Athcast - Athens Music!

Will Hoge "Most performers are willing to follow whatever formulas or procedures they think worked for others. Will Hoge epitomizes the new model for rock musicians in the 21st century: free-spirited and individualistic, knowledgeable of the past but not obsessed with it, and imminently capable of bringing renewed creative energy and passion to an idiom that sometimes seems devoid of inventiveness and edge. Hoge incorporates the best of both the singer/songwriter genre and vintage, surging rock 'n roll. Through sharp lyricisms and strong melodies, his songs tell stories that are delivered with a passion and desperation that demand attention. His trademark blend of classic and contemporary elements was decisively defined in his debut album Carousel, which set the tone for subsequent albums, including his follow-up major label release on Atlantic Records, Blackbird On A Lonely Wire. Explosive live performances, non-stop touring and a commitment to songwriting have earned Hoge and his band a fanatical following as well as critical acclaim. His is a classic rock soul that includes the inspiration of early Springsteen, the swagger of The Stones and the heart of Otis Redding. With powerful songs about love, loss, longing and joy, thundering rhythms and howling guitars, audiences are instantly reminded as to why they fell in love with rock and roll in the first place." ~Jambase "Roots rock up-and-comer, Will Hoge started his career as a history teacher, with aspirations of someday coaching high school level basketball in his home state of Kentucky. But fate intervened in the form of a rock & roll pickup band he gathered together to play a few of the songs he'd been writing. When Will realized the responses he could get from a non-sports crowd, Hoge relocated his dreams and his mailbox to Nashville, Tennessee, where he put together a more professional band and released a self-produced live album he'd recorded at a local show. All Night Long became a local rock success story in this mecca of country music, and sold a surprising 4,000 CDs. Flush with this minor triumph, the band toured the coast and began to generate the sort of industry buzz that draws the record contract people. Atlantic finally picked up Hoge and he released Carousel in 2000. 2003's Bird on a Lonely Wire was even more successful both artistically and commercially. Though the ex-Georgia Satellite, Dan Baird has left the band, his replacement Brian Layson continues to fuel Hoge's distinctive blue-collar sound." ~Napster

Will Hoge "Most performers are willing to follow whatever formulas or procedures they think worked for others. Will Hoge epitomizes the new model for rock musicians in the 21st century: free-spirited and individualistic, knowledgeable of the past but not obsessed with it, and imminently capable of bringing renewed creative energy and passion to an idiom that sometimes seems devoid of inventiveness and edge. Hoge incorporates the best of both the singer/songwriter genre and vintage, surging rock 'n roll. Through sharp lyricisms and strong melodies, his songs tell stories that are delivered with a passion and desperation that demand attention. His trademark blend of classic and contemporary elements was decisively defined in his debut album Carousel, which set the tone for subsequent albums, including his follow-up major label release on Atlantic Records, Blackbird On A Lonely Wire. Explosive live performances, non-stop touring and a commitment to songwriting have earned Hoge and his band a fanatical following as well as critical acclaim. His is a classic rock soul that includes the inspiration of early Springsteen, the swagger of The Stones and the heart of Otis Redding. With powerful songs about love, loss, longing and joy, thundering rhythms and howling guitars, audiences are instantly reminded as to why they fell in love with rock and roll in the first place." ~Jambase "Roots rock up-and-comer, Will Hoge started his career as a history teacher, with aspirations of someday coaching high school level basketball in his home state of Kentucky. But fate intervened in the form of a rock & roll pickup band he gathered together to play a few of the songs he'd been writing. When Will realized the responses he could get from a non-sports crowd, Hoge relocated his dreams and his mailbox to Nashville, Tennessee, where he put together a more professional band and released a self-produced live album he'd recorded at a local show. All Night Long became a local rock success story in this mecca of country music, and sold a surprising 4,000 CDs. Flush with this minor triumph, the band toured the coast and began to generate the sort of industry buzz that draws the record contract people. Atlantic finally picked up Hoge and he released Carousel in 2000. 2003's Bird on a Lonely Wire was even more successful both artistically and commercially. Though the ex-Georgia Satellite, Dan Baird has left the band, his replacement Brian Layson continues to fuel Hoge's distinctive blue-collar sound." ~Napster

