From a press release:
Event: “A Night of Folk and Boom Bap”: Musical Alternatives
Wednesday, October 29 – 7:30 p.m.- Serengeti as “Kenny Dennis”, Kersey Williams and Ciggy Pop of Highdrophonics, Searra Gisondo, kuxxan SUUM.
For creative artists whose work falls outside the boundaries of defined genre expectations building an audience can be rough. The Internet helps get the musical word out, but there’s no substitute for the sense of community that comes from people gathered to experience live performance. OnWednesday, October 29, at 7:30 p.m. the White Horse Black Mountain opens its doors to a talented group of outside-the box musicians who blur stylistic lines. Black Mountain Mill and Pizzeria presents “Into the Mountains with Serengeti “Kenny Dennis” at the popular venue, featuring the headliner and an eclectic sampling of local talent, including Kersey Williams and Ciggy Pop of Highdrophonics, Searra Gisondo and kuxxan SUUM.
Prolific Chicago rapper Serengeti (née David Cohn) is above all a storyteller. His lyrics are often first person narrative character studies that avoid mainstream hip-hop cliches. Rooted musically in underground and alternative hip-hop, his stories can be simultaneously funny and poignant. For his Black Mountain appearance he inhabits a regular recent persona, Kenny Dennis, an extravagantly mustachioed, married, white, middle-aged, blue collar Chicagoan. Serengeti is touring behind his third Kenny Dennis release in which he chronicles the uncomplicated life of his brats-and- sports loving alter-ego, the music succeeding as both parody and homage.
Sharing the bill are local duo Kersey Williams and Ciggy Pop, whose recent collaboration goes under the Highdrophonics name. Organic, old school beats, sampled loops and laid back electronics underpin Pop’s rhymes. Combined with vocals from the uke-toting Williams, the result is an almost folky vibe.
Ciggy Pop has said that he prefers the term boom bap for his work, referencing a vintage hip-hop approach that tones down the aggression and hard edges of much commercial rap.
A native of New York, Searra Gisondo now lives in Western North Carolina. A musician since childhood, she’s incorporated folk, bossa-nova, jazz and Indian music into her warm and complex sonic palette. Her lyrics range from intensely introspective and philosophical to light-hearted zaniness.
Black Mountain’s kuxxan SUUM (Zack Cooper) specializes in cerebral yet danceable electronics. He often pillages interesting snippets of music and pop lyrics and reassembles them outside of their original context, prompting listeners to interact with them in new ways. His appearance in Black Mountain comes on the heels of his newest release, “Pop Awareness”.
Ciggy Pop says that he would like an expansion of the musical styles associated with Black Mountain. This groundbreaking show is an opportunity to do just that.
Show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 advance/ $10 door.
Tickets available online here.
For further information, visit www.whitehorseblackmountain.com.
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