Spiritual brothers of Phish and, like that band, heirs to the throne left vacant by the Grateful Dead, Zen Tricksters have spent the last decade traveling from venue to venue across the country adding new fans, young and old, with their brand of loose and involved improvisatory music. Based in New York, Zen Tricksters have their roots as the Volunteers, who began circa the early '80s solely as a Grateful Dead cover band. The band re-formed in 1988, continuing with Grateful Dead covers but also writing their own original like-minded tunes. With the loss of vocalist Jennifer Markard, the lineup was pared down to a four-piece made up of Jeff Mattson (vocals, guitar), Rob Barraco (vocals, keyboards), Klyph Black (vocals, bass), and Joe Chirco (drums). The band built up a large fan base the old-fashioned way: lots of intensely hard work touring across the country and a growing reputation as a superb live act, catching on not only with appreciative Deadheads and Phriendlies, but with general fans of exploratory jams and creative improvisation. By the mid-'90s, Zen Tricksters had played from Maine to Oregon and were packing ballrooms and large venues. They have opened for a diverse group of music acts, from Hot Tuna to Suzanne Vega. In addition, Zen Tricksters have acted as the backup band for numerous musicians, including Rick Danko and Bo Diddley. The band's primary influence is, of course, the Grateful Dead, and its music reflects that band's blend of rock, blues, folk, and bluegrass, but there are also prevalent classical and jazz influences. Zen Tricksters recorded Holy Fool, their first album of all-original songs, in 1996; two years later, it achieved wider release via the Zebra Tango label. The follow-up, Love Surreal, was recorded in 1999, featuring the same lineup. By the turn of the millennium, several personnel shifts had taken place: Barraco departed and was replaced by seasoned jam band vet Pete Levin, while Chirco was replaced by Alan Lerner (formerly of Joe Gallant & Illuminati and the Dimitri Gurevitch Quintette), and second guitarist/vocalist Tom Circosta (a former member of the Volunteers) joined up as well.
TRICKSTORY
The Zen Tricksters can do it all. They are a superbly talented Rock/Jam band
who play in both electric and acoustic formats and as of January, 2004, they
are once again touring as a four-piece electric band. The Tricksters have a
huge working repertoire that ranges from their tuneful and well-crafted original
pieces to traditional bluegrass and hillbilly jazz classics, to Grateful Dead,
Dylan, Neil Young, and inventive interpretations of any and all songs that
catch their fancy. Winners of the Relix Magazine Jam Off (one of ten winners
chosen from over 200 band entries), The Zen Tricksters are not only renowned
for the trademark jamming ability they have displayed for over two decades,
but also for their inspired songwriting. This band will rock you, psychedelicize
you, make you cry, and pick it with the best of them!
The band has three studio CDs, The Holy Fool, recorded in 1996, A Love Surreal,
1999, and the brand new Shaking Off the Weirdness, 2003. This CD features
ten original tunes, including new titles such as High Horse and Sleepwalking,
plus staples of their live shows Light of Life and The One. It also boasts
a colorful roster of special guests including former Trickster and current
member of The Dead and Phil Lesh & Friends, Rob Barraco, Buddy Cage from
the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Jason Crosby, former ZT who also plays
with Oteil & the Peacemakers and Susan Tedeschi, and Tom "Banjo" Hanway.
The Tricksters play many local New York area gigs, but inevitably winds
up back on the road again. This is their life and it is what they love.
Jeff is very proud of the fact that he has never made his living in any
other way but music. “Road life,” he says “very much embodies the yin-yang
of life. You trade the long hours of traveling and tedium day after day for
the supreme pleasure and sheer love of making your own kind of live music
night after night.” That is quite obvious at any Zen Trickster show--you
can hear their love of their art in every performance they give.
The Zen Tricksters are into their third decade as a performing band.
Their performances have ranged from the Big Apple Bluegrass Festival
to the Seattle Hemp Festival. Over the years they have made quite a
name for themselves playing such noted events as the Oregon Country Fair
and the Pig Nic, New York's Gathering of the Vibes (this year makes all
eight years of its existence), California's High Sierra Festival, the
Seattle and Eugene Hemp Festivals, and the Poconos' Gathering on the Mountain.
They were a staple act at New York's venerable Wetlands Preserve, closed in
2001, and played there more times than any other band in existence! They
have shared the stage many times with the David Nelson Band, most recently
at several festivals during the summer of 2002, and pedal steel guitar player,
Barry Sless, who also played on A Love Surreal, is a virtual Trickster. They
have played with Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, Derek Trucks, Mike Gordon, Tom
Constanten, String Cheese Incident, and Kenny Kosek on several occasions, and
have also shared the stage with the JGB, Suzanne Vega, the Jefferson Starship,
the David Grisman Quintet, and more. Their music has been used on MTV, WABC's
Alias, and WB's Felicity. The Zen Tricksters are proud to be a Homegrown Music
Net member band.
THE ZEN TRICKSTERS
''MEXICALI BLUES, OCT 30TH 04,
2004
1 Where's the Count Klyph 3:52
2 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (One Kind Favor) 7:05
3 Lay Your Love 4:30
4 Jam 6:28
5 Cumberland Blues 6:45
6 Not Quite Enough 6:29
7 Shine Your Light 10:40
8 Warm Heart 5:18
9 Jam 7:15
10 Death Don't Have No Mercy 10:19
11 Werewolves of London 6:11
1 Munster Theme Nod 0:38
2 A Prisoner Say His Piece 4:17
3 The Music Never Stopped 7:45
4 Long Black Veil 5:12
5 Dear Prudence 8:37
6 Down the Road 3:32
7 The Squid 0:20
8 Season of the Witch 8:58
9 Light of Life 5:56
10 Scarlet Begonias 10:06
11 Fire on the Mountain 10:51
1 New Potato Caboose 10:36
2 I Know You Rider 8:17
3 New Potato Caboose (Reprise) 0:36
4 One More Saturday Night 4:40
5 Sympathy for the Devil 8:26
Jeff Mattson/Lead Guitar, Vocals
Klyph Black/Bass, Vocals
Tom Circosta/Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Dave Diamond/Drums
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