WHEN he plays, his body moves to the rhythms of the multiple instruments he is handling at the same time.

Little wonder as he is a singer, drummer, guitarist and harmonica player rolled into one.

Holding an acoustic guitar in his hands, Steve White (above), 55, wears a neck brace with a harmonica attached. He plays the harmonica when he isn't singing.

This San Diego-based musician even provides his own percussion accompaniment.

His feet tap on the amplified foot boards and his fingers alternately strum and beat his guitar's surface.

Does White have problems juggling his various instruments? With a laugh, he told The New Paper in a phone interview from San Diego: 'I'm able to do this because it has been 40 years and it has become easy.'

White, who grew up in Cambodia, Thailand and Laos, started playing the guitar and the harmonica when he was 14.

He trained himself to play different instruments at the same time because 'when I was young, artistes who I admired were all solo performers or just a man with his guitar'.

'I was drawn to that style, but I wanted a full sound that would have to come from a band.'

STUDIED PAINTING

Although he studied painting and fine arts, he became proficient in playing the guitar, thanks to hard work and disciplined practice.

Forty years on, an untrained ear listening to his music would find it difficult to detect that White's orchestra is really a one-man ensemble.

Besides performing at music festivals around the world, like the Blues Masters Festival in Austria, White also conducts guitar clinics and has seven CD releases to his name.

Even his lyrics tell a poignant story. Local musician Burn Koh, 26, who witnessed White perform at the Hard Rock Cafe last year, said: 'His style was very spontaneous, fresh and exciting.'

White recently added a cowbell to his foot drum, upping his instrument tally.

But he won't be packing that extra addition on his tour of Singapore and Malaysia. He performs here tonight and tomorrow night.

His reason? He said he wants a flawless show for his audience here and he added humbly: 'I have yet to perfect the (cowbell) technique.'

STEVE White will perform at the Earshot@The Arts House today at 8pm.

There will be a second performance tomorrow at 9pm with local blues band Ublues at Timbre Music Restaurant & Bar, The Substation Garden.

White will also be conducting a free acoustic workshop tomorrow at 3pm at the City Music Showroom at #02-12/13, Peace Centre.

Log onto www.citymusic.com.sg for more details.