We recently connected with Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kuf Knotz &, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
It was a beautiful gathering of community collaboration on an evening in August 2017. We had never met before, arriving separately to Boot & Saddle in Philadelphia, PA with the same mission to support a local youth music program. Surrounded by bandmates, Kuf walked in the doors, with his backpack and fresh kicks, excited to grace the stage with stories and motivation to inspire connection. Two keyboardists, a drummer and vocalist created a rhythmic mosaic for his lyrics to flow upon. Christine, working for the benefiting organization, admired from the crowd. In aw of the lyrical content mixed with tasteful melodies, she peered up at the stage, face lit with lights, radiantly expressed, “If I was ever in a band, this is what it would be like!”. We never were introduced and jumped back into our lives, Kuf hoping on the plane early morning for a show in Nashville, TN and Christine rising to lead a full day of music therapy sessions. From this point on, we both engaged in a cascade of risks and this is our story:
Christine Elise: Two months later, I saw Kuf in Whole Foods from a far and could not resist to express my gratitude for his performance. Without much thought, I took a risk and blurted, “If you ever need a harpist, let me know!” Kuf, smiled and giggled under his breathe saying, “A harpist, okay, for sure, I will let you know!” Little did he know, harp was my secondary instrument and my primary work was working as a music therapist. He called, asking me to send him some of my work, except my impulsive offering did not include the fact that I did not currently have any harp recording of my own to share. I hesitated to state this fact, took a few weeks to respond, and followed through with a solution of improvising over one of his pieces. Harp was my creative outlet. An instrument that I used for pure expression outside of classical training. I needed to follow my heart and share the skills that I had honed through the lens of passion, rather than getting caught up in not feeling “good enough”.
Kuf Knotz: I remember it so clearly. This exciting and mysterious feeling of performing occurred not only at one of the best live music venues in Philadelphia, but on the biggest performance night of the year, the night before Thanksgiving. In addition to this, it was my first time ever performing with a harpist. To be honest, I knew nothing about the harp other than previously seeing it on TV, watching an orchestra perform in a big theater. I did know though that after having sent Christine some music I was working on and hearing her improvise on it, I was super confident it would go great. I had asked Christine to perform with us only a few hours before soundcheck. She had never learned our songs or even played original music on stage ever! This was for sure a gamble, but one I was so willing to take.
Christine Elise: Never hearing me play live, Kuf took a big risk in inviting me to sit in at the show. I was enamoured by the offer and petrified at the same time. I performed classically at a few recitals, but never in front of a crowd at an established music venue. I knew that if I had let my fears take hold and declined, the opportunity would have pass me by. In this moment, I felt that Philadelphia is full of too many musicians that if I didn’t say yes, I would lose my chance. I confidently expressed, “Yes”, while my hand trembled holding the phone. I took a deep breathe, grabbed my heals, threw my harp in the car and ventured into the city.
Kuf Knotz: I am so glad I rolled the dice because the outcome was priceless. The performance started and the crowd packed the room, looking curiosity at the harp on the stage of a hip hop show. As each song finished, the audience grew more and more intrigued, cheering with enthusiasm. The finale consisted of Christine ending the last songs, by herself, playing a solo. The crowd’s reaction and the energy I felt on stage let me know we had to continue performing together. As the flow of life goes, my previous band and I parted ways and Christine and I started performing together. Since becoming a duo, we have traveled throughout the United States and a few parts of Canada. I am beyond moved every time I think about how this all came together so divinely and it’s always a reminder to take a chance!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Named Philadelphia Magazine Best Rapper of 2022, Kuf Knotz blends hiphop poetry with deep grooves of soul and beats sun kissed with the spirit of Lo-Fi & 90’s era vibes. Kuf’s inimitable style focuses on unsubtle spirituality, that, like his music, focus on unity, positivity and creativity. In 2008, the same year he opened for Bruce Springsteen, Kuf sang lead vocals on “Unstoppable,” a song created to mark the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series. In 2010, Kuf recorded “Boombox Logic,” which was named the year’s best hip hop song by the Independent Music Awards. His next venture, 2015’s A Positive Light,” reflected his carefully forged fusion of music styles. Kuf’s on-screen credits include a part in “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.” He appeared in a Domino’s Pizza commercial and was a cast member in a music-based reality show. Film and video are close to Kuf’s heart; he attended Art Institute of Philadelphia for video production. Kuf has opened for The Roots, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Common, Wyclef Jean, The Wailers, Arrested Development, Josh Ritter Robert Glasper, Robert Randolph, G-Love and others.