RRFB Robert Randolph and the Family Band are ready to change your life, just as music changed that of this group's dynamic leader. Raised in a firestorm of faith and danger, dividing his time between battles in the streets and safety in the arms of his music, Robert Randolph found his way up from darkness with help from a most unusual source: the pedal steel guitar. That's right -- those same slippery strings that weep and whine behind cowboy crooners and hula dancers. But in Randolph's world, which centers on the unique "sacred steel" tradition within the House of God Church, the pedal steel is a different animal, a source of ferocious, passionate sound. And in Randolph's young hands, it's a weapon, used to slash at darkness and rip away the shades that hide sunlight from our lives. What Randolph has done isn't just about taking the spirit of the church into the wider world, though that's part of the picture. It's more than a story of beating heavy odds, of watching friends die or disappear while trying to find your own way out. Certainly it's more than an odd twist of fate how an urban New Jersey artist finding his voice through an instrument seldom seen outside of Nashville studios or Southern honky-tonks. The buzz has actually been on for a while. Randolph began winning attention some three years ago, after being invited to join in on sessions for The Word, an adventurous marriage of gospel and "downtown" traditions with John Medeski and the North Mississippi Allstars. Interest picked up as he released Live At The Wetlands on his own Dare label, perhaps the most incendiary concert album of the year, recorded on the fabled venue's closing night with the Family Band that he formed with two of his cousins and fellow House of God musicians, bassist Danyel Morgan and drummer Marcus Randolph, and noted session keyboardist John Ginty. All of this has set the stage for Unclassified, their aptly titled, genre-defying Warner Bros. debut, co-produced by Robert Randolph and the Family Band and Jim Scott. There's an energy in these tracks that's unlike anything on the charts today -- positive and inclusive, in the fashion of Stevie Wonder, Al Green or Sly and the Family Stone. It's about celebration, not about preaching; the handclap grooves, the words that welcome everyone, the whirl of dance and sweat and song and, always, the steel guitar, riding above it all, improbable yet the perfect voice to bring this message home. Not that long ago, all of this would have seemed like a dream to Robert Randolph. When he was born, Irvington, New Jersey, was a comfortable town, with handsome homes and tidy little yards. But even as he grew up there, Randolph saw all that change. "We were close to Newark and Orange," he remembers, "so things got really bad. I'm talking about murder and crime and drugs. As a child, when you're around all these things, you somehow become a part of it because you're curious. And I became a part of it too." MARCUS RANDOLPH - Drums Robert is joined by cousin Marcus Randolph on the drums. Marcus pounds the skins relentlessly, powering the tight jams through stops, starts and changes and provides a steady rhythm section as foundation for Robert's eloquent pedal steel preaching. DANYEL MORGAN - Bass Danyel Morgan on the bass has a unique strum/slap technique on the bass and is the hidden secret behind the band's success. Driving bass lines, thumping fills and downright funky fingering are the food that the band subsists and thrives on. JASON CROSBY - Hammond B-3, Piano, Violin Jason Crosby was born on June 2, 1974 in Long Island, New York. Jason began studying classical violin at age 2 and piano at age 4. In his early teens, Jason began playing trumpet, French Horn, Viola, and Guitar. Jason began his professional musical career at age 14 playing in restaurants, coffee shops, country clubs, and theaters.

