its just me, it's a one man band. no multi tracking no looping no electronic stuff. i do all the beat boxing, all the guitar, all the rapping and singing at one time.
Influences
Blind Willie Johnson, Canibal Ox,Shodekeh, Humen Bell, Dock Bogs, Henery Reed, Packie Dolan, Tommy Jarrell, Black Banjo Songsters, Dainiel Jatta, Sid Hemphill, John Fayhe, Memphis Minnie, Boh Carter, Cholly Patton, Aesop Rock, Chirgilchin, and all the youtube videos of traditional Tuvan and Mongolian music, Othar Turner, Imortal Technique, Baltimore Club Music...OH YEAH, Geachie Wiley, Blind Blake, Radio Head, Rob Sonic, Middle Eastern Percussian.
Sounds Like
a buncha bluecrabs clickin bubbles in a basket
and this
flange squeal
When we saw a barefooted guy in overalls tuning an acoustic guitar before the Bow-Legged Gorilla's set, we thought we had a good idea of what to expect from the last act of the night. Then, after a couple minutes of sitting at the bar and listening to a ridiculously fleet human beatbox routine, we realized that it wasn't the soundman throwing on a weird choice of background music, but the barefooted guitarist himself making music with his mouth. We've always thought of Shodekeh as having the title of Baltimore's best beatboxer sewn up, but he might have some serious competition; this guy was fucking amazing.
Combining acoustic guitar with an art form as inextricably tied to hip-hop as beatboxing seems like an odd match; at worst, it conjures up the terrible blues-rap of Everlast's career. But the Bow-Legged Gorilla has found a way to fuse two divergent skill sets into an original sound that works on a purely musical level, instead of predicating itself on a culture-clash gimmick. He'd sing or rap, all while incredibly beatboxing between syllables, and then go off on long instrumental tangents in which his fretwork and oral percussion would meld into complex arrangements of rhythm and melody. When he announced plans to play one last song, then changed his mind a second later and decided that was the end of his brief set, we were left only wanting to hear more of his bizarre, brilliant sound.
Bringing an urban slant to the one-man band, the Bow Legged Gorilla brings his considerable beatboxing chops into a mix that includes acoustic guitar, foot operated accordion, singing and song writing. The interplay of words and vocal percussion adds a dimension to his groove-laden sound that allows occasional glimpses of poetry to emerge between the cracks. The restless creative energy keeps things fresh as he stubbornly avoids folding the beats or the guitar parts into a supporting role. Such restlessness occasionally lapsed into unfocused playing, but the hint of focus behind this sound showed enormous promise as the Gorilla hits his stride. This was a good set that felt like an early glimpse of an emerging phenomenon.
The night was christened with a six-minute set from rapper/beat-boxer/multi-instrumentalist The Bow-Legged Gorilla. For about the first two minutes I looked around for a laptop, or a mixer, or a pedal, but to my amazement all the rapid-fire beat projections were emanating from the mouth of a rather unlikely rhythm machine, a white guy who looks to be in his mid-20s, sporting a tan, tiedyed T-shirt, and named Kenny. Now, I’ve seen a good share of beat-boxers for a dude who was once in an R.E.M. cover band, and let me tell you, this guy is good. After creepily following him to find out more, The Bow-Legged Gorilla graciously responded to my nagging: “I’ve been doing this for nine years.” All I can think is, “Why isn’t this guy on the front cover of the City Paper?” His CD release party is June 20 at SCarey Studios. Go.
my best friends father accused me of looking like a bowlegged gorilla eight years ago, he saw me walking down the street and said, "that boy kenny, he looks like a Bow Legged Gorilla", and ever since then thats what i've bin called.
when i play music i see colors
<a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vczI0NS5waG90b2J1Y2tldC5j
Here's some experimental zest sprinkled your way. You've been a source of inspiration for me ever since I saw you play at the Stolen Heart not to long before it closed. Enjoy!
Come See Me Rip It Up This Saturday At : Deeper Sound !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hosted By: Bass Tasty Promo
When: Saturday, November 14, 2009
Where: The Black Hole 216 German Hill Rd. Baltimore 21222
Description: Bass Tasty brings you a night of deep, funky Drum & Bass. Come see Random Movement and Submorphics light up the main stage of The Black Hole with a style of DnB that has been left nearly unheard by Baltimore!
whats up kenny man?! howve you been? whats new with you my friend? i just went on a short little ride up to roseville a few weeks ago, it was fun. reminded me of our meet up the with the dirtiest of the dirty. long live the boxcar.
Hey Kenny!! Were having a Halloween party @ Matt and Waynes house in Brooklyn on halloween night...jello shooters, ice louge, and all of us :) hope u can make it!
It is a pleasure to have you as my new MySpace friend… I find your MySpace page, your talent and your enthusiasm for music pleason’ to many… I welcome you’re other MySpace friends to visit my MySpace page that I’ve dedicated to my admiration of many talented guitar playing musicians of many styles… Stop by check it out and leave a comment if you like… Thanks Ken…
Whats Up? I just wanted to drop by and leave you with the new info on me and DreamScape Sessions..The flyer below is a personal invite to our radio station... Click on Flyer For FULL VIEW
Online Now!