Christine Gallagher, MA, MT-BC, LMT, LPC “Christine Elise” is classically trained harpist, pianist, and vocalist as well as music therapist. Studying music therapy at a masters level led her to find a passion for community music therapy. Christine has facilitated group sessions and workshops for professionals and clients in the USA, South Africa, Peru and Jamaica. She has presented at national, regional, and world music therapy conferences and written scholarly articles published by Music Therapy Perspectives. She has provided clinical supervision for undergraduate and graduate students at MusicWorks, Jamaica Field Service Project, Women’s & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, NY, Warren Wilson College, and Immaculata University. She taught as an adjunct professor for the music therapy department of Immaculata University College of Graduate Studies and Boyer College of Music and Dance of Temple University for several undergraduate and graduate level classes.
Christine has composed for various organizations and institutions. Recent commissions include The Free Project Series, for Pennsylvania Humanities Council, What Does Freedom Mean to Me? as part of the The Dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland for St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Club House Theme Song for AHA Studio for Integrated Therapies and over twenty original compositions for Autism Across the Globe, directed by Rima J. Irani of Lebanon.
The unlikely pair became a duo in 2018, touring across the country, and co-founded, Higher Grounds Music, a community-centred nonprofit in June 2022. Their mission is to use the power of music, personal experience and empathetic relation to help individuals grow to meet their fullest potential. Kuf and Christine’s music explores themes of unity. They fuse hip-hop poetry with bluesy beats supported by the harp. Working in a strength based model, projects, programs and services are offered in various settings, designed to create a supportive environment to promote self expression, nurture group cohesion and enrich social emotional growth. They are motivated to make music accessible to all and focus on community outreach in areas in which the arts are limited.
Our programs include:
School Workshops & Residencies
Providing a variety of services for schools, Kuf and Christine engage students in uplifting and enriching experiences which include motivational assemblies, day workshops in collaboration with art, music, and or gym teachers as well as residencies that include daily workshops during special classes leading up to a multi-media student performance.
Yoga & Sound
The duo collaborates with yoga teachers nationwide to facilitate a peaceful and meditative experience, combining harp, spoken word, & sound healing with restorative and yin postures. If you are a yoga teacher, studio, or center that is interested in hosting an event please reach out for more details.
Community Advocacy & Fundraisers
Our mission is to collaborate with the community in fostering a positive environment for all. Whether it be background music to create a relaxed ambience or high energy to get your guests on the dance floor, charity events benefit from live music to lift the atmosphere and contribute to making your event a success.
Faculty Development
Creating a ripple effect within your company, faculty development workshops focus on strengthening group cohesion and wellness within your workforce. Staff members will engage in full-day, half-day, or multi-day workshops that include building leadership skills, opportunities for discussion to shape and refine the work environment, develop group and individual goals, overview of coping skills to prevent burnout and personal development through creative arts experiences.
Mental Health Workshops
Kuf and Christine facilitate interactive workshops that encourage the discussion of mental health and wellness using classical, soul, and hip hop paired with creative arts interventions incorporating treatment modalities such as expressive art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy and narrative therapy. Workshops are held at inpatient/outpatient treatment centers, drug and alcohol programs, therapeutic boarding schools, hospitals, and community centers.
