Lipbone Redding W/ Very Special Guests August 20, 2009

It’s a human voice. Former subway musician Lipbone Redding revs up the party and makes lots of sounds with only his lips. He not only imitates a trombone, he is an accomplished soloist, songwriter, guitarist and entertainer. He’s the Jazz, Blues, Jam and Soul version of a human beat-box … Make that a “Human Sweet Box.”

LIPBONE REDDING - BIO

The past year has been a wild ride for LIPBONE REDDING and The LipBone Orchestra. Their debut album release “Hop The Fence” brought widespread attention to the 3 man “orchestra,” and this year sees the release of their all new record, “Party On The Fire Escape.” With non-stop touring, much radio play, and an ever increasing fan base, LIPBONE and his orchestra are taking the nation and world by storm.

Inventive voicestrumentalist and Southern Gentleman, Lipbone Redding, creates original songs that effervesce with New Orleans swing, Memphis grooves and New York City style. Though his songs stand alone, his entire show is greased with uncanny riffs of vocal trumpeting booming mouth percussion, hilarious side moments and esoteric lyrics. Witty, soulful, and sincere, this free spirit has caught fire in Manhattan’s downtown scene and can be seen and heard regularly on Sunday afternoons at New York City’s most “see and be seen” French jazz and blues brunch, JULES (65 St. Marks) between 12noon and 3pm

By the late 90’s Lipbone Redding had already survived his post-punk angst years and was well into his free-jazz and abstract performance-art era. It was during this time that he began producing events for the legendary Museum of Sound Recording in New York City. The yearly festival and bacchanal, LOVeSPHeRe now in its eleventh year, was originally a collaboration between Lipbone Redding and Gary Heidt. LOVESPHERe was born along with many other multi-media events that were filled to the brim with musicians, DJ’s, video artists, dancers, actors, painters and anything else that would stimulate the sonic and theatrical palate. During this time, Lipbone wrote songs which incorporated elaborate non-traditional instrumentation and avant-garde stage theatrics including, but not limited to, full choirs, 20 or 30 guitars, completely nude musicians, household electronics and appliances, flame-throwers and of course there’s the (in)famous flying pancake night at CBGB’s.

It took exactly one night for Lipbone Redding to go from maximalist to minimalist. It happened on the New York City Subway at about 11pm upon the platform of the uptown 6 train at Spring Street. After 2 hours of subway singing with just an acoustic guitar, Lipbone counted his money and realized he could make more in 2 hours of playing on the Subway than he could make at any straight job. He sold his electronic equipment to beat-boxer and voicestrumentalist, Kid Lucky and for the next two years Lipbone spent his nights crooning to the public in the belly of the beast. He developed an extensive repertoire of original music from these couple of years in the subway which he still draws from today.

Having saved enough money from his subterranean music making, Lipbone, hopped a plane to South America, where he soaked up the sights and sounds of different music and cultures. He worked with performance artists and dancers along with other musicians to leave a trail of notoriety in his wake. After a brief return to North Carolina, Lipbone, crisscrossed the country in his camper a.k.a. “THE BEAUTIFUL FLYING MACHINE” and eventually landed for a time in San Francisco. He explored venues along the Lost Coast and in the Redwoods and spent many nights among the bay area’s diverse music and poetry scene.

From San Francisco, Lipbone, went to India where he followed the banks of the Ganges River to the high Himalayas. Along the journey he studied Indian Classical and Karnatic music in Varanassi and Eastern philosophy with his guru in Rishikesh. For almost 2 years, Lipbone wandered India and then Europe, hitchhiking his way from mountain-top to festival to music club.

Upon his return to New York City in 2005, Lipbone began to immediately play regular gigs around town. The exposure from these regular gigs, in turn gave rise to many new avenues for performing including a main-stage spot at The Hartford International Jazz Festival and the wildly successful dance collaboration with the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company. The music of which was heralded by the New York Times as “Remarkable!” With a vocal-trombone and nuances of exotic Eastern influence, Lipbone Redding maintains a musical act that is markedly different from other singer/songwriters. To many Lipbone Redding has become a mainstay in the global nexus of New York’s East Village where he performs nightly at Jazz and Blues venues. “I support music, and music supports me,” states Lipbone who has yet to get a straight job. Armed with an armada of vocal powered sounds which range from percussion and synthesizers to an amazingly true-to-life mouth trombone, “THE LIPBONE ORCHESTRA” (with drummer Rich Zukor and upright bassist Jeff Eyrich) finds the ability to cross over from one audience to another extremely easy because as one LIPBONE REDDING fan states, “Everybody likes good music!”

Inventive singer/songwriter/ guitarist / voice-instrumentalist and former subway musician, Lipbone Redding revs up the party and creates original songs that effervesce with New Orleans swing, Memphis grooves and New York City style. Known for his ability to use his vocal to sound exactly like a trombone, it’s hard to tell the difference—unless you witness the phenomenon live. Lipbone and his two-man orchestra make for a show greased with uncanny riffs of vocal trumpeting, booming mouth percussion, hilarious side moments and esoteric lyrics.

Lipbone’s newest EP Science Of Bootyism (S.O.B. for short) brings to life characters from his own observations in the subways of New York City. From the original head-bobbing lounge number “Old Tattoo,” to a remembrance of funky nights around the burning street barrel via the soul classic, “Be Thankful”—Lipbone and his Orchestra lead us on a unique journey. When we meet the bawdy town drunk in his ballad, “The Land of Drunk and Stoned,” followed by soul heartbreaker “Sweet Melinda,” it illuminates the generous and communal vibe that he brings to his live shows and songs.

Lipbone Redding and the Lipbone Orchestra caught fire in Manhattan’s downtown scene and, when not out on the road, can be seen and heard regularly on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons at New York City’s French jazz and blues brunch, JULES BISTRO on St. Marks Place. His most recent album, Party of the Fire Escape (BePop Records, 2008) covered territory from good times New Orleans – to the urban jungle of New York City.

“Redding’s bluesy, soulful voice and guitar strumming lie somewhere between Jack Johnson and a New Orleans jazz band” – Creative Loafing

“If you had to peg him, one might say he’s a sort of Franti-meets-Gillespie type jam jazz.”
- Hartford Courant

“Lipbone can light up a room when his tidy trio stretches out in a Sly Stone inspired groove.”
- Time Out NY

“Lipbone Redding brings new meaning to using one’s voice as an instrument. The Lipbone Orchestra is in fact a trio, but can get away with the implication of that there is as stage full of musicians.” – NY1

www.Lipbone.com

Official Website: http://www.thewalnutroom.com