Shlomo has become a beatboxing legend performing in some of the worlds greatest venues and competitions as well as producing shows that have left audience in awe. After last years knockout Edinburgh Fringe show ‘Mouthtronica’ Shlomo’s new show which he is also directing, The Vocal Orchestra, is set to become this years most talked about show at the E4 Udderbelly at Southbank in a 7 week run.
There is a enormous positivity and respect that comes through every show that Shlomo creates bringing audiences into a musical world they might never have stumbled into. The success of the Fringe show only cements Shlomo as a mistro that deserves your eyes.
How have things been going since the fringe?
Really well thanks, I’ve been concentrating on writing and directing rather than constant touring, although I did release an EP with my new 7-piece vocal project The Lip Factory which you can download at a price of your choice (yes even zero pounds if you like!)
What was fringe 2011 like, did you get much rest?
It was a crazy whirlwind. I ended up doing 4 or 5 performances a day on top of my daily one man show. It was insanity. I also got to collaborate with my childhood hero Michael Winslow at a special one-off gig. I was pinching myself all night.
You’re back this year with an even more ambitious project ‘The Vocal Orchestra’ how did this start?
The idea has been brewing in several different incarnations for a few years, but this is the first time that I’ve been able to step offstage and work purely as the creator and director. Now I get to be the eyes and the ears – making it exactly how I want to be from the outside, without worrying about whether my part is in tune or my beats are on cue.
This is going to be a 7 week run, are you nervous?
Naturally it’s daunting to be doing such a big run, and to be the first headline show of this year’s Udderbelly Festival at Southbank Centre, but if you don’t scare yourself you’ll never do anything exciting.
Tell us a little but about the show, what can we expect?
It’s built around these 7 incredible voices – 4 girls and 3 boys, all of whom are stunning singers and brilliant beatboxers. It’s a really slick and tightly woven show. During the show, they build a beatbox time machine from their bodies and minds, and take the audience on a whirlwind journey through time and space. It’s too much fun.
You have also created and are directing this. What have the challenges you have faced?
It’s been a real learning curve for me – I’m used to leading from the front and I never really had a chance to analyse what it is I do – it’s all quite instinctive really. The big challenge with this show is to try and figure out exactly what it is I do, and then to teach it to the company.
What is it about their individual style that attracted you to them?
Every one of them has a unique voice and character, and for me that’s the beauty of the show – each one of them has their own superpowers, but when they come together they build something even bigger. It’s the unity and the strength in numbers that makes it so exciting – they all have a vital role, like a human pyramid – if one person is missing or off-point, the whole thing falls apart.
And finally what do you want people to take away from the show?
Hopefully they will feel uplifted, and maybe be inspired to have a little sing or a little beatbox on the way home!