Live Performances
Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise create positive, soulful, forward-thinking music driven by a strong message.They provide live entertainment for a variety of events and spaces. If you need ambient background music, Harp and Beats creates an atmospheric bliss for private events, coffeehouses, restaurants, etc. Additionally, they offer Duo and Full Band Performances with a balance of chill and high energy for private events, venues, theaters, community art centers, and festivals.
Production
Are you interested in guidance in the recording process, need a track to bring a song to life, searching for a personalized composition, or a score for your film? Kuf and Christine can assist in writing, arranging, composing and producing to collaborate in bringing your musical ideas to fruition.
Music Therapy
Christine is a board certified music therapist and licensed professional counselor having delivered music therapy services to children, adults, and seniors with activity limitations and those seeking emotional support. She is currently offering individual music therapy sessions, adapted music lessons, guided imagery and music sessions, group workshops, and an interactive performance series for seniors titled Sentimental Journey to support and strengthen residents’ cognition, mobility, socialization, communication and quality of life.
Project Launch Support
Are you interested in launching a project but don’t know exactly where to start? Kuf’s extensive experience in the music industry along with booking, marketing, photography and film has led him to offer project launch support. Kuf assists emerging artists develop a plan to set and achieve goals. He offers services such as website design, headshots, music production, promotional videos, and more!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Kuf Knotz: For me, the most rewarding aspect is the rush, the butterflies, the excitement, and calmness of performing in front of a live audience. It somehow becomes what church is to most people. I feel connected, supported and inspired as well as inspiring and helpful. There is a certain energy exchange that happens up on stage between the performer and audience. I cherish this moment every time and aim to reach that point at each show. A hug, a word, a smile, a dance, a tear all of these things bring such joy. The underlying feeling of community, no matter the age, race or gender all gathering and becoming family for the this period of time is irreplaceable. The hope is that each person takes a little bit of this feeling with them to spread to their communities. Experiencing this some weeks, night after night, becomes addictive and I am jonesing for the next hit!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Christine Elise: One of our biggest goals on this creative journey is to make music and programming accessible to as many people as possible. Often times, performances and creative arts workshops have unconscious or conscious limitations that narrows down the audiences that are able to attend. One restriction is high ticket prices/programming fees, creating a divid between those that can afford a ticket or school that can afford an assembly verse those that cannot. Another includes age limits in which a location is 18+ or 21+ prohibiting youth from experiencing a performance. Transportation can be a barrier in which a location may not be accessed by public transportation or those in elderly homes, group homes, or institutions cannot willingly leave their facility. Spaces in which only specific genres of music are favoured lead to limited interest or can fuel stereotypes. Hearing an unfamiliar genre, or something new, may give a different perceptive or provoke thought. Although there is often some sort of reasoning behind these restrictions, our mission is to make a deliberate attempt to perform and facilitate community events at various locations to create opportunities for personal grown and expansion that creative arts can offer. Although these limitations exist, we make an effort to allow the pendulum to swing, seeking balance. One of the ways that we make this happen is have as many “pay what you can” shows as possible. A sliding scale creates an environment in which nobody is turned away at the door. Being conscious of playing some shows for “all ages” allows for cross generational connection. We believe that we can learn from each other and that we are forever students of life. Being aware of diverse locations also includes having shows in spaces that alcohol is served as well as not, for those to attend shows that they feel comfortable without feeling judged or pressured. Facilitating events and performing in schools, community centers, outpatient psychiatric centers, libraries, parks, bars, music venues, radio stations, yoga studios, hospitals, nursing homes, airports has allowed us to make strides towards following this mission.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.highergroundsmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kufknotz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kufknotzchristineelise
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-elise-gallagher-ma-mt-bc-lpc-9269171ab/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kufknotz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kuf+knotz
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/christineeliseharp/ https://www.kufknotz.com/
Image Credits
Jovell Scooter Jam Kuf Knotz