Portrait of the Sound Artist as a Young Man

Most DJs will tell you that their turntables are in fact musical instruments, and they’d certainly have a point. But has any DJ ever taken the instrumental nature of turntables as far as “Sound Artist” Walter Kitundu?

A Rochester, Minnesota-born, Tanzania, Africa-raised artist and musician, Kitundu, 33, has become well known for his phonoharps and phonokoras. The instruments are his original inventions, which he constructs in his San Francisco studio, and are best described as a cross between a turntable and a guitar/harp.

He’s built 24 hybrid instruments so far, including a working fire-powered turntable, a balloon-powered turntable and even a device powered by the ocean’s waves. The unique sounds he draws from these instruments is hard to classify, combining elements of hip-hop, electronica, jazz and everything under the sun. Whatever you call it, he's made fans of some of the most accomplished musicians in the country, having performed with a disparate group of artists ranging from the Kronos Quartet to Meshell Ndegeocello. He visits Los Angeles on Friday to perform on a bill that includes the Austin electro-dance rockers Ghostland Observatory, Sun Ra Arkestra’s free-jazz maestro Marshall Allen and experimental electronica duo Matmos. Kitundu sat down to chat about making instruments, performing in LA and why birdwatching in our city kicks ass.

So, exactly what kind of music do you play?
People used to ask me that and I’d say “music music”. Sometimes it comes out of hip-hop. Sometimes it comes out of electronica. Sometimes it comes out of West African music. I have eclectic tastes. Right now I’m listening to the new Damien Marley album. West African music. Everything from Rufus Wainwright to The Roots. I like Indian classical music a lot. And Bjork. Basically, whatever’s interesting and engaging.

How did you come up with the idea to make these instruments?
I was in a hip-hop group in college, but when I moved to Minneapolis, I was in a band. There weren’t many people playing turntables in live bands at the time, in the early 90s. I learned that the turntable was able to carry other tonal sounds, other than just the records. By beating it with chopsticks, for example. In 2001 I was teaching in New Mexico and started wondering, what would happen if I put strings into the turntable?

So, you figured out how to build them on your own?
I don’t have a musical background, but I have a background in trying. If I see any instrument, I pick it up and try it. I’ve been learning all of this by trial and error. Sometimes it’s more trial and terror. I’ve blown up a few turntables…but that’s in the past.

Some of your instruments are really interesting, including the ones powered by the elements. You actually built an ocean-powered turntable?
I called it the Ocean Edge Device. It had a water-powered accordion and melodica and a wind-powered turntable. I took it to the beach in Marin County. Six people carried it on their shoulders, and a crowd gathered on the beach when we brought it down into the waves. I had people holding onto ropes so it didn’t get washed away. I’d say it ended up working about 40 percent of the time. I sat on it, getting tossed about. After 15 minutes, a huge wave came and snapped the main waterwheel. It was more of a happening than a concert.

What instruments will you be using for your LA performance?
I’m bringing three instruments. A 15-string Kora, which is a west African harp. Then a 21-string phonokora, which is a combination Kora and turntable. And a new phonoharp I just built around Christmas, with 18 steel strings. This one is going to be an improvised performance. I try to let the performance happen in the moment. But I know that I’m going to give my best musically. I hope people pay attention to the exchanges between the musicians.

You’re pretty established in the Bay Area, but you’ve been coming to LA a lot lately. How do the audiences compare?
That’s a tough comparison. Anything people have told me before coming here about the crowds in LA has been totally contrary. Stuff about people here being too cool. I’ve found the crowds in LA to be incredibly warm and engaging. I’ve found a stronger post-performance connection to audiences here than in most other places.

What do you like the most about LA?
Living in San Francisco, I get accustomed to not moving around. Griffith Park I really enjoy. The timbre of the different neighborhoods, from the garment district downtown to the beach. It’s all there if you make the effort. LA doesn’t seem like the kind of city that just comes to you. I like the fact that it’s expansive, and that’s also what gets to me on some level. I like natural things, so freeways are the opposite of that. But they’re also what take me to all of the natural things here. And I can finally admit it, it is nice and warm down here, and I like it.

You mention nature, and I know you’re also an avid birdwatcher. How do LA’s birds stack up to San Fran?
I think they’re comparable. What I love about LA are the interesting, unexpected intersections between birds and places. The natural world interacting with the urban world. Like the hawks downtown. And Echo Park is great. A condensed melting pot of avian activity. Then the interesting people there. I was only there last time for half an hour, but I could have spent a whole day photographing.

Walter Kitundu performs with Matmos, Marshall Allen and Ghostland Observatory Friday at the
Natural History Museum. The music starts at 8pm. Check out
his website for music samples, photos of his original instruments and his bird photography.

Photos by Kitundu