The marimba is a percussion instrument consisting of a set of wooden bars struck with yarn or rubber mallets to produce musical tones. Resonators or pipes suspended underneath the bars amplify their sound. The bars of a chromatic marimba are arranged like the keys of a piano, with the groups of two and three accidentals raised vertically, overlapping the natural bars to aid the performer both visually and physically. This instrument is a type of idiophone, but with a more resonant and lower-pitched tessitura than the xylophone. A person who plays the marimba is called a marimbist or a marimba player.
The vibraphone is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family. It consists of tuned metal bars, and is usually played by holding two or four soft mallets and striking the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a vibraphonist or vibraharpist.
Purple Onion is the only studio album by The Les Claypool Frog Brigade, released on September 24, 2002. It followed two live releases by the band, and is the first release of the Frog Brigade's original compositions. While the Brigade regulars are consistent on much of the record such as Jay Lane, Eenor Wildeboar, Skerik and new percussionist Mike "Tree Frog" Dillon, many special guests appear on the album as well. Guests on multiple tracks include Ben Barnes and Sam Bass. "D's Diner," a tribute to a Sebastopol, California restaurant, features sitar player Gabby La La in addition to the triple-bass onslaught of Claypool, Norwood Fisher (Fishbone) and Lonnie Marshall. Warren Haynes adds slide guitar on the "Buzzards of Green Hill" and Fish Fisher guests on "Whamola." "Whamola" was a live show staple named after the unique instrument Les employs—a one-string bass played with a drumstick. The song later appeared as a remix for the theme of South Park Season 10. "Barrington Hall" is a tribute to the UC Berkeley student housing known in the 1960s-1980s for counterculture. Purple Onion was released on vinyl for the first time on November 24, 2009.
Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade is one of many musical projects involving Primus bassist Les Claypool. The original band was formed in summer 2000 and consisted of: Les Claypool, Todd Huth, Jay Lane (drums), Jeff Chimenti (keyboards), Skerik (saxophone), and Eenor Wildeboar. Les Claypool has described their sound as, "It's kind of a King Crimson meets Pink Floyd meets Frank Zappa type thing."
Critters Buggin is a Seattle, Washington-based instrumental group which performs in a jazz, rock and African-influenced, eclectic style. The band is composed of Matt Chamberlain, Skerik, Brad Houser and Mike Dillon.
Tuatara is a Seattle-based instrumental music group featuring members of R.E.M., The Minus 5, Critters Buggin, The Chills and the Screaming Trees.
Of Whales And Woe is a solo album by Les Claypool, the bassist/vocalist of Primus. The album was released on the May 30, 2006. The album features Skerik, Mike Dillon, and Gabby La La (multi-instrumentalist). "Back off Turkey" also features Les' children, Cage and Lena. The track "Iowan Gal" is a love song for his wife, Chaney Claypool.
Les Claypool's Fancy Band was a lineup of musicians on tour with Les Claypool from 2005 to 2007. The band consisted of Claypool on bass, Skerik on tenor and baritone saxophone, Mike Dillon on vibraphone, marimba, tabla, cuíca and percussion, Gabby La La on sitar, ukulele and theremin and Paulo Baldi on drums. The Fancy Band's first appearance was 2005. They toured nationally in 2006 promoting the album Of Whales and Woe. They toured the early Summer of 2007 with the release of the DVD Fancy.
Fancy is a DVD of live concert footage compiled from the Les Claypool's Fancy Band 2006 tour. Filmed by Jim "Jimbo" Charna, Jeremy "staunchy" Sewell and Crew, it was released by Prawn Song Records on May 29, 2007. The soundtrack combines soundboard and "taper (Jimbos)" recordings for concert-like experience.
Stampede is a studio album by Critters Buggin of Seattle, Washington recorded and released in 2004. Although categorized as jazz, funk and rock reviews of Stampede mostly noted it as unique and boundary defying. Reviews also described it as similar to the electronic period of Miles Davis. Dave Segal of The Stranger stated the album "take(s) rewarding detours down psychedelic jazz corridors and non-kitsch exotica parlours."
Amoeba is a studio album by the electronic band Critters Buggin. It was released in 1999 on Loose Groove.
Bumpa is a studio album and live album by the electronic band Critters Buggin. It was released in 1998. Originally released by Loosegroove, Bumpa was reissued by Kufala Recordings in 2004.
Monkeypot Merganzer is the third studio album by Critters Buggin of Seattle, Washington and was released in 1997. Originally released independently, Monkeypot Merganzer was reissued by Kufala Recordings in 2004.
Emphasizer is the first full length studio album by Garage A Trois released in 2003.
Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil is the fourth studio album by Garage A Trois. It is the second CD with the musician line-up that includes Stanton Moore, Skerik, Mike Dillon and Marco Benevento. It was released April 2011.
Brian Roy Haas is an American jazz pianist and founding member of the band Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.