RRFB Robert Randolph and the Family Band are ready to change your life, just as music changed that of this group's dynamic leader. Raised in a firestorm of faith and danger, dividing his time between battles in the streets and safety in the arms of his music, Robert Randolph found his way up from darkness with help from a most unusual source: the pedal steel guitar. That's right -- those same slippery strings that weep and whine behind cowboy crooners and hula dancers. But in Randolph's world, which centers on the unique "sacred steel" tradition within the House of God Church, the pedal steel is a different animal, a source of ferocious, passionate sound. And in Randolph's young hands, it's a weapon, used to slash at darkness and rip away the shades that hide sunlight from our lives. What Randolph has done isn't just about taking the spirit of the church into the wider world, though that's part of the picture. It's more than a story of beating heavy odds, of watching friends die or disappear while trying to find your own way out. Certainly it's more than an odd twist of fate how an urban New Jersey artist finding his voice through an instrument seldom seen outside of Nashville studios or Southern honky-tonks. The buzz has actually been on for a while. Randolph began winning attention some three years ago, after being invited to join in on sessions for The Word, an adventurous marriage of gospel and "downtown" traditions with John Medeski and the North Mississippi Allstars. Interest picked up as he released Live At The Wetlands on his own Dare label, perhaps the most incendiary concert album of the year, recorded on the fabled venue's closing night with the Family Band that he formed with two of his cousins and fellow House of God musicians, bassist Danyel Morgan and drummer Marcus Randolph, and noted session keyboardist John Ginty. All of this has set the stage for Unclassified, their aptly titled, genre-defying Warner Bros. debut, co-produced by Robert Randolph and the Family Band and Jim Scott. There's an energy in these tracks that's unlike anything on the charts today -- positive and inclusive, in the fashion of Stevie Wonder, Al Green or Sly and the Family Stone. It's about celebration, not about preaching; the handclap grooves, the words that welcome everyone, the whirl of dance and sweat and song and, always, the steel guitar, riding above it all, improbable yet the perfect voice to bring this message home. Not that long ago, all of this would have seemed like a dream to Robert Randolph. When he was born, Irvington, New Jersey, was a comfortable town, with handsome homes and tidy little yards. But even as he grew up there, Randolph saw all that change. "We were close to Newark and Orange," he remembers, "so things got really bad. I'm talking about murder and crime and drugs. As a child, when you're around all these things, you somehow become a part of it because you're curious. And I became a part of it too." MARCUS RANDOLPH - Drums Robert is joined by cousin Marcus Randolph on the drums. Marcus pounds the skins relentlessly, powering the tight jams through stops, starts and changes and provides a steady rhythm section as foundation for Robert's eloquent pedal steel preaching. DANYEL MORGAN - Bass Danyel Morgan on the bass has a unique strum/slap technique on the bass and is the hidden secret behind the band's success. Driving bass lines, thumping fills and downright funky fingering are the food that the band subsists and thrives on. JASON CROSBY - Hammond B-3, Piano, Violin Jason Crosby was born on June 2, 1974 in Long Island, New York. Jason began studying classical violin at age 2 and piano at age 4. In his early teens, Jason began playing trumpet, French Horn, Viola, and Guitar. Jason began his professional musical career at age 14 playing in restaurants, coffee shops, country clubs, and theaters.

RRFB Robert Randolph and the Family Band are ready to change your life, just as music changed that of this group's dynamic leader. Raised in a firestorm of faith and danger, dividing his time between battles in the streets and safety in the arms of his music, Robert Randolph found his way up from darkness with help from a most unusual source: the pedal steel guitar. That's right -- those same slippery strings that weep and whine behind cowboy crooners and hula dancers. But in Randolph's world, which centers on the unique "sacred steel" tradition within the House of God Church, the pedal steel is a different animal, a source of ferocious, passionate sound. And in Randolph's young hands, it's a weapon, used to slash at darkness and rip away the shades that hide sunlight from our lives. What Randolph has done isn't just about taking the spirit of the church into the wider world, though that's part of the picture. It's more than a story of beating heavy odds, of watching friends die or disappear while trying to find your own way out. Certainly it's more than an odd twist of fate how an urban New Jersey artist finding his voice through an instrument seldom seen outside of Nashville studios or Southern honky-tonks. The buzz has actually been on for a while. Randolph began winning attention some three years ago, after being invited to join in on sessions for The Word, an adventurous marriage of gospel and "downtown" traditions with John Medeski and the North Mississippi Allstars. Interest picked up as he released Live At The Wetlands on his own Dare label, perhaps the most incendiary concert album of the year, recorded on the fabled venue's closing night with the Family Band that he formed with two of his cousins and fellow House of God musicians, bassist Danyel Morgan and drummer Marcus Randolph, and noted session keyboardist John Ginty. All of this has set the stage for Unclassified, their aptly titled, genre-defying Warner Bros. debut, co-produced by Robert Randolph and the Family Band and Jim Scott. There's an energy in these tracks that's unlike anything on the charts today -- positive and inclusive, in the fashion of Stevie Wonder, Al Green or Sly and the Family Stone. It's about celebration, not about preaching; the handclap grooves, the words that welcome everyone, the whirl of dance and sweat and song and, always, the steel guitar, riding above it all, improbable yet the perfect voice to bring this message home. Not that long ago, all of this would have seemed like a dream to Robert Randolph. When he was born, Irvington, New Jersey, was a comfortable town, with handsome homes and tidy little yards. But even as he grew up there, Randolph saw all that change. "We were close to Newark and Orange," he remembers, "so things got really bad. I'm talking about murder and crime and drugs. As a child, when you're around all these things, you somehow become a part of it because you're curious. And I became a part of it too." MARCUS RANDOLPH - Drums Robert is joined by cousin Marcus Randolph on the drums. Marcus pounds the skins relentlessly, powering the tight jams through stops, starts and changes and provides a steady rhythm section as foundation for Robert's eloquent pedal steel preaching. DANYEL MORGAN - Bass Danyel Morgan on the bass has a unique strum/slap technique on the bass and is the hidden secret behind the band's success. Driving bass lines, thumping fills and downright funky fingering are the food that the band subsists and thrives on. JASON CROSBY - Hammond B-3, Piano, Violin Jason Crosby was born on June 2, 1974 in Long Island, New York. Jason began studying classical violin at age 2 and piano at age 4. In his early teens, Jason began playing trumpet, French Horn, Viola, and Guitar. Jason began his professional musical career at age 14 playing in restaurants, coffee shops, country clubs, and theaters.

