music Editor for the Austin Chronicle says, these two are known for “melding harmonies of falsetto and gut”. Award-winning DJ Scott Kinnebrew rounds out the band with his matchless manipulation of all things digital: laptops, synthesizers, mixers, and sequencers. Their distinct layering of sounds has been compared to artists such as Queen, Prince, Outkast, and The Beach Boys.
After forming in 2004, BK & Mr. E began work on their first album, “Under the Radar”. This 10 track L.P. was released in 2005 and received notable reviews from the Austin Chronicle, Austin-American Statesman, and other local media outlets. Currently working on their sophomore effort for Austin label SOUND, “We’ve Been Waiting (For You to Catch Up)”, the trio is presently on tour in Texas and will be touring the Southwest in late 2008 to support this new release.
Every member of BK & Mr. E has been involved with music and the arts from a very early age. Both Blanchette and Hegar went to college to pursue a classical music performance degree. Kinnebrew, an art school grad, offers his own perspective. “Art school taught me to think outside of the box, and that is what we do in this group”. Brandon, Scott, and Jason originally came together while working at a local music store. “We were always coming up with these interesting song ideas throughout the day. So we just started putting all of those ideas into a big melting pot,” as Blanchette puts it. Out of that melting pot, BK & Mr. E was born, as well as their own record label, SOUND, which consistently ranks among the top Indie labels in Austin.
“We wanted to be as self-contained as possible. We write, record, promote, and book everything ourselves,” proclaims Hegar. It seems to be working for the group. They have garnered the attention of KROX 101.5 show “Chillville”, producing several events with the top radio program in Austin. The group is also currently working with the capital city’s most unique cinema experience, Alamo Drafthouse, re-creating classic movie scores and translating them into a live performance for moviegoers.
BK & Mr. E continues to bridge the gap between electronic and pop genres, all the while forging their own distinct musical identity. With their 2nd album release later this year as well as numerous tour dates throughout 2008, these laptop-popsters are ready to make their mark.
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