Win a DVD of “The Beatbox Choir” documentary
To celebrate the YouTube release of the award winning 2007 documentary “The Beatbox Choir” we are giving away 5 copies of the film on DVD, with original artwork from Eleanor Meredith.
To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is
a) follow me on twitter and
b) Click this link to tweet the following before 5pm on 17 January 2012:
“Here’s how to win a DVD of award winning documentary “The Beatbox Choir” about @Shlomo and @swinglesingers: http://bit.ly/Ak77VO #freestuff” Tweet
That’s it!
Don’t forget you can watch the film online in full right here.
Video: The Beatbox Choir (2007) – full documentary
This is an award-winning documentary film from 2007 about the creation of beatboxer Shlomo’s choir “The Vocal Orchestra”.
Filmmaker Colette McWilliams and her team were granted exclusive access throughout the 6 weeks between the choir’s first meeting and performing their headlining show for the International Human Beatbox Convention. The film follows the highs and the lows as Shlomo, the Swingle Singers, MC Zani, Bellatrix and Spitf’ya break new ground to create a whole new performance sound – it’s THE BEATBOX CHOIR!
This film was independently produced in London and has previously only been shown at film festivals, including the OS International Film Festival where it was awarded Best Documentary, and at the D Reel International Film Festival, Australia where it was included in the official selection.
This is the first time it has been made available on the web.
Shlomo: http://shlo.co.uk/
The swingle Singers: http://swinglesingers.com/
To organise screenings of the film:
info@sensoproducions.com
Directed and Produced by: Colette McWilliams
Producers: Russell Reid & Jean Phillipe Gossart
Director of Photography: Jean Phillipe Gossart http://jpgossart.com
Editor: Stephan Talneau http://vimeo.com/stephantalneau
Sound Recordist: George Butterworth
Boom Operators: Julian, Kareem, Curzio
Sound Mix: Sebastian Reuters http://klangkosmonauten.de
The Original Blurb from 2007:
Beatboxing has been on the rise in the UK over the last five years as fans marvel over the inhuman sounds that these underground stars can make. In The Beatbox choir we follow Shlomo, British beatbox pioneer and South bank artist in residence, as he takes four of the UK’s top beatboxers along side Grammy award winning acapella group The Swingle Singers, and gives them six weeks to turn themselves into the UK’s first full scale human Beatboxing choir.
Before the group had even met they had major festival interest and had been advertised as the headline act for The International Beatbox Convention 2007. Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra have six weeks to create a choir that has to follow acts such as as Beardyman (2x UK Beatbox Champion) and Roxorloops (Belgian Beatbox Champion) to a sit down concert hall full of beatbox fans. Sold out just days after the tickets went on sale and promoted internationally, the crowd’s expectations are high. As Shlomo aptly said in his first introduction to the choir: “I have no idea what we’re gonna do, but we’ve got to do something.”
This inspirational story tells of friendships forged from diverse backgrounds, conflicting musical genres and clashing cultures, with the creation of the choir comes the creation of musical family. From the first day the group meet until their first public performance at the convention, week-by-week we see the creative journey of Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra. Lead through experimental voice-coaching techniques, we watch the group step out of their comfort zones as they perform in ways they never knew they could.
The Beatbox Choir is an inspirational story of ambition, risk-taking and brand new sounds.
Free download: Lip Factory Circle Jams
FREE DOWNLOAD!
The day after each ‘Shlomo and the Lip Factory’ gig you will be able to download the unique improvised ‘circle jam’ FOR FREE from this very page.
love from Shlo and the team x
Video: BOXED – a beatboxing adventure (the full show)
Here it is in full: BOXED is the Vocal Orchestra stage show we created last year. I would love to develop this into a fully blown West End production. My dream is to create beatboxing’s answer to Stomp. Would love to hear your comments and feedback below. Enjoy!