High River Band "From the ashes of the Cameltones, Yard Dog and Powderhound, an Americana phoenix has risen, and it is called the High River Band. The members of this Cumming-based four-piece - Richard Barrett (guitar and mandolin), Matt Cahill(drums), Andy Morrison (guitar) and Patrick Haynes (bass) - are hoping their notoriety eclipses that of the relatively anonymous bands they all left." - David Eduardo, Flagpole Magazine 11/05

Second Shift alternative and mainstream. Call and response melodies and a captivating, rapid-fire live set have earned them opening slots for high profile shows. Jet, The Vines, The Living End, Weezer, The Bravery, OK GO, The Dead 60's, Hot Hot Heat, Louis XIV, and Drivin 'N Cryin have all called on Second Shift to stir up the crowd with their frenetic, contagious sound and disarming stage presence. Enter: Boozed and Bruised, the debut release from Second Shift, delivers straight ahead rock n' roll album- edgy and pop driven laced with the perfect amount of swagger and wit. Loaded with supercharged pop hooks, self-deprecating humor and honest escapism Boozed and Bruised showcases that indescribable nativity and constant uncertainty that is the life of a twenty-something. With a motto of shut up and play and an explosive live show, it's apparent that Second Shift has come to conquer.

Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk The Neville Family is considered by many to be one of the most gifted musical and creative families in America. Ivan Neville began absorbing the musical attitudes of his family at birth. Ivan learned to play keyboards, guitar, bass and drums and in his teens started playing with his father, Aaron, and his uncles, Art, Charles and Cyril in the Neville Brothers. Ivan moved to Los Angeles where he expanded his musical prowess and gained an overall no-nonsense attitude to his approach at writing, performing and recording music. It wasn't long before he became a pivotal member of Bonnie Raitt's band, Rufus, Keith Richards & the Xpensive Winos and the Spin Doctors. Ivan launched his solo career with the acclaimed If My Ancestors Could See Me Now and, several years later, followed with Thanks. In between solo records, Ivan wrote, performed and/or recorded with Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Robbie Robertson, The Rolling Stones and other major artists. Ivan recently wrote and co-produced Saturday Morning Music, a highly autobiographical solo album. Saturday Morning Music is a timeless hybrid of Soul, Rock, and New Orleans Funk that translates into an incomparable modern musical gumbo that includes performances by Bonnie Raitt, Bobbie Womack, Keith Richards and Aaron Neville. Ivan says: "Saturday Morning Music was a chance to express myself and reflect on my life. The sound of this record is a mix of the music I grew up with as well as the music I've been involved with in the past couple of years. The songs are my story and the people who collaborated with me are not only my friends and family, but also my mentors. I am very fortunate to complete a project like this that is rewarding on so many levels. I feel extremely blessed to do this for a living." Ivan is currently performing with his own band which recently appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, and has also re-teamed with his father and uncles, The Neville Brothers, for future recordings and live performances.

Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk The Neville Family is considered by many to be one of the most gifted musical and creative families in America. Ivan Neville began absorbing the musical attitudes of his family at birth. Ivan learned to play keyboards, guitar, bass and drums and in his teens started playing with his father, Aaron, and his uncles, Art, Charles and Cyril in the Neville Brothers. Ivan moved to Los Angeles where he expanded his musical prowess and gained an overall no-nonsense attitude to his approach at writing, performing and recording music. It wasn't long before he became a pivotal member of Bonnie Raitt's band, Rufus, Keith Richards & the Xpensive Winos and the Spin Doctors. Ivan launched his solo career with the acclaimed If My Ancestors Could See Me Now and, several years later, followed with Thanks. In between solo records, Ivan wrote, performed and/or recorded with Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Robbie Robertson, The Rolling Stones and other major artists. Ivan recently wrote and co-produced Saturday Morning Music, a highly autobiographical solo album. Saturday Morning Music is a timeless hybrid of Soul, Rock, and New Orleans Funk that translates into an incomparable modern musical gumbo that includes performances by Bonnie Raitt, Bobbie Womack, Keith Richards and Aaron Neville. Ivan says: "Saturday Morning Music was a chance to express myself and reflect on my life. The sound of this record is a mix of the music I grew up with as well as the music I've been involved with in the past couple of years. The songs are my story and the people who collaborated with me are not only my friends and family, but also my mentors. I am very fortunate to complete a project like this that is rewarding on so many levels. I feel extremely blessed to do this for a living." Ivan is currently performing with his own band which recently appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, and has also re-teamed with his father and uncles, The Neville Brothers, for future recordings and live performances.

Rhythm Token Focusing on the jam/rock genre, Rhythm Token has been playing together for four years now. Exposed to the Athens music scene for a couple of years the band is working on an original repertoire but also draw on a variety of covers. Their live shows have become more & more exicting & energetic as they progress

Allgood Allgood was originally called the Allgood Music Company. The band was based out of Athens, GA. Through constant touring, the band grew a following in the southeastern United States. Constantly changing set lists and additions of new songs appealed to the masses. The band created a demo tape of original songs entitled "Reel to Real". Taking only one day to record all 8 songs, the band used this for promotion to get gigs at bars and colleges. Next up was a 45 rpm called "Meat Salad". Meat Salad was sent to the college radio stations looking for more exposure. In 1991, the band recorded "Ride the Bee". Ride the Bee consisted of a few re-recorded songs found on "Reel to Real" and a few new songs. Most notably is the epic song "Trilogy". This is Allgood's Freebird. In 1993, the band was signed to A&M records. The band came out with another CD called 'Uncommon Goal'. This album included songs that the band was already including in their live shows. One of the great things that Allgood did was to always include new songs. As a follow-up to Uncommon Goal, the band put out a live album called "Kickin' and Screamin'. This highlighted songs from Ride the Bee and Uncommon Goal along with two unreleased songs, Blood and Sugar Sweet. Allgood were consumate songwriters. They were constantly evolving their songs. You can see the evolution of their songs from "Reel to Real" to "Ride the Bee". The band was also co-headlining the HORDE tour, increasing their exposure to the masses. The band officially called it quits in late 1995. Recently the band has decided to perform a reunion show at the Georgia Theatre in Athens. The "Theatre", as it is referred to by Georgia natives is considered home to Allgood. This reunion will take place April 8th, 2006 and will feature original band members Mike Sain on bass, Corky Jones singing lead and playing rhythm guitar, and Clay Fuller on lead guitar. To complete the line up, John and Noel Felty from Jupiter Coyote will be sitting in on guitar and drums.

