Menagerie by Rosin Coven

Her attunement to "alchemy through music" and belief in dreams keeps Rosin Coven in magical creative place.

Abraham Birmingham (Justin Katz): contrabass, vocals, percussion, ringleader. Abe lays down the grooves and foundation for most of the Coven's tunes. He likes to play the bass in ways that it's not meant to be played, yet keep it swinging swingin swingin! When not jumping around in a top hat and goggles, he likes to design, promote, and produce wacky events that build community through art.

Louis Capricorn (Patrick Kaliski): drums, vocals, fire. Look out...here comes Louie! He's the tall, handsome one who sits in the back and makes the rest them sound good. Also an actor, producer, sound engineer, and whiskey-drinkin' nice guy, he's also in Dr. Abacus.

Gingerbread Candy Monahan (Beth Vandervennet): cello, vocals, eyelashes. Gingerbread Candy is a professional, classically trained player who performs with the numerous Bay Area symphonies. Rosin Coven allows her to step out of the classical world and trade her formalwear for whips and leathers. Look out for the lady behind the ladies, because this Gingerbread is hot!

James St. James (Brian Bulkowski): cello, vocals, air trumpet. James has played in a number of classical ensembles and a medieval surf band. He has been know to grace the stage with both his acoustic cello and with Barney, the purple electric five-string cello. His eclectic, whimsical playing is unique; listen closely and hear his train whistles, children's songs, cat calls, and syncopated basslines.

Bone (Tim Carless) bass trombone, vocals. Don't let his subtlety fool you. As Rosin Coven's one-man brass section, this charmingly ferocious man of many names brings the band a professional background, both instrumental and vocal, in classical, jazz, and rock 'n roll.

Patrick de la Esperanza (Tim O'Keefe) - vibraphone, vocals. With a strong background and degree in music performance he brings new textures, dynamics, and elegance to our ever growing ensemble. Whether he is floating soft warbly vibraphone chords over a sultry lounge tune, or scaling the upper registers of his marimba like a cartoon car chase gone awry, Espie's sound is continually opening new doors.

Jasmin Garden (Lila Sklar) - violin, vocals. Jasmin specializes in Balkan and Middle-Eastern styles as well as having roots in western classical and improvised musics. She has been playing the violin since the age of four years old, , and has toured and performed extensively throughout the US, Japan, Europe, and the Middle East playing with such groups as The Quarta Dolce Quartet, Gypsy Caravan, Sherefe, The Toids, and members of Cirque Du Soleil.

Press

"A spellbinding blend of macabre cabaret with offbeat elements of jazz, chamber music, and dark ages gloom."

-East Bay Express

"Rosin Coven is the sound of classically trained musicians on their day off." -SF Bay Guardian

"Rosin Coven has a great sound and an incredible energy, driven by the thought provoking lyrics. I've enjoyed hearing the band live, but the multitracking on their disk adds another dimension. There's a message in the music; not always definable, but compelling this listener to return to it again and again." -Amazon.com

"Eight or nine alabaster-skinned classical-musician types, all dressed smartly in semiformal red and black clothing, mill around their instruments on a stage aesthetically decorated with dead flowers and distressed violin cases. One of the two stunning lead singers wears a red velvet dress, rhinestones, and a feather boa; the other elegantly fills a black velvet floor-length gown. As the first song starts, they both throw small handfuls of glitter into the attentive crowd. Welcome to the "Pagan Lounge" of San Francisco theater-rockers Rosin Coven." -SF Bay Guardian

"They cast the first circle of ceremonial magic as soon as they enter the room with glitter and a parade. In a time of performances without ambiance, when the mere presence of the artist on stage is worthy of our adulation, this ensemble offers an alternative. A Rosin Coven show is a complete experience, a transforming journey of sounds and sights, metaphysical teasing, serious musicianship, antics, and alchemical brew...The philosopher's stone is a magical material that becomes whatever is needed to whoever possesses it, and so it is everything and no-thing. It is the ultimate alchemic substance, the essence of transformation, transmutation, and transcendence. The elders of alchemy never found this magical stone but, lucky for us, Rosin Coven finds it in music." -SF Station.com

www.rosincoven.com

Average Customer Review: