Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Dobro and Lap Steel Guitar
Bo Carper is the founding member of the San Francisco septet New Monsoon. He started the band in Bolinas, CA with guitarist Jeff Miller in late 1997. Carper's rootsy and reflective acoustic guitar style is constrasted by a fiery repertoire of right hand tapping and percussive techniques. His banjo playing in New Monsoon is very unconventional and blends a love of classical Indian music with his deep West Virginia roots. Carper moved from WV to central Pennsylvania at age 15 and earned a degree in Film Production from Penn State University before moving to California in 1994.
He cites Mississippi John Hurt and Blind Willie McTell as very influential to his fingerstyle guitar playing. He also attributes great importance to Michael Hedges, Ry Cooder and Steve Tibbetts when discussing contemporary acoustic music.
Bo currently resides in the vibrant Mission district of San Francisco with his wife Mary Mar Keenan, an accomplished ceramic artist from Charleston, SC.