As a music journalist, it's my job to see through the hype, PR bullshit, be objective and not get caught up in hyperbole. So I do not say this lightly, when a few weeks back, I struggled out on a Sunday evening to the South Bank Centre and the Human Beatbox Convention, where beatboxer or vocal percussionist Shlomo (Foreign Beggars) had curated an afternoon and evening of beatbox performances, talks and so on.
The closing performance, and I feel guilty concentrating on this as the majority of four/five (Beardyman, Roxor Loops) performances were very good, was one of the BEST GIGS I HAVE EVER SEEN.
Picture four beatboxers and an eight strong, VOCAL classical/jazz/pop band, Swingle Singers. Shlomo conducted and the audience was privvy to around 40minutes of instrumental music (no singing or rapping), created solely by the mouth.
Initially the Swingle's barbershop style harmonizing were mixed up with beatboxers' scratches, drums, and beats, demonstrating a kind of crude crossover between the two disparate worlds.
Before long the 12 people on stage were each contributing a sound - a scratch, kick drum, bassline, cymbal, hi hat, trumpet, batacuda percussion, flameco singing, harmonies and melodies, which were built, layered and weaved in such a way to create a wall or collage of human sound. And to round it off was an unrehearsed jam with Shlo orchestrating and asking each to contribute a sound according to a certain rhythm. Shlo was as excited as a kid in a Toys R Us, re-iterating that this was, 'All from the mouth', at any opportunity.
Apparently this set up will be touring the festival circuit this summer. Make sure you catch them coz I can guarantee you will be blown away. I've not done the performance any justice here, and although there is footage on Youtube, it doesn't get across the power and force of this ingenius collaboration.
Just as there's an element of feeling the force of a band playing live, to hear detailed, engaging new music by the human mouth was a chill down your spine moment.The crossover between the hip hop world and the classical, pop, swing world left fans of each in mutual respect of the other.
Thanks to the Swingle Singers for sorting out the ticket and Sabine @ South Bank Centre for the pic