Recorded live at Bristol Old Vic, November 2010
The Vocal Orchestra are:
Shlomo
Alyusha Chagrin
Claudia Georgette
Johannah Jolson
Grace Savage aka Gracious B
Andy Brooks aka Testament
Robin Bailey
Matthew Featherstone
Understudies: DJ Walde and Chewy
Credits
Written and directed by Shlomo
Sound – Speth Hughes
Lighting Design – Tom Richmond
Stage Manager – Surenee Chan Somchit
Assistant Creative Director – DJ Walde
Movement Director – Simeon Qsyea
AV Design – Chris McGill and Tim Baxter at Dusthouse
Costume Supervisor – Nadia Malik
Filmed and edited by Roswitha Chesher
Produced by Bristol Old Vic, Southbank Centre and Shlomo
Special thanks to
PRS Foundation, Tom Morris, Daffyd Launder, Emma Stenning, Jude Kelly, Simon Godwin, Irit Kahn
Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra at Greenwich Summer Sessions, 31 July 2011
SONGS IN THE KEY OF LONDON CURATED BY CHRIS DIFFORD
+ Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra
SUN 31/07/2011. Doors open at 17:30
Old Royal Naval College in West Gate, SE10 9NN
BUY TICKETS
We’ll be doing our last show as “Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra” on July 31st at the Greenwich Summer Sessions before I launch my new vocal project this Autumn. We are supporting “Songs in the Key of London” which is a special night of music put together by Chris Difford of Squeeze.
Video: Everybody’s Gotta Daydream by Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra
Come and see our full show @ the e4 udderbelly festival, southbank centre, london 15 & 30 may 2011
recorded live at the bristol old vic
Vocal Orchestra at mFest, Scotland

Really excited to announce that we’ll be performing once again as Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra at the young people programmed mFest up in Scotland. Other acts at the festival include Tinchy Stryder, Hadouken! and The Fall.
More info:
http://www.macrobert.org/index.php?id=406
BOXED HITS BRISTOL: 10-11 May at Bristol Old Vic
“BOXED – a beatboxing adventure” is the new stage show by Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra.
We’re so excited to announce that BOXED will hit Bristol Old Vic on 10-11 May, followed by London at the E4 Udderbelly on the Southbank from 17-22nd May.
Book your tickets now to join our beatboxing heroes on an epic journey to the future and back via outta space, and witness an evening of vocal wizardry!
“Brilliant… Slick theatrics… soulful vocal gymnastics” **** Evening Standard
“Effervescent, energetic and audience grabbing… The all-vocal versions of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition and OutKast’s Hey Ya were both roaring, rousing show-stoppers.” **** The Times
More info and tickets:
http://boxedtheshow.com
BOXED: Suggestions for time travel tunes!
On Thursday I’m going to visit the legendary DJ YODA who is helping me construct some DJ style mixes for one of the key sequences in BOXED, my new stage show. I’m then going to turn the DJ mixes into Vocal Orchestra arrangements.
Why? Well, in a nutshell, in the show the gang invent a human time machine and go back to the 90s to sing an amazing medley of awful 90s tunes. Then they go back to the 80s, 70s, 60s, 1720s, and so on.
What I want to know from you is:
If you could choose any song for the Vocal Orchestra to recreate, what would be your ultimate tune from each decade?
Please leave a comment below, or hit me on twitter @shlomo or on Facebook
Video: Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra reworking the Prodigy classic ‘Out of Space’!!
Shlo and the VO present Out of Space by the Prodigy, reworked with 8 mouths and 8 mics.
Video: One Hit by Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra
One Hit by Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra
BOXED IS BACK! E4 UDDERBELLY, LONDON, 17-22 MAY
E4 Udderbelly, 17-22nd May 2010
We’re excited to announce that BOXED, Shlomo’s theatrical beatbox show, is back for one week only at the E4 Udderbelly, an upside-down purple cow on London’s Southbank!
Join our beatboxing heroes Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra on an epic escapade as they travel to the future and back via outer space, dropping slick theatrics and soulful vocal gymnastics along the way. Pure raw talent mixed with innovative and imaginative use of their 10 voices lead to an adrenaline-charged vocal performance reminiscent of Stomp, Into the Hoods or Blue Man Group.
“An effervescent, energetic, audience-grabbing show – the all-vocal versions of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition and OutKast’s Hey Ya were both roaring, rousing show-stoppers.” The Times
BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW: http://boxedtheshow.co.uk
Photos from BOXED – a beatboxing adventure
Check out these photos by Nathan Gallagher.
Win backstage passes for BOXED – Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra's new "beatbox theatre" show
Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra in: BOXED
January 7-8 2010, 7:45pm
Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London
Southbank Centre are proud to present the first performances of BOXED – a brand new “beatbox theatre” show from Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra.