Allgood Allgood was originally called the Allgood Music Company. The band was based out of Athens, GA. Through constant touring, the band grew a following in the southeastern United States. Constantly changing set lists and additions of new songs appealed to the masses. The band created a demo tape of original songs entitled "Reel to Real". Taking only one day to record all 8 songs, the band used this for promotion to get gigs at bars and colleges. Next up was a 45 rpm called "Meat Salad". Meat Salad was sent to the college radio stations looking for more exposure. In 1991, the band recorded "Ride the Bee". Ride the Bee consisted of a few re-recorded songs found on "Reel to Real" and a few new songs. Most notably is the epic song "Trilogy". This is Allgood's Freebird. In 1993, the band was signed to A&M records. The band came out with another CD called 'Uncommon Goal'. This album included songs that the band was already including in their live shows. One of the great things that Allgood did was to always include new songs. As a follow-up to Uncommon Goal, the band put out a live album called "Kickin' and Screamin'. This highlighted songs from Ride the Bee and Uncommon Goal along with two unreleased songs, Blood and Sugar Sweet. Allgood were consumate songwriters. They were constantly evolving their songs. You can see the evolution of their songs from "Reel to Real" to "Ride the Bee". The band was also co-headlining the HORDE tour, increasing their exposure to the masses. The band officially called it quits in late 1995. Recently the band has decided to perform a reunion show at the Georgia Theatre in Athens. The "Theatre", as it is referred to by Georgia natives is considered home to Allgood. This reunion will take place April 8th, 2006 and will feature original band members Mike Sain on bass, Corky Jones singing lead and playing rhythm guitar, and Clay Fuller on lead guitar. To complete the line up, John and Noel Felty from Jupiter Coyote will be sitting in on guitar and drums.

Allgood Allgood was originally called the Allgood Music Company. The band was based out of Athens, GA. Through constant touring, the band grew a following in the southeastern United States. Constantly changing set lists and additions of new songs appealed to the masses. The band created a demo tape of original songs entitled "Reel to Real". Taking only one day to record all 8 songs, the band used this for promotion to get gigs at bars and colleges. Next up was a 45 rpm called "Meat Salad". Meat Salad was sent to the college radio stations looking for more exposure. In 1991, the band recorded "Ride the Bee". Ride the Bee consisted of a few re-recorded songs found on "Reel to Real" and a few new songs. Most notably is the epic song "Trilogy". This is Allgood's Freebird. In 1993, the band was signed to A&M records. The band came out with another CD called 'Uncommon Goal'. This album included songs that the band was already including in their live shows. One of the great things that Allgood did was to always include new songs. As a follow-up to Uncommon Goal, the band put out a live album called "Kickin' and Screamin'. This highlighted songs from Ride the Bee and Uncommon Goal along with two unreleased songs, Blood and Sugar Sweet. Allgood were consumate songwriters. They were constantly evolving their songs. You can see the evolution of their songs from "Reel to Real" to "Ride the Bee". The band was also co-headlining the HORDE tour, increasing their exposure to the masses. The band officially called it quits in late 1995. Recently the band has decided to perform a reunion show at the Georgia Theatre in Athens. The "Theatre", as it is referred to by Georgia natives is considered home to Allgood. This reunion will take place April 8th, 2006 and will feature original band members Mike Sain on bass, Corky Jones singing lead and playing rhythm guitar, and Clay Fuller on lead guitar. To complete the line up, John and Noel Felty from Jupiter Coyote will be sitting in on guitar and drums.

Mark Schatz Mark was born April 23, 1955 into a musical family. He began his formal musical training with cello at age ten and later switched over to string bass. His first performance was in 1971 on electric bass in a high school rock band. Inspired by a love for folk and traditional music, he started to play the guitar and mandolin. From 1973 to 1978 Mark got his Degree in Music Theory and Composition from Haverford College, studied for a year at Berklee College of Music in Boston, picked up the old-time banjo, and went to his first old-time fiddle festival in Fiddler's Grove, North Carolina. He also started to learn to clog, inspired by his work with Mandala, a Boston based folk dance group. In 1977 he met Bela Fleck which led to a fruitful association including working together in Tasty Licks, Spectrum, and many recording projects. This includes Bela's latest acoustic recording, "Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Volume II, The Bluegrass Sessions". In 1983 Mark changed direction and relocated to Nashville where he played country music on electric bass. He re-entered the acousic world in 1985 when he joined the Tony Rice Unit. From 1990 to 1998 Schatz played with Tim and Mollie O'Brien as one the O'Boys. It was during this time that he began his association with The Fiddle Puppet Dancers (currently known as Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble). Performing with Tim (who always included some old-time music in his shows with Mark on banjo) and the dance group encouraged him to pursue his own solo recording in 1995, Brand New Old Tyme Way on Rounder. This was produced by Bela and featured Mark's clawhammer banjo playing and original compositions. In 2006, Mark released a second solo record on Rounder called Steppin' in the Boilerhouse. The album features the line-up from his band Mark Schatz & Friends: Missy Raines, Casey Driessen & Jim Hurst. In addition to his work with the above artists, Mark has toured and or recorded with an impressive array of performers including Emmylou Harris, Jerry Douglas, Maura O'Connel, John Hartford, Mark O'Connor and Linda Ronstadt. He is currently playing bass with the band Nickel Creek as well as touring with Footworks as the dance company's Musical Director.

