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Rapping and Spooning: Cathy & Marcy with Christylez Bacon

by Peter S. Scholtes

When folk musicians Cathy & Marcy met rapper Christylez Bacon, the result was a mixture as good as peanut butter and chocolate: banjo music and beatboxing (or mouth drums). Now Christylez and Marcy have a contest onstage: they play the spoons (holding two spoons in one hand and playing them like drums) in what they call “The Great American Spoon-Off.” Cathy answered a few questions about the album they made with Christylez in 2009, Banjo to Beatbox.

What does the song “Froggy Went a Courtin’” mean?

It’s got as much meaning or as little meaning as a Dr. Seuss book. You can think of it as a fairy tale or a story. It’s a really old song with fun, interesting characters.

Did Christylez teach you anything while you were making this album?

Absolutely. On “Hip-Hop Humpty Dumpty,” he came up with the idea of using Humpty Dumpty and the whole story. He had a rhythm structure he wanted to use, and we tried to fit the banjo and cello banjo to his rhythm structure.

Do you know how to beatbox?

I do, but I’m not a good beatboxer. Chris teaches audiences how to beatbox when we do shows together. There’s always a lot of improvisation. We never know what our audiences will be like: one day it might be all preschoolers; another day it might be all fifth graders.

Listen to “New River Train,” from the Cathy & Marcy EP Banjo to Beatbox:

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Support the artists who support Rainbow Rumpus! You can buy Cathy & Marcy’s “New River Train” along with all the other songs on Banjo to Beatbox here and help Rainbow Rumpus bring more great writing, music, and video to you.

RAINBOW RUMPUS - The MAGAZINE for KIDS with LGBT parents