Artists shine given restrictions and limitations. Subtlety and nuance are more easily found in minimalism than excess. That's the beauty of Brushy One String, whose sound is made by one big fat E-string and a voice so rich and full, all it wants is a bit of rhythmic and melodic underpinning.
Brushy One String is from Jamaica, and his "Chicken In The Corn" video has been viewed nearly nine million times. I first came upon his music at globalFEST 2014. He even broke his one string that night, but he smiled and warmed our hearts. He's a deeply spiritual man who tells stories of his musical father and describes how proud his mom and dad would be of his fame if they were around. (He was orphaned at a young age.) He's part Delta Blues with a bit of old-school soul, and he beats a pulse and rhythm on the guitar body that's infectious and simple. That's the beauty of Brushy One String: It's all essence, and everything's essential.
No Man Stop Me is available now. (iTunes) (Amazon)
Set List
Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Niki Walker; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Niki Walker, Kara Frame; Production Assistant: Jackson Sinnenberg; Photo: Brandon Chew/NPR.
For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.