This epic escapade sees our beatboxing heroes travel to the future and back via outer space, dropping some soulful vocal gymnastics and slickly staged theatrics along the way.
“This show will be like beatboxing’s answer to Stomp, Blue Man Group and Into the Hoods.” says Shlomo. “I can’t tell you how excited I am about it!!”
BOXED is a turbo-charged story of friendship and adventure demonstrating the power of unity using nothing but the voice boxes of the 10-strong cast. Performing jaw-dropping vocal routines and tunes spanning the musical spectrum from hip hop to jazz to drum n bass and opera, BOXED is not to be missed!
“This brilliant, effervescent ensemble of rapping, riffing, improvising youngsters could drown out the QE2’s foghorn… Slick theatrics… soulful vocal gymnastics.” – Evening Standard
Win Backstage passes to meet the crew
There will be a random prize draw to select one winner who will win a pair of backstage passes to meet the cast of BOXED at the Purcell Room on January 8th 2010. All ticket holders for the Friday 8th January performance will be automatically entered into the competition.
Babelbox Podcast episode 6: Festival special
The Babelbox podcast Episode 6 is out now. It’s a Festival Special for Summer 2009, covering Glastonbury, Womad, Latitude, Big Chill, and Africa Express in Paris. Featuring the Vocal Orchestra, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jarvis Cocker, and Tony Allen.
Video: teardrop by Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra
8 mouths, 8 mics. Nothing else. Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra sing “Teardrop” by Massive Attack. Lead vocals by Yvette Riby-Williams. Recorded live at the Udderbelly by Kyran Speirs.
Video: I Wish – Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra
beatbox troupe Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra sing the Stevie Wonder classic “I Wish” filmed at the Udderbelly by Kyran Speirs.
Lead vox by Billy Boothroyd and Neo Joshua
8 mouths, 8 mics, nothing else!
Shlomo’s Glasto Diary ’09 – part 3 – IMOGEN HEAP becomes honorary VOCAL ORCHESTRA member
Part three of Shlomo’s Glastonbury diary featuring an improvised collaboration between IMOGEN HEAP and SHLOMO AND THE VOCAL ORCHESTRA!
Part four is out next week!
Video by http://www.asdescribed.net/
Shlomo’s Glasto Diary ’09 – part 2 – DJ YODA vs VOCAL ORCHESTRA
Part two of Shlomo’s Glastonbury diary featuring a live battle between DJ YODA and SHLOMO AND THE VOCAL ORCHESTRA!
Part three is out next week!
Video by http://www.asdescribed.net/
pics and video: vocal orchestra on greenbelt mainstage
This was our last festival show of an amazing summer
Was lovely to play on the mainstage
The Vocal Orchestra smashed it!
Here’s a little video of us in our masterclass earlier that afternoon
Shlomo and The Vocal Orchestra from Greenbelt Festival on Vimeo.
Shlomo’s Glasto Diary ’09 – part 1 – the Vocal Orchestra
Part one of Shlomo’s Glastonbury diary featuring his beatbox choir THE VOCAL ORCHESTRA, plus JARVIS COCKER, IMOGEN HEAP, DJ YODA and MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE.
Part two is out next week!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNjL6sXwibE
Video by http://www.asdescribed.net/
New commission: Concerto for Beatboxer and Orchestra
I’m so excited to announce that Southbank Centre have commissioned Anna Meredith and myself to write a new classical work entitled Concerto for Beatboxer and Orchestra.
Anna Meredith (who you might have seen recently on TV teaching Goldie how to write orchestral music) is one of the UK’s hottest up and coming composers – she has written two BBC Proms and last year was commissioned for the Last Night of the Proms.
Our new piece will be performed on February 19th and 20th 2010 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with a specially created 20-piece orchestra, plus the Vocal Orchestra (my 8-piece beatbox choir) embedded within the ensemble.
This will be a challenging modern classical work recognising the human voicebox as a musical instrument in its own right, and also a chance to create the first full notation for beatboxers.
I’ll be blogging and tweeting throughout the whole process, and all the latest info, photo, video, blog posts and links to buy tickets can be found on the Concerto’s project page.





























