Last night, Goucher's week-long celebration of heritage (Fusion, a rather contrived title) brought Kenny Johnston, better known as The Bow-Legged Gorilla, to the Gopher Hole.
On his myspace, you'll find a great introduction to his work, via WYPR's coverage. The Bow-Legged Gorilla is a one man band that Johnston executes live, with no multi-tracking loopstation jerking around, and no reverb beyond that from the mixing board. His sound is something that's very tough to find these days: pure.
Purity, modesty, and heart are readily apparent in a BLG performance. Johnston's demeanor is calm, almost trance-like, as he simultaneously beatboxes, plays guitar, and creates a chilling pedal-tone from his Shruti box.
"Shruti is Indian for any idiot can make music," he joked as he took his seat. While Johnston acknowledges that he has studied many different forms of music, he maintained a humble mindset on stage. Always relaxed, he performs with such ease that the complexity of his compositions is staggering. Johnston's music is clearly his passion and his abilities flow readily from his body. He is, in short, a human work of art.
Fans of Shodekeh and the Godfather of Noise himself will not only appreciate, but find solace in BLG's music, which has the ability to move your head, your hands, and your mind.
A direct link to the WYPR piece is available, here.
Read the Baltimore CityPaper profile, here.
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