Skinny Legs and All

Welcome to A&E
What's on our radar?
by Alli Marshall in Vol. 15 / Iss. 27 on 01/28/2009

There have always been upstarts, like high school kid-turned-Rolling Stone-writer Cameron Crowe, and skatepunk-turned-bluesman Jonny Lang. Asheville’s answer to those prodigies of cool has to be Skinny Legs and All. The quintet, ages 12-17, started as a music club at Evergreen Community Charter School. But these are no mere American Idol-hypnotized teens. The group’s name references a classic novel by psychedelic-intellectual Tom Robbins; their catalog includes gems like Hendrix’s Little Wing and The Meters’ Cissy Strut—songs possibily older than these kids’ parents. Lead singer Jesse Barry channels a clean-scrubbed Janis Joplin while Paul Chelmis infuses his keyboard with a ‘70s groove a la Big Brother and the Holding Company.

And this band’s talent is no secret. Skinny Legs and All has been selected by the Southern Fried Blues Society to perform in the Youth Showcase at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis on Friday, Feb. 6. To raise money for the trip to Tennessee, the group takes the stage at White Horse/Black Mountain this Friday, Jan. 30. The show (which also features Peggy Ratusz & Daddy Longlegs and We Sing Nasty Blues), starts at 7:30 p.m., is teen-friendly and costs $5 at the door.

- Mountain Xpress

Bele Chere Kudos in the Mountain Express!
Category: Music
From the Mountain Xpress - Asheville North Carolina
www.mountainx.com


Hooray for Skinny Legs and All
by Chuck Brown in Vol. 16 / Iss. 2 on 08/05/2009
I want to help spread the word about the young and amazing band Skinny Legs and All. I and many others who heard them perform on Sunday at the stage on Biltmore Avenue were awe struck with their incredible performance. These kids range in age from 14 to 19 but are as professional and well-practiced as many much more seasoned performers.
They are all very talented, confident and obviously proud of their work, and their stage presence reflects that. They do incredible renditions of blues, funk and soul classics, as well as their original work that several of the members have written. Find out more about them and their performance schedule, and listen to some of their music at http://www.skinnylegsandall.com.
Asheville has lots of great talent, and these amazing young folks are well worth keeping an eye on! As far as I am concerned, they were the headliners of Bele Chere this year!
— Chuck Brown
Asheville
- The Mountain Xpress

Best band nobody's heard of yet Skinny Legs and All brings the blues and classic rock with a heavy-hitting sound far beyond their tender years. (In case you didn't know, this accolade-garnering group is all teenaged, but you'd never know it to hear vocalist Jesse Barry howl the Bill Withers jam "Use Me.") - Mountain Xpress

This young band, Skinny Legs and All, is off to a great start - young, yes - inexperienced - no! Asheville’s youngest, hottest Band, playing Blues, Funk and Soul is off to Memphis in 2009 to compete in the International Blues Competition - youth division.

Steve and I recently saw them performing at The Garage and their sound makes it hard to just sit in your seats - great rhythm for dancing. You can’t believe that the band members are ages 13 - 17. They deliver soul that really showcases their talent.


The band looks like they’re having fun and watching them perform - you just gotta have fun with them. The Asheville Music scene is proud to include them among other Asheville great bands.

- Asheville's Hot!

The AC-T is reporting that "Skinny Legs and All might be the youngest blues band in Asheville. These players are just in their teens, but they’re good enough to be on stage tonight at the Peggy Ratusz’s Invitational Blues Jam at Tressa’s, 28 Broadway. Come on over to see what they’ve got..."

Just the facts these 15 year old are referencing Tom Robbins and playing the blues makes me want to go see em!
Support living artists!
- BlogAsheville

Mountain Xpress BEST OF poll 2008:

Local band nobody's heard of:
#3: Skinny Legs and All
- Mountain Xpress

Skinny Legs and All 'WOW'd"
the evening crowd and
went home with a townful of new fans. It's no surprise ...this talented group is SFBS's sponsored entry into the upcoming 2009 Youth Showcase held during IBC in Memphis.

Inspired re-arranging created a
stage area in O'Malleys' traditional
narrow pub to accomodate this 5-pieceband.

What you don't see in this
pix is the PACKED house whoppin' and hollerin' at every song. Seating only 55 in the upper bar, it was SRO inside and bystanders outside.
- Southern Fried Blues Society

Sound Track (online edition): The kids are alright
by Alli Marshall on 07/21/2008

They rock. They wail through the classics ("All Along the Watchtower,” “Little Wing"). They crush the drums, exorcise demons from their guitars, deliver blistering vocals and thumping bass riffs. They have 10 o’clock curfews and need to get a ride from dad because they’re not yet old enough for even a learner’s permit.

Yes, Asheville is home not just to a thriving music scene, but a handful of kid-fueled rock bands are (despite being too young to play bars) giving their more seasoned counterparts a run for the money.

From the opening notes of “The Thrill is Gone,” Skinny Legs and All (formerly “Another Roadside Attraction” after that other Tom Robbins classic) reveals a maturity far beyond its years. The band’s members (pictured here) range in age from 12 to 17, but lead singer Jesse Barry (age 15) sets the tone with vocals deserving comparison to Janis Joplin. Her voice is far richer and larger than seems fitting for her rail-thin frame.

Similarly, 17-year-old Paul Chelmis’ groovy, ‘70s-influenced mastery of the keys bespeaks years of commitment to his instrument. And it’s not just that these teens sound good on recording (that’s not so tricky). I happened across their set at the Asheville Jewish Community Center’s 4th of July pool party this year and was instantly impressed.

At age 12, Avi Goldstein infuses his bass lines with funk prowess, Colin Hanson (14) provides a steadfast beat, and 15-year-old guitarist Patrick Cassidy lends plenty of finesse to his solos. And they seem to get the music they’re covering, though most of the songs outdate not only the band, but likely their parents as well. We’re talking Hendrix here, and the Funky Meters. Not sounds in which today’s average teen is seeped.

Sure, Skinny Legs and All evokes age-related comments, but they play with a self-assuredness, meticulousness and skill often only aspired to by of-age performers. Seriously. If these kids keep up the regular practice and avoid the temptations that all too often distract the artistically talented, their success should be a sure bet. Skinny Legs and All performs at the Flat Rock Music Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m.

- The Mountain Xpress