CSMA welcomes Kaki King to Tateuchi Hall on Saturday, January 18 at 7:30pm. Kaki is a Brooklyn-based composer and guitarist known for her virtuosity and unusual acoustic techniques. She has released nine albums, created music for numerous films and started her own record label. Rolling Stone hails her as “a genre unto herself.”
We spoke to Kaki King to learn more about her and what the audience can expect from her performance at Tateuchi Hall.
Kaki King
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin playing and performing music?
I started playing guitar at age four and I guess I just didn’t really stop. I had my first professional success at age 22 and it’s been my job ever since.
Did you have access to music education in school?
I did! I played drums and percussion in the school band since age 9. All of my musical education comes from those years.
Tell us about a great music teacher you had.
Joe Bader brought me up into the high school band when I was still in middle school. I think he recognized that I had talent because he set me to learn some really difficult snare drum rudiments. He was an excellent educator and very supportive, but he also knew how to make me push myself.
How often do you practice and/or rehearse? How do you balance teaching and performing?
I find myself practicing and rehearsing while creating a new project or just before making a new record. Otherwise, I’m just playing—for me, there’s no method or difficulty involved. I just play for the love of music.
Teaching has become part of performing for me since I sometimes give master classes when I’m invited to perform. It’s always amazing to examine what you do, in order to pass it on.
What does it feel like to be nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Score? How has your life changed since?
Impostor syndrome? That was a while ago and it didn’t change my life one bit. Looks good on a resume though.
You now have your own record label. What inspired you to create your own label and what are your goals with the artist you work with?
I turned a room in my house into a studio and helped some people record here and there, while I got better at engineering. Treya Lam, the other artist on my label, made a record called Good News that I engineered and produced. My goal is to work with artists who need intimate support in order to produce and release their recordings.
What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?
Just keep going. Try to be happy where you are. Do your best and let go of the results.
What can the audience expect during the performance in Tateuchi Hall?
It will be a more traditional solo show for me—two guitars and no more—but I’m bringing some interesting sounds with me. I’m always focused on how the guitar can be expanded or be seen in a different light, so I will have some interesting tricks up my sleeve.
Read more about Kaki King at Palo Alto Weekly.
