by Shawn Nowlin
If one were to Google the name Kishi Bashi, a few things would come up. Despite being a Seattle native, they will see that the multi-instrumentalist, Emmy-nominated artist grew up in Norfolk, VA. Since both of his parents were longtime professors at Old Dominion University, attending college was a very high likelihood for Bashi.
While studying engineering at Cornell University in New York, he co-founded a band named Tamarisk. After transferring to Berklee College of Music, he became a violinist. From that particular chapter in his life to this day, there’s only been one form of art that has brought the award-winning filmmaker unbridled joy – creating and performing music.
Even though music is subjective, certain facts cannot be denied. One needs only to see Bashi perform live once to understand why he is so critically acclaimed. On May 3, the genre-bending musician gave a sizable crowd inside the Jefferson Center’s Shaftman Performance Hall a top-notch performance. The classical flourishes, electronic textures and on stage humor made the production that much more enjoyable for all involved.
Accompanied by Elizabeth (Zinman)and the Catapult as the opening act, the show began around 7 p.m. and lasted for nearly three hours. Elizabeth is an award-winning singer-songwriter and pianist who performed solo mainly on piano and some guitar, throughout a lengthy set of originals with a sort of Carol King flair.
For Roger Randolph, when he looked around and saw the diverse audience moving to the same beat, he knew he was experiencing something special. “As the old saying goes, ‘We may speak different languages and have different backgrounds, but music is a language that we all understand.’ I was already a fan of Kishi Bashi, but after seeing him live, I have an even bigger admiration for his incredible talents.”
Halfway through his set, Bashi thanked everyone for showing up to his first-ever show in Roanoke. “I became Kishi Bashi in 2011 when I released a five-song EP. How many of you guys remember that? I am having so much fun tonight. I’m looking forward to many, many more adventures here.”
The three-member group consisted of Bashi who played violin, mandolin and acoustic guitar. Emily Hope Price played cello and Michael Savino whailed away on his electric banjo as both sang backup to Bashi’s lead vocals on various tunes. With just three members, the group created huge dynamic colorfull walls of sound through a managerie of gadgets strung over the stage floor. Towards the end of the show, something happened that many say they have never seen before: Bashi walked out in the crowd, a circle of fans gleefully gathered around him, with hall lights down low, he hopped on a chair and capped the night with several more songs as the crowd joined in creating another incredible night at the Jeff Center.
The first-generation Japanese American has come a long way since he released his debut album, 151a, in 2012. Since then, his music has travelled near and far – impacting audiences worldwide.
Additional information about the musician can be found at https://www.kishibashi.com.
