Stick Men is comprised of Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto, the powerhouse bass and drums of the group King Crimson for a few decades, and Markus Reuter is a composer, guitarist, and producer. Levin plays the Chapman Stick, from which the band takes its name. Having bass and guitar strings, the Chapman Stick functions at times like two instruments. Markus Reuter plays his self-designed touch style guitar – again covering much more ground than a guitar or a bass. And Mastelotto’s drumming encompasses not just the acoustic kit, but a unique electronic setup too, allowing him to add loops, samples, percussion, and more.
Born in Boston, Tony Levin started out in classical music, playing bass in the Rochester Philharmonic. Then moving into jazz and rock, he has had a notable career, recording and touring with Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Yes, Alice Cooper, and many more. He has also released 5 solo CDs and three books. In addition to touring with Stick Men, he is currently a member of King Crimson and Peter Gabriel Band, and jazz bands Levin Brothers and L’Image.
Very rarely does a drummer go on to forge the most successful career on the demise of their former hit band. Phil Collins and Dave Grohl have managed it, so too has Pat Mastelotto, a self-taught drummer from Northern California, who has also been involved with pushing the envelope of electronic drumming. Pat has spent a lifetime jumping genres from pop, to prog, to electronica to world music with – among others – Mr. Mister, XTC, David Sylvian, The Rem- brandts, Kimmo Pohjonen, and for the last 24 years with King Crimson.
Markus is a composer, guitarist, and producer. Initially trained as a pianist, he subsequently studied Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft and learned to play the Chapman Stick, later moving onto the U8 Touch Guitar. Reuter has re- leased several solo recordings and worked extensively with other musicians. He is one of the core members of the experimental band Centrozoon, is half of the duo Tuner (with Pat Mastelotto) and was also a member of Europa String Choir
Together they are Stick Men. Stick Men will again be live at The Linda next week on April 8th. You can join us tickets and info at thelinda.org. This concert was recorded at The Linda in 2019. Here is Stick Men live at The Linda.
Lee Harvey Osmond, is a project of musician Tom Wilson a Canadian rock and folk musician from Hamilton, Ont. He’s won three Junos and released 14 albums including three solo records, Wilson's eclectic musical style has ranged from the psychobilly / R&B sounds of the Florida Razors, to the western/roots style of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and the funk/blues inspired rock of Junkhouse.
When Wilson released 2015’s “Beautiful Scars,” his third album under his alternate moniker, Lee Harvey Osmond, he was just beginning to grasp the full irony of using an assumed identity. Turns out Wilson had been living his entire life under one — a fact he didn’t learn until his 55th birthday, when his cousin confessed she was really his mother and his heritage was Mohawk, not Irish. That’s why his album cover depicts Wilson as a powerful and raw figure, warrior-like — someone who looks as if he’s still wild. “That’s actually how I feel as an artist,” Wilson explains. “At 56, I’m just emerging from the woods, with all of this new knowledge of who I am.” A prolific songwriter, he has supplied material for Billy Ray Cyrus, Murray McLauchlan, Colin James, and Mavis Staples. Lee Harvey Osmond played here in 2017 as part of the American Roots Series, here is Lee Harvey Osmond live at The Linda.
Alright, it wouldn’t be a Rock show on Live at The Linda without playing the moist recent set from Longtim Lidna regular Mr. Willie Nile. The New York Times called Buffalo, NY born Willie Nile "one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years." Uncut Magazine called him “A one-man Clash.” His album Streets Of New York was hailed as “a platter for the ages” by Uncut. Rolling Stone listed The Innocent Ones as one of the “Top Ten Best Under-The-Radar Albums of 2011” and BBC Radio called it “THE rock ‘n’ roll album of the year.” His single from that album, “One Guitar,” was the “Top Pick of the Week” in USA Today.
Willie has toured across the U.S. with The Who and has sung with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. As the induction program from the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame says: “His live performances are legendary.” His 2020 album “New York At Night” got rave reviews, with Downbeat calling it a “sonic love letter to Gotham.” Willie was back at our club a few weeks ago in support of his most recent COVID-era inspired album, the Day the Earth Stood Still. Here is Willie Nile live at The Linda.
Thanks for listening to Live At The Linda, recorded live at The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio. Join us next week for the Linda’s “Keys of Jazz,” featuring Stephane Wrembel 2022, Michael Benedict & Bopitude 2011, and The NoLaNauts 2021. For more information on this show or any upcoming events follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or visit thelinda.org.
