Encore Archives

Habitually Hypnotic: Lipbone Redding bellows his jazz-funk-blues on May 16th

05/07/07 @ 01:47:57 pm by archivesadmin

By: Shea Carver

Growing up in North Carolina could be one of the reasons Lipbone Redding’s moody vocals and hypnotic trombone seem filled with the soul of a tobacco-pickin’ bluesman. They’re raspy like that of someone who takes in at least two packs a day. But unlike the addiction, Redding’s instrument induces a habit worthy of constant indulgence.

Yet, his roots grow from the Pitt County tobacco field, where he picked during his teenage years, “row after row, listening to the Commodores,” he states in his press kit. The hard labor of farming can put a different outlook into any youthful dream. Lipbone Redding’s dream was to move to the city, which is precisely what he did after his derelict years led him to steal his first guitar and snag the French class PA system, which he used to rig a stereo in his beat-up Fish Wagon. The brown station wagon provided Redding inspiration for his first song, “I Gotta Fish Wagon,” which became the catalyst for his dream as a performer.

In New York, Redding went through many phases of musical discovery: punk, free-jazz and abstract performance-art (a phase which included full choirs, nude musicians and induced a few pancake fights at CBG. During this ‘90s era of grunge rock and boy-band sounds, Redding was working in a different arena of music and for the Museum of Sound Recording, where he helped found LOVESPHERe with Gary Heidt. LOVESPHERe proved to be a festival of multimedia celebration, including DJs, dancers, artists, painters, actors, avant-garde stage theatric, music and much more. Now in its 11th year, it has become a part of Redding’s history, showcasing his ability to incorporate all facets of entertainment into one show.

As the city provided opportunity to Redding, his dreams also developed. After saving money from playing the subway stations in New York, where he found he could make more money than working a nine-to-five job, his dreams manifested Jack Kerouac-style.The need to travel was imminent. Over several years, Redding went from South America, back to North Carolina, on the road again to San Fran, before heading out East to India, where he studied Indian Classical and Karnatic music with guru Rishikesh.

His roots and impressive influences have led Redding to become more of a minimalist onstage; yet the entertainment factor has not waned. He showers audiences with a sultry trombone that literally sounds like a raspy voice, full of experience and stories to tell. In a nutshell, that is Redding. While his music today may not include firedancers or 20 to 30 guitars in one setting, it does include a raconteur who can also play riffs that will captivate an audience in seconds flat. His moments of falsetto tall-tales are filled with hilarity, too.

The jazz of Redding is inspired without an iota of doubt from New Orleans and Memphis, and is doused with storytelling like that of the Delta blues. Yet, the music has a slight fervor of funk, apparent from musicians like Stevie Wonder and the aforementioned Commodores. All the while, its heart beats to the constant drum of gentle trombone bellows that don’t only sound like brass but sometimes percussion. As well, they are melodious, like a voice all its own. It sets the mood for Redding’s hypnotic music—and hearing this music is calming, even inspirational.

While the musician has lived years beyond the tobacco fields of his youth, his bebop timbres have roots planted firmly in an inexplicable sound. Don’t miss Lipbone Redding’s show at the Soapbox, presented by The Penguin, on Wednesday, May 16th at 8pm. While the admission is to be announced, it’s a ticket worthy of any price.