Psyche Origami Commercially accessible without compromising the fundamentals of the underground Hip-hop scene from which they emerged, Psyche Origami is a dynamic meshing of "Part man, part machine"- DJs Dainja and Synthesis, and MC Wyzsztyk (wiz-stick) whose rhyme flow is 2 parts Native Tongue/1 part Carl Sagan. On stage and on wax, Psyche O strikes a chord with purists and newcomers alike, putting a state of the art spin on the cornerstone of Hip-hop music: the exchange between the MC and the DJ. Emerging from the same Atlanta "underground"/progressive Hip-hop circuit that gave rise to other nationally touring groups the likes of Micranots (Rhymesayers) and Mars Ill (Gotee/EMI), Psyche Origami puts in the work and furthers the new sound of Atlanta's underground movement. Dubbed "head-change music," Psyche O's material walks the thin line between "conscious" music and "party" music. Opinionated but not self-righteous, the listener can nod his or her head to the tracks without his or her intelligence being insulted. Their live show brings the content of the records to a still higher level, as Wyzstyk, a lyrical one-man army, drops written rhymes and freestyles over beats spun by Synthesis and Dainja, whose turntable gymnastics further separate the act from the majority of their peers. At the end of 2002, P.O. tested the waters with "Perspective," their independently released, internationally received 12-inch single (featuring the tracks "Amnesia," "No Negotiation" and "Perspective.") In 2003 the forward-thinking crew unveiled "Is Ellipsis," the first full-length manifestation of the crew's "4 Turntables: 1 Mic" format. Released on Atlanta indie label ArcTheFinger Records and driven by turntablism, jazz/funk influenced beats and smart wordplay, "Is Ellipsis" made the splash it was intended to make, charting for several weeks in the College Media Journal (CMJ)'s national top 40 most played Hip-hop albums and earning them top billing at respected Atlanta venues as well as opening slots on bills with artists the likes of Talib Kweli (Okay Player) Blackalicious' Gift of Gab (Quannum) and even an unlikely pairing with alt-rock heroes They Might Be Giants. In January 2004, "Nuff Teef," the first single to be released from "Is Ellipsis" won P.O. the attention of college radio and prestigious record pools coast to coast, including New York's S.U.R.E. and California's Heavyweights pools. During this time, the video for "Nuff Teef" was completed. The frenetically paced video, produced by Atlanta's Ganymede Press, has been praised by critics and fans for its use of cutting edge computer imaging, complementing and further animating the single. Increasingly in demand in US markets from California to Florida and having done mini-tours throughout most of the southeast, Psyche O had attracted the attention of a national booking agent and begun a career as a full-time touring Hip-hop act by the end of 2004. The "At Last" tour, in promotion of the 12-inch single by the same name, (now officially released on ArcTheFinger Records), took Psyche O through Utah, Idaho, Montana, Colorado and California. 2004 would also bring a sponsorship from Mountain Dew/Amp Energy Drink as a part of their "Amp Sixpack" program, and would find P.O.'s instrumentals featured as theme music for the Cartoon Network's cult-hit programming lineup, "Adult Swim." The "At Last" single also includes the track "Seconds Count," which will appear on P.O.'s sophomore effort, "The Standard," due to be released in Fall 2005. A national winter tour in support of "At Last" (and to lay the foundation for the release of "The Standard") is in place for January through March of 2005. Be sure to check www.arcthefinger.com and www.psycheorigami.com for updates!