Saturday, April 17, 2010

Kaki King on Fallon

Stumbled across a cool performance this week on Jimmy Fallon by guitarist Kaki King - she was on the show plugging her new album, “Junior,” which hit stores this past Tuesday.

Pretty interesting stuff! Not sure what that crazy instrument the player on the right is using, but it looks and sounds pretty wild. Fan postings on King’s website are debating what the instrument is, and someone has suggested it’s a MIDI wind controller – possibly a Steiner MIDI EVI. In this case, the instrument is connected to a synthesizer and run through an amp, and the player’s breathing helps control the sound it makes.

Kaki King - Junior - Falling Day Kaki King - Junior - Falling Day

Kaki King – Falling Day
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon – April 14, 2010



“Junior” is King’s latest album in a direction (and career) influenced by players like Stanley Jordan and the late, great Michael Hedges: the style features elements like tapping, slap-bass techniques and using the guitar as a percussive instrument.

Her playing is no secret: King played on “Ballad Of The Beaconsfield Miners” from the Foo Fighters’ “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” record, and toured with the band down under in 2008. Along with Eddie Vedder and Michael Brook, Kaki was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score on Sean Penn’s 2007 film, “Into The Wild.”

Here’s a look at something from 2004’s “Legs To Make Us Longer” album…

Playing With Pink NoiseKaki King - Playing With Pink Noise

Kaki King – Playing With Pink Noise (2